Gransnet forums

Chat

Heavy Handed Teacher of Seven Year Olds.

(192 Posts)
Ashcombe Sat 12-Sept-20 18:27:42

This week my granddaughter, aged seven, had a page ripped out of her book by her Y3 teacher for a minor infringement of his rule about setting out. (She forgot to miss a line between the title and the writing.) Three other children were treated similarly.
As a retired teacher, mainly of Y6, I understand the need to establish rules about neat presentation but I would never resort to this aggressive style of implementing my standards. My DGD is conscientious and cooperative in school but her confidence has taken a knock by this strong reaction from her teacher in the first week of term.

Sarnia Sun 13-Sept-20 18:14:56

My youngest grand-daughter had a picture she had drawn in class ripped up in front of her. She was in Reception at the time aged 4. She was sobbing about it as soon as she came out of class that afternoon. My daughter mentioned this to the teacher in charge of that Key Stage and that teacher, in his first year, was spoken to. I am all for discipline and getting learning across but that almost seemed like the actions of a bully to me.

Harris27 Sun 13-Sept-20 18:25:57

Not good n dit will have a detrimental effect on her. Speak to the teacher in question ( sorry I mean her parents) and ask why he thought the need to do this I’m sure he will be having complaints.

Chardy Sun 13-Sept-20 18:57:33

My adult daughter had a teacher whrn in Y2 who was difficult with many of the kids in DD's class. It turns out teacher had cancer, and subsequently was off the remainder of that year.
I'm not defending such behaviour, I'm appalled by it, but before we jump to conclusions, talk to the teacher. I can't imagine the stress in school at present, these ludicrous book reviews, lesson observations, threat of OFSTED in January as well as worries about own family's health, and trying to make up for lost time in school.

Elrel Tue 15-Sept-20 00:18:22

Lucyanne
KS2 SATs marking doesn’t now include a penalty for not missing a line between title and writing, does it?

As a marker I was expected to award or deduct marks for some questionable reasons but I don’t recall that being one. One of the oddest we had was in a comprehension with the answer as a year, 1796 for instance. The mark was given if the digits were correct regardless of the order!

trisher Tue 15-Sept-20 08:55:54

Just thinking of things children report to their parents I once had a girl who told hers she had seen a picture of a naked man on the computer at school. An investigation was launched and firewalls etc checked, we couldn't see how she could have seen such a thing. Eventually after much questioning we found out it was Leonardo's Vitruvian man she had seen! (Sorry for deflecting thread)

Ellianne Tue 15-Sept-20 09:16:36

What children tell their parents about what goes on at school is nothing compared with what (little) children tell teachers goes on at home!! grin

Furret Tue 15-Sept-20 09:16:57

I thought this kind of aggressive behaviour was in the past. Yes, it used to happen but most teachers are not like that anymore. Different breed. This should not happen and needs to be nipped in the bud. Talk to HT.

ExD Tue 15-Sept-20 09:24:01

I was thinking exactly the same as Furret because this would have been quite normal when I was at school. Please don't turn the poor child into a victim by encouraging her to complain when a teacher criticises her work.
One thing is sure, she'll never forget to leave a line under the heading in future!
(I don't mean to sound unsympathetic but get it in proportion, please)

jaylucy Tue 15-Sept-20 09:43:25

That is something they used to do when I was at school x years ago!
Talking to a retired teacher , the reasoning behind it, apparently , was that it was done so that the workbook didn't look untidy!
Always used to make me think that with an attitude like that, it makes you feel that you cannot make any mistakes at all - even if you are a complete novice!
Too old fashioned and possible lasting effects - there are much better ways it could have been dealt with.

albertina Tue 15-Sept-20 09:45:47

Like others here I worked as a primary school teacher. This teacher was wrong to do that to a child, it was a very old fashioned move. I would have a word with the Head teacher. That teacher may be approaching burnout. All teachers are stressed with the current crisis, but there is no excuse for this action.
I was regularly humiliated at school as a child ( strict Catholic schools) and it left me with very low self esteem. When I became a teacher I vowed never to do that to any child in my care.

