7 year old told he is lazy by his teacher at primary school

[misssilverwings]

DS is 7, at a primary in a European country. Came home recently in tears his teacher has called him lazy in front of the class. I am so upset and angry. Mainly angry cos he isn't.... he is the most intelligent considerate bilingually able boy ever. Its a state school. It seems in this country, this is acceptable behaviour from a teacher ( teacher 60+ nearing retirement). AI BU to request an explanation from the headmaster? Or can I just go at her with daggers but then she might take it out on him? he is only just 7 ffs.

[ComputerSaysNoooo]

he is the most intelligent considerate bilingually able boy ever

This is a joke, right?

[Feenie]

Had he done work he'd been asked to do - and if not, what was the reason?

[Sirzy]

Well if he is such a star why did she say it?

[Meadows76]

You have completely omitted the important part. WHY did she call him lazy?

[PortiaCastis]

Which Country?

[BratFarrarsPony]

I would just leave it.
Maybe he IS lazy...? no offence.
It could be so very much worse, couldnt it?
When you talk to her, look at a spot on her forehead instead of making eyecontact...that will discombobulate her....:)
Honestly it is not worth making a fuss, it will just make things worse for him.

[Feenie]

Lazy = unwilling to work (for no other reason though, obviously. That description has certainly fitted one or two seven year olds on the odd occasion, probably most. I feel quite lazy myself occasionally. It's not really acceptable to act on it if you've been asked to do something though, and children need to understand that eventually.

It's not a swear word!

[misssilverwings]

Love the looking at the forehead suggestion thank you. ! Maybe im overreacting. Im lazy too sometimes! God knows why she said it. He wouldnt explain. And yeahhh im joking he is just a normal 7 yr old chap

[Whattodosue]

I took the comment about him being super intelligent bilingual boy as a mums protective love. I don't imagine OP meant it entirely literally.

I don't think shaming a child in front of an entire class is a good thing, That is probably the main question. Even if he was being lazy, public shaming is not the right approach in my view.

I don't think an explanation from the headteacher is the way forward, unless you decide that the teacher is continuing to be unjust or unkind. It probably is worth trying to find out why she called him that, and then if you think the teacher misunderstood his behaviour, possibly it could be worth kindly trying just to explain what your son was doing to the teacher (without being angry with her). That would possibly help the teacher to understand your son better, which might improve things. And if your son wasn't putting the effort it at a certain point, or wasn't doing what he was told (what ever the reason was underlying the 'lazy' suggestion), then perhaps he could be encouraged to behave differently too. But if it really was a teacher misunderstanding, then explain nicely to her, and hopefully it won't happen again.

[BratFarrarsPony]

Also, you say she is old...I suppose she will retire soon..
The public shaming is not nice, at all, but if you complain to the head, I fear it could get so much worse. xx.

[Moaningmyrtille]

France?

[hippyhippyshake]

Fucking hell. Involve the HT? The correct response to 'the teacher called me lazy' is 'oh dear' and move on. Do you pick up after him at home and he forgot the teacher wasn't his slave? It's usually something like that.

[Artandco]

Depends, if he wasn't doing what he was supposed to that's lazy isn't it?

[TeacherBob]

I told my whole class they were being lazy. They are 5 years old.

There work got a whole lot better.

Best sack me now!

[TeacherBob]

Or shoot me for my spelling

[Tomorrowillbeachicken]

My son can be stubborn and lazy. He's five. He's also kind natured and loving and very smart (according to the teachers) and a perfectionist but getting him to do anything he really struggles with is like pulling teeth as so much comes easily to him. so either he says a flat out no or stretches out the activity to try to do as little as possible.

[TheEmojiFormerlyKnownAsPrince]

What on earth has the teachers age got to do with it?😵Talk about ageism!

[MrsKCastle]

I''ve taught some very lazy 7 years olds on occasion. I've never called them lazy but I've certainly implied it: 'Is this really your best work?' 'I'm disappointed because I know you can do better than this.' Etc. If they're not bothering to make an effort, they do need to know that it isn't acceptable, and that they will be called on it.

The first question I'd ask the teacher is: 'How much effort is my son putting into his work?'. Depending on the answer, my second question would be: 'What can I do to help him improve? How can I best support you?'

[ReallyTired]

Maybe England's position in the Pisa tables would not be so awful if we did tell our seven year olds when they were being lazy.

Lots bright children are lazy at times. Shock horror maybe the teacher has high expectations and wants him to do well. Dd's class has some really lazy children in it. Dd's teacher is prepared to tell them off.

If a teacher doesn't have an army of TAs then they have no option but to tell children off in front of their classmates.

[Feenie]

I wouldn't baulk at telling a 7 year old that their behaviour was lazy. I wouldn't choose to do that in front of the class though.

[sortthetacheoutbernard]

I've told my dc they're being lazy. When they were.
Why is that wrong?

[PlaymobilPirate]

When did children become such delicate snowflakes? Dealing with honest, negative feedback is a life skills... they can't just be told they're amazing all the time!

[RebelRogue]

Was he being lazy?

[Atenco]

When did children become such delicate snowflakes? Dealing with honest, negative feedback is a life skills... they can't just be told they're amazing all the time!

Yes, I was thinking that. There an awful lot of inappropriate things that teachers should not say in front of a class, but I never would have thought that calling a child lazy was one of them.

[catkind]

You are being lazy [about this specific piece of work, I know you can do better, please go back and check your grammar] is okay I think. Bertie, you're a lazy boy = not okay. It's the old label the behaviour not the child thing isn't it?