Grade appropriate?

[Mummy twinkle toes]

Hi Babyballerina,

I would definitely move her as it sounds as though her school peers are already jealous. Perhaps teacher is trying to avoid complaints from her 'friends' and their parents, if they perceive your dd is getting special treatment. At least if you join a different school this would be avoided. Your dd needs to progress and enjoy herself without being called names.

We too stayed at a school for too long. It come to the crunch when dd1 collapsed in heap of tears due to the nastiness she had experienced. She didn't even want to leave then but best decision we made. Perhaps discuss with ja teacher too, if possible. Good luck, it is a hard decision but from what you have said it seems right to move.

[xanthe]

I find it quite worrying that the teacher is obviously age grouping the children - the idea of the 'older ones' not wanting her to dance with them is also ridiculous.

 

My 7 year-old DD starts grade 3 in a couple of weeks - she's done a term at grade 2 but we opted to not sit the exam this week. The teachers decision was based entirely on her having solid technique and the ability to do the higher grade - she's definitely one of, if not the youngest, in a mixed-age class. None of the girls have said anything bad about DD being younger and moving up with them after far less time at the same level - if children are saying that kind of thing, it's because they're hearing it elsewhere.

 

I'm definitely in the school of learning to walk before you can run, but having gone through the syllabi for the grades, so much of the early grades involves repetition and building on core movements and skills that I really don't understand why the teacher is so against it (we do Cecchetti so I don't know if other methods are similar).

 

At your DD's age, the amount of dancing she's doing and being a JA as well, I would want her to be being gently challenged rather than bored. I'd look for a new school that was more flexible. 

[BumbleBallerina]

Also the fact that the older girls don't want her in their class must mean that the teacher has asked them? Surely the teacher should decide rather than asking children.

[Pointetoes]

We moved DD but it took me years to convince her that she should. For whatever reason she was very loyal to a really mean teacher. Hindsight is a great thing and she now wishes she had moved years ago. She was in a school where they all moved up together, some where allowed to take the exam there's were told they wouldn't get a good enough mark so couldn't take the exam but could move up because they needed to keep the age group together. It was very 'old school ' and you never questioned the teacher. She is now at a school where there are mixed age groups particularly in the higher grades and vocational grades. It works, the older ones help the younger ones and the younger ones love the older ones.

 

Sometimes you have to remember you are the parent, I know that is harsh but in the end I gave DD no choice. The result is she has gone from being told she wasn't any good to getting into vocational 6th form. Your DD obviously loves her dancing,being board can very quickly destroy that.

[MrsMoo2]

Hi, I have a 9 year old son who is also in grade 2. He never did his grade 1 exam as he was only there for 12 months then moved up to grade 2. I think some schools just focus a lot on exams and some don't. Since its never been a problem for DS, can't say its bothered me. Alongside his grade 2 class he takes tap, acrobatic dance and extended training, all an hour long. In between we have guest teachers coming in from various vocational schools for workshops and a pretty good record of kids getting into JA's, mids and full time courses.

Maybe find out what's important to your daughter, does she want to go for the exams or take a more rounded approach. As a former dancer, I know that of my friends very few got "ballet" jobs. It was the all rounders who could sustain longer careers in the arts...???????? xxx