School letting me know that ds, 13, doesn’t have a pen.

[Veuvestar]

Oh and he was slow to get in line
Is this the best use of time?
The school has a system of behaviour points
Isn’t this stuff they should just be getting on with, or dealing with.
He lost his pencil case, he borrowed a pen, move along, nothing to see.
Does anyone rises school do this type of thing?

They’ll go sooooo far in life.

No idea about noble's school but mine does, yes.

I don't know, Veuvestar, you could read the behaviour policy and find out?

But it wouldn't be unusual for a school to have a behaviour policy that expects pupils to turn up to a lesson with a pen and to follow instructions promptly. It also wouldn't be unusual for a school to have a behaviour policy that logs failure to do so.

I work in a secondary school. We do not have a supply of pens to endlessly give out, and it is endless and really annoying. I have personally supplied dozens of pens weekly, it happens all the time. Whilst for your child it may be an unfortunate one off there are many repeat offenders, who the next day come in without the pen I have given them to keep the day before. It is basic necessary, equipment but so many students simply don't care. It will be part of a much bigger picture that at school we get exasperated with.

It’s usually a automated email to alert you and 3 or so occasions of the same failure to be equipped add up to a detention

Jesus Christ he didn't have a pen once for one sodding lesson!! It's hardly treason - he's well prepared! I don't know how many more times the op can write that he's sent with everything! It's a one off! It's ridiculous they had time to contact you about a one time thing. Kids have had a bloody rough time of it lately and they need to chill out.

Seems a bit of a waste of time to phone you about it. He left it in his locker, its not like he didn't bring it. At most a note in the planner maybe. People talk about teachers not having time, had enough time to make a phone call tho?

@imalmostthere

Jesus Christ he didn't have a pen once for one sodding lesson!! It's hardly treason - he's well prepared! I don't know how many more times the op can write that he's sent with everything! It's a one off! It's ridiculous they had time to contact you about a one time thing. Kids have had a bloody rough time of it lately and they need to chill out.

Is an automated email really equal to treating it like treason, the information goes out so parents are aware their kid needs a pen.

People talk about teachers not having time, had enough time to make a phone call tho?

Nope. This was an auto generated email caused by a teacher logging on the register that he didn't have a pen. 2 second job.

Also the emails that arise as a result of teachers adding a point are usually sent out by pastoral staff clicking a button nothing to do with teachers

@Crappyfridays7

I am dyslexic/dyspraxic and have terrible organisational skills although it’s something I’ve worked on. Some of the comments from teachers are awful. The ops son forgot/lost a pen once maybe he should have a spare but surely it’s part of a bigger picture and I’m not sure what I’d have done if I’d lost or broken my pen and knew I’d get into trouble for it. Probably for very upset and worried as school was incredibly challenging for me and the teachers didn’t do anything to help or make things more understandable for me or take into consideration any of my difficulties school was utter shit. Sounds like it still is for kids like me. It’s not like it’s deliberate, teachers would’ve been better sending the parents of people who bullied me relentlessly daft emails, priorities!!

A note to you via your son would’ve done, letting you know and asking for you to help with organisation

Yep. I dread the thought of sending my child, or any child being sent, into the classroom of a teacher like some of the ones on MN, it does sound utterly miserable. I don’t think they’re representative though (I hope!)

Apologies I thought it was a phone call! A automated email seems reasonable, I don't think it will of been a big deal then as you seem annoyed about more of a "heads up X forgot his pen today" as a reminder type thing.

@Veuvestar

Is nobody reading what I have written?

I have and I totally understand Our school is an utter ball ache as well!

Please remember most of them are only just out of university themselves..... I will not accept parenting advice from a 26 yr old either 😂
I was so surprised I did say to one of his teachers
I'm 49 I've been patenting for 16 years, I didn't ask for your advice
But if you'd like mine on how to deal with parents???

OP I completely agree with you. And I think some of the replies on this thread are hilarious. Unless he is a serial pen absconder then getting in touch with you is a ridiculous waste of everyone's time.

Dare I say it though teachers are pretty crazy just now.

I’m constantly supplying pens that I’ve paid for myself, I don’t bother adding the points on to the system for it as by the time they get to me they are in enough trouble but some parents are so unsupportive of everything we do and it’s upsetting and frustrating. I’m not referring to you OP, you sound like you are very much on top of things just try not to take the behaviour system to heart, maybe it’s standing out to you more precisely because your son is a good kid.

@GintyMcGinty

OP I completely agree with you. And I think some of the replies on this thread are hilarious. Unless he is a serial pen absconder then getting in touch with you is a ridiculous waste of everyone's time.

Dare I say it though teachers are pretty crazy just now.

Unless you work in a school you haven’t the first idea of what is being dealt with, dare I say..

Please remember most of them are only just out of university themselves..... I will not accept parenting advice from a 26 yr old either
Just wow! Bit rude? Teachers are not giving parenting advice. They are asking for support so your child can access the learning. I'm in my 50s BTW. Not all teachers are 24, tho I can't blame older, more experienced staff for leaving tbh.

It’s so patronising but sadly unsurprising, we’d all love it if none of these behaviour points had to be given out, it would make my bloody day ☺️

When a kid tells you your role isn’t worthy of respect you know exactly where that is coming from.

Is there a reason why they can't take their bags into lessons or did he just forget to get it out of his locker?

It's easily done but hopefully this will give him a nudge.

My mum is a retired teacher and she used to buy pens for her classes. She would charge them £1 each time they wanted to borrow a pen. Funnily enough it stopped certain children forgetting their pens every lesson!

They would then get to keep the pen of course!

MiddleParking
I think you've got to separate what teachers do (which is mainly dictated by the head) and what teachers are like.

To use an equipment situation similar to the OP. As an individual level, I find it frustrating when the starts of lessons are regularly held up by forgotten books, not having equipment etc.
In one school I worked in, students generally had their own equipment. If someone forgot then they'd typically borrow from a friend because they knew me and knew my feelings about the start of lessons. They also knew that I had a pen jar at the front so if they needed it, they could take a pen for the lesson without disrupting the lesson. My pen jar almost never ran out (unless certain colleagues used my room and then I had to hide it). There was a mutual understanding that I cared about small things because I also cared about big things. If I saw someone regularly borrowing a pen then I'd speak to them.

At another school I worked at it was the norm for students not to arrive prepared, to go from lesson 1-5 being given pens from staff, which ended up being dismantled and left in bits around the room. The head brought in a revised behaviour policy that reflected the cumulative impact of lots of 'small' situations. The policy meant that not having equipment was a behaviour point. As a responsible teacher who doesn't undermine my colleagues, I followed that system because it only works if everyone is on the same page.

Despite being the same teacher with the same values, my actions differed according to context.

Wow, people on here must have been the most perfect organised children ever and now aren't they lucky they have perfect organised kids too!!

All of the kids are getting used to being back right now and school's will be full of very minor behaviour offences like forgotten pens and being a bit silly/slow lining up. The problem is that they all add up and if allowed to become the norm for behaviour standard the overall standard slips. In the first couple if weeks back the school are probably having a push on the minor offenders knowing that if they are usually trouble free then they are more likely to be reactive to a call home so they can get back to standard then focus on the big problems. Unless you are being bombarded by contact over individual minor issues I would get onboard, tell him to pull his socks up carry on doing what you can to organise himself.