Yellowmellow Tue 15-Sept-20 09:45:59

Not sure what this behaviour is supposed to teach a child especially one so young. This also isn't building confidence and self esteem in children. I'd be having a word with the Head teacher. This type of teaching and discipline went out years ago. Thank god

Neilspurgeon0 Tue 15-Sept-20 09:48:29

Oh annodomini how I feel for you. Mrs. Thomas 1959-1960, bloody woman, knocked every interest in learning out of my head for years.

Thank God for the Royal Navy who taught me that it is ok to make mistakes, so long as you learn by them. Bloody perfectionists should NEVER be allowed into classrooms.

H1954 Tue 15-Sept-20 09:53:29

What a nasty person this teacher is! Her actions were nothing short of bullying in my opinion. I'd definitely speak to the teacher and the school Head.

Additionally, what a waste of paper too!

Operalover Tue 15-Sept-20 09:53:58

I thought this type of teaching( bullying) had died out long ago , apparently not. Disgraceful behaviour from a professional.

Theoddbird Tue 15-Sept-20 09:56:28

Report to head teacher definitely...

Rumtumtoby Tue 15-Sept-20 09:57:20

That is just appalling. I am retired now but was a classroom assistant and wore many other hats within education for many years and my husband was a teacher.
If a teacher had treated my daughter or my granddaughter like that she would have been taken to task immediately. And reported to her head teacher.
In my experience once a teacher knows that you have experience in the education environment they treat you and your family completely differently which is totally not fair but in my case when we had a problem very true.

Nannapat1 Tue 15-Sept-20 09:57:50

Astonished to learn that Heads check teachers' pupils books, but whatever the reason, go to the Head. Whether it was motivated by fear of the Head or otherwise, it's still wrong.

Dibbydod Tue 15-Sept-20 09:57:51

This behaviour is unacceptable, I hope by now you’ve gone and had a word with the head teacher .

Grannygrumps1 Tue 15-Sept-20 10:04:48

Sadly your daughter will remember this for the rest of her life. Something similar happened to me and I have never forgotten. In English we had to write a letter and draw and write the envelope. I drew a pig on my stamp and the teacher thought I was being rude. She scribbled all over my hard work with a red pen. I had to do the complete letter and enVelope again. My new letter was writing to the headmaster complaining how teachers disregarded your hard work and scribbled all over it with red comments. Needless to say. She never did it a second time.

LuckyFour Tue 15-Sept-20 10:14:06

I've never forgotten my last year at primary school aged 10 having to stand by our desks and watch a row of children being caned in turn for some small misdemeaner in the playground earlier. Some were only 5 years old, and I remember hating him. I vowed I would say something to him if I ever met him when I grew up. Years later I was stood at a bus stop and he was there. He looked a sad old man and I decided not to be unkind to him as he had been to the children. These things you never forget.

sandwichgeneration Tue 15-Sept-20 10:16:58

Lucca We were still doing cartwheels in the playground at the age of 11 - times have changed and not always for the better! Children aren't allowed to be innocent children any more. Age 5-6 they shouldn't be aware of that yet. Very sad.

razzmatazz Tue 15-Sept-20 10:19:55

See the Head. If you see the teacher it will all be justified and you are no further forward and he/she will do it again to another unsuspecting child. See the Head immediately or the mother or father maybe. Disgraceful. This sort of treatment one out 50 years ago when I was at school. We try to teach our children kindness . What kind of role model is this for them ?

Taliya Tue 15-Sept-20 10:22:28

The teacher sounds horrible. I would mention it to the head of the school as this behaviour is not conducive to learning and just instills unnecessary fear.

Cid24 Tue 15-Sept-20 10:24:40

I think it depends how the teacher did it . Did he do it in an angry way? Or did he explain why he was removing the page in a kind way? There’s a big difference.

GrannyAnnie2010 Tue 15-Sept-20 10:24:53

Ellianne

What children tell their parents about what goes on at school is nothing compared with what (little) children tell teachers goes on at home!! grin

I remember the talk a Head Teacher gave us parents at the beginning of a school term. She said, "Don't believe everything your daughter tells you as having happened to her at school, and we won't believe everything she tells us as having happened to her at home."

I think that Ashcombe should take a page of out this HT's book.