to be shocked that I heard the teacher shouting this to a primary age child?

[CrapBag]

I was in the school the other day. A class were having PE, I don't know what age group. It was a male teacher with a particularly loud shouty voice. From the shouting I established that a boy had cut in the line (they were lining up to leave the hall). The teacher really shouted at this boy about cutting in and how rude it was etc etc, really going for it. Then we heard "YOU ARE NOTHING BUT A BULLY" shouted to this lad.

I know I don't know this child, he may be a bully. I don't know the context other than he cut in line at the end of PE but I was quite horrifed really to hear a teacher shout, and I do mean shout as in bellow, at this lad and call him this.

I must admit I am a fan of labelling the behaviour rather than the child. I am by no means a perfect parent but if DS is playing up, I will always tell him that what he is doing is naughty etc, not that he is naughty.

I wouldn't have been at all happy had this been my DC. I know it wasn't as mine is in reception and this was an older class.

Should I be shocked? Am I just being too precious at my first born being at school now?

[Annunziata]

I don't see anything wrong with it.

[mum11970]

I don't see anything wrong in shouting either.

[discrete]

I'd be pretty horrified too.

[phantomnamechanger]

you saw a one off incident and were not in possession of all the facts, so, IMO, YABU - don't judge that poor teacher when you have no idea of the circumstances.
were you to see this sort of thing regularly, or hear reports back from your Dc, that would be another matter.

[CrapBag]

It wasn't the shouting really. It was what he said wrt to "you're nothing but a bully" just describing the shouting to set the scene.

I don't think I would be happy with anyone speaking to my child like that, even though I would be mortified if they were bullying anyone.

[sookiesookie]

Good god, you know alot from an incident you heard but did not see.

[BeatTheClock]

Maybe he is a bully though.

[sookiesookie]

So if he is a bully, what would be the issue?

[theninjabreadma]

I would assume that the teacher knows the child. What you saw/heard was only a small snapshot of the day.

As far as I am concerned, a child who behaves in a bullying way is a bully and if more teachers challenged such behaviour (instead of being terrified to, in case someone takes offence) then maybe our schools would be happier, safer places for the kids whose lives are blighted by bullies.

[Annunziata]

There's a lot of little shits about who should get told in certain terms they are nothing but bullies.

[ChazsGoldAttitude]

Its impossible to judge from the little you saw. If he cut in front of a child who he regularly targets for unkind behaviour it might be a very good thing that he was called out publically for doing it.

On the other hand maybe the teacher was being an arse.

[AgentZigzag]

There's no reason for a teacher to be shouting that a child is a bully.

If she thought they were there are more effective ways of dealing with his behaviour.

I wouldn't do anything about it now (like finding out who she is or talking to the school) just keep your eyes/ears open, if this teacher's like this it won't be a one off.

DD had a teacher who was similar and very shouty, a lot of the mums thought so (not bitching about her but just concerned about their children), she left half way through the year which resolved it.

Would you be OK with a teacher shouting that at your children Annunziata and mum11970? Because I'd be pretty pissed off.

[theninjabreadma]

you've more or less said that even if your child was a bully, you would object to them being told that they are. That attitude amongst parents is part of what makes bullying so hard to tackle.

[WofflingOn]

He should have targeted the behaviour and not the child, but you disingenuously say 'I don't know the age group' Upper KS2 perhaps, rather than reception?
Some children are bullies, some are afraid to come to school because of the relentless targeting and some teachers get to try and deal with it day in and day out with parents who are not necessarily in agreement and with no backing from the SMT. Perhaps the teacher over-reacted that time.
As others have said, it's a snapshot.

[Annunziata]

If they deserved it, yes. I'd be more annoyed at the child for deserving the name than the teacher for calling them it.

[sookiesookie]

I have to ask, why were you wondering around the school during lesson time? i assume if you worked there you would have had an idea who the teacher was and which class was doing PE that day.

[CrapBag]

Ok, I will concede that the teacher may have not been wrong. Yes there are children who need telling, maybe this child does have a history.

[AgentZigzag]

Was that to me theninja?

If it was, you couldn't be more wrong, I just don't believe in humiliation as a form of discipline or punishment.

And how would you measure whether he was deserving of it Annunziata? Just on the teachers judgement?

[bamboostalks]

If you are truly horrified at hearing a teacher shout, you may wish to consider HE.

[CrapBag]

I was not wandering around the school and I do not work there.

I was doing a course in the next room.

[Annunziata]

No smoke without fire.

[Maria2007loveshersleep]

YANBU. Regardless of the circumstances, and despite what this child did or didn't do, the phrase 'you are nothing but a bully' is unacceptable in whatever context. Personally I would have a chat wih the Headteacher about it as it would worry me. Also: presuming that child was behaving in a bullying way, surely this is not the way to deal with it?!

[CrapBag]

I was not horrifed at hearing a teacher shout ffs! It was what he said that shocked me.

[ReallyTired]

Teachers are dammed whatever they do. Prehaps there is more to this than you could see/ hear.

At least this teacher is attempting to make a stand against bullying. Prehaps in the cold light of day there are better words the teacher could use. However its far better than many teachers who allow bullies to make victims lives hell.