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AIBU?

Very strange PE lesson today

100 replies

deliataughtme · 17/01/2013 21:42

Just posted this in secondary ed but posting here too because there is more traffice.

DD, Yr 9, came home from school fuming.

They had PE today. Two groups so two teachers. They did bleep tests (whatever they are) but which I understand to be mindless running up and down and then the girls take their pulses. At this point the girls were not told they couldn't talk and though they had been put at ease after the running and the two teachers left the gym because there was talking.

They were gone for 20 minutes and then came back and screamed at the girls for their rudeness, the fact that they might as well not be there, no-one noticed they had gone, etc.. The girls were also told they would do really badly at GCSE because of their attitude. The girls were then made to spend 20 minutes running around outside in the freezing cold - some did not have full kit and had to do so in tshirts/shorts in minus temperatures.

Now, I appreciate I have one side of this but there must have been 40 odd girls, some of whom have significant behaviour problems, some of whom have SEN. They were left unattended for 20 minutes. Is that actually acceptable from a safeguarding point of view? I don't think it is. I don't think screaming at girls is acceptable either.

My dd and one of her friends, another mum has been on the phone, think the teachers were out of order and should at the very least have given instructions about whether the girls could talk when taking pulses, etc., should not have left the girls unattended and should not have come back screaming. DD and the friend are very reliable to give accurate recollections of the facts.

All sounds very strange and unsatisfactory. Also, doesn't sound like much of a team spirited PE lesson either.

Any PE teachers, SMT members or teachers generally on here for a view?

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AngelWreakinHavoc · 17/01/2013 21:46

Sounds like the pe teachers had had enough of 13/14 year old girls chatting and being silly while others were doing the beep test to be honest.
I doubt they left for 20 mins.

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thegreylady · 17/01/2013 21:46

Teachers should never ever leave a class unattended and if this is true it needs to be reported.If the teachers sloped off for a cuppa etc then tried to put the blame on the class is outrageous.
I was a teacher for over 30 years. I never left a class-if I needed to I sent a pupil to the office to ask for cover for a few minutes.

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Celticlassie · 17/01/2013 21:49

Bleep tests are not 'mindless running up and down', they are fitness tests.

And I doubt they were left for 20 minutes.

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RuleBritannia · 17/01/2013 21:51

Do you mean 'screaming' (Americanese) or 'shouting'?

Screaming is what people do when they are so we see on tv frightened or being attacked.

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Salmotrutta · 17/01/2013 21:54

I teach and I would nip across the hall/into the next room to collect something from another room maybe.

No way would I ever leave a class alone for 20 minutes - but I'd be very surprised if this is what happened.

And fitness tests/recovery time will be part of a PE certificate class syllabus surely?

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deliataughtme · 17/01/2013 21:54

Probably shouting RuleBritannia but in an overbearing out of control manner which I do think borders on screaming. Certainly not speaking loudly in a rational manner which denoted self control or respect for the pupils.

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Salmotrutta · 17/01/2013 21:56

Yes- people love to bandy around the word "screaming" when actually they mean someone raised their voice.

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Bobyan · 17/01/2013 21:57

How do you know how loudly they were shouting? Were you there?

I'm guessing most people would leave their 13 year old alone for 20 minutes at home, so is it really that big a deal at school?

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Salmotrutta · 17/01/2013 21:58

I really think -you-- your DD should put this behind her and move on ...

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deliataughtme · 17/01/2013 21:58

Salmotrutta not aware my dd is taking a certificate in PE. Certainly won't be a GCSE option. Is it appropriate to tell an entire cohort they will fail their GCSEs?. Is it appropriate to leave that many girls unattended? Is it appropriate to make them run in -3 when many do not have a PE sweatshirt with them because it was not an outdoor lesson?

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Montybojangles · 17/01/2013 21:59

I think you will find its impossible to take a pulse while talking, so sounds like they were mucking about and not taking the lesson very seriously. 13/14 yr olds do tend to have a habit of exaggerating, or forgetting salient (negative to their side of the story) facts from time to time. A pinch of salt may be needed.

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Salmotrutta · 17/01/2013 22:00

Sadly yes, it is a big deal Bobyan.

A class full of 20 teenagers will not just sit quietly and read - they get up to all sorts of inventive mischief!

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deliataughtme · 17/01/2013 22:01

I don't leave my 13 year old at home with girls who have been temporarily excluded for beating up other girls at all and I don't expect that to happen at school.

Isn't it a serious safeguarding issue?

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TheFallenMadonna · 17/01/2013 22:03

Bleep tests totally standard in PE.
You can't talk and take your pulse at the same time.

Leaving a class for 20 minutes is very odd indeed.

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deliataughtme · 17/01/2013 22:03

Thing is, not like my dd to complain or to be cross about stuff - usually takes it all in her stride so I think this was pretty odd actually.

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WhatchuTalkinBoutPhyllis · 17/01/2013 22:03

if your daughter is telling the truth about them leaving for so long then yanbu

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JambalayaCodfishPie · 17/01/2013 22:04

Isn't it a serious safeguarding issue?

No. It isn't.

In fact, its far likely to be a serious exaggeration issue. Grin

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Salmotrutta · 17/01/2013 22:05

Err, yes, if pupils have attitude and muck about I do point out that they may well underperform

....what with them not listening or working and all Hmm

As to running about outside ... They were running. Running keeps you warm.
We used to do cross country every week come rain, snow or sun back in the day.

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WhatchuTalkinBoutPhyllis · 17/01/2013 22:05

bobyan I'm guessing most people wouldn't leave their 13 year old at home with 29 other 13 year olds.

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DonderandBlitzen · 17/01/2013 22:05

Probably what happened was that the girls were messing around, not listening and doing what they were supposed to and the teacher told them off and made them run outside for 10 mins, which is fine. Teachers have to punish kids sometimes and that seems an ok way to do it to me. If they made the girls stand in the cold shivering that wouldn't be ok, but running is ok.

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DumSpiroSpero · 17/01/2013 22:06

It does sound really odd - I would definitely be fuming about the outdoor running in adequate kit, but tbh I'm biased as I have a lifelong loathing of PE and PE teachers!

Back in the real world, I would possibly raise it with someone appropriate, but in the context of 'I'm sure there must have been a misunderstanding but I'm a bit concerned and want to get to the bottom of it...' context rather than going in all guns blazing.

It does sound as though the situation may be open to interpretation to be fair.

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Amerryscot · 17/01/2013 22:06

Sounds like you only have one side of the story

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Bobyan · 17/01/2013 22:06

Then why let her go to school, what if she bumps into them in the loos?

Are you not failing her by allowing her to go to a dangerous place where you can't guarantee her safety?

You're being very unrealistic and it seems that there is much more to this than the fact your Dd got told off and then had to (shock horror) run around outside for a bit.

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WhatchuTalkinBoutPhyllis · 17/01/2013 22:07

did anyone else read traffic in a french accent?

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TidyDancer · 17/01/2013 22:09

Why would it be a serious safeguarding issue? They are school children, not hardened criminals.

The running around outside in minus temps, well it's not great admittedly, but they wouldn't have been running for long before they warmed up surely? I don't think it's the big deal you are thinking it is.

I also suspect your DD has taken exception to this lesson and has perhaps been creative in the retelling of it.

I think you need to let this one go.

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