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Original poster

Is there a teacher at your DC's school with a reputation?

29 replies

KenIsAnAccessory · 03/09/2025 12:47

And is it deserved? DC this year has a teacher who is widely known to be excessively strict and is not well liked. I'm interested to see how it goes for him as he's not had any issues before but is very nervous going into her class.

Anyone got any experience of similar? Is it deserved or is it rumour mill/drama stoked up unnecessarily?

OP posts:

Bluevelvetsofa · 03/09/2025 16:21

One person’s excessively strict might be another’s firm but fair.

Is this a preliminary to wanting him moved to a different class?

BirdBathSpaNowOpen · 03/09/2025 16:30

Children often misinterpret strict as a teacher keeping them on task and not allowing them to chat or mess about. Or tone, they say a teacher shouts when the teacher doesn't actually raise their voice but they do use an annoyed tone. This is sometimes but not always paired with an accent that isn't the regional one.

If children get into trouble with a teacher it is always one of two things, either, they are doing something they shouldn't be doing or they are not doing what they should be doing.

As a parent I would be telling my child that this is how we learn the difference between fact and an opinion and he can make up his own mind about her when in her class himself.

CeciliaMars · 03/09/2025 16:53

I like it when my kids get the really strict teachers!

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Charabanc · 03/09/2025 16:54

I like strict teachers. There should be more of them.

TheNightingalesStarling · 03/09/2025 17:09

Theres an IT teacher with a reputation for being boring, and one with the reputation for being fun.

From what I've observed of my DDs homework... they are right. One does seem very dry. Not a bad teacher, but doesn't hold interest as well as the other.

Talipesmum · 03/09/2025 17:20

My younger teen loves a strict teacher. He is much happier when there are clear rules and consequences! He doesn’t like it when they’re unfair or incompetent though (I know this makes him sound insufferable! He’s not - he’s going into y11 now and he’s only moaned about maybe 2 or 3 teachers ever!).
Both of mine have also got on great with teachers who can have a strict reputation. It really depends - reputations aren’t always universally agreed on or justified.

Charabanc · 03/09/2025 17:24

The most upset my DC got with teachers were the ones who couldn't keep control of the classroom, which impacted everyone.

jeansgenie · 03/09/2025 17:27

One teacher gets "bullied" by the kids apparently which dd hates. She likes his lessons and doesn't know what to do to help. He seems to take it in his stride but it can't be fun.

Another is a teacher who is really bad at teaching. The kids know if they get them they'll get lower end of year marks than the set below them... If the kids know, the school must know.

EarthlyNightshade · 03/09/2025 17:30

Strict is great if it means doesn't allow a whole load of messing about.
Unfairness seems to be the main thing that annoys DC, so strict and fair and laid back and fair are both liked.

hellohellooo · 03/09/2025 17:32

Ughhhh we have one who is v v harsh with Sen kids

It breaks my heart

She ridicules their spellings in front of the whole class
I have been in to complain

No way will she get away with this

SallyD00lally · 03/09/2025 17:37

Whenever my kids have dreaded a strict teacher, they've normally been pleasantly surprised.

I think sometimes the reputation gets wildly exaggerated amongst kids and parents.

ARichtGoodDram · 03/09/2025 17:39

There's one at DS's school with an abysmal reputation. She was suspended two years ago after throwing a book at a pupil. She had to apologise shortly before that for comparing a child to their father - father is in jail, on drugs and the child hadn't seen them for years. She must have something on someone as it's genuinely baffling how she's still in her job.

DD is going to a different school partly because of her and because the SLT are very ineffective (I used to work with the HT).

There is a teacher who is quite shouty at DD's school, but everyone wants their child to have her. She gets very good results and sets very high, but achievable standards wnd targets for the kids in her class.

ARichtGoodDram · 03/09/2025 17:40

SallyD00lally · 03/09/2025 17:37

Whenever my kids have dreaded a strict teacher, they've normally been pleasantly surprised.

I think sometimes the reputation gets wildly exaggerated amongst kids and parents.

Definitely this.

I used to work in a school where one of the teachers was genuinely feared by children not in her class. Her reputation just seemed to run away with itself

Once settled her class children generally hoped to get her again the next year!

LayeredlikeanOnion · 03/09/2025 17:40

God, let teachers teach!!

WaitfortheGood · 03/09/2025 17:41

CeciliaMars · 03/09/2025 16:53

I like it when my kids get the really strict teachers!

As a child I liked it too.

Always knew exactly what was expected of us and she was very fair. Great teacher.

coxesorangepippin · 03/09/2025 17:51

Charabanc · 03/09/2025 16:54

I like strict teachers. There should be more of them.

This

gynaeissue · 03/09/2025 17:56

I was that teacher. It wasn’t my job to be their friend. It was my job to help them be good learners, good people, and ready for secondary school (y5 and y6 but also did a month in y2 and developed their independence there too). One of my trickiest boys told me in the last week out of nowhere that I had done all that and thanked me for it.

That class got the schools best ever SATs results as well. It’s not everything but years on I still know I helped prepare them for their futures. Mollycoddling (like some of the “popular” teachers) would not have.

RomainingCalm · 03/09/2025 18:02

SallyD00lally · 03/09/2025 17:37

Whenever my kids have dreaded a strict teacher, they've normally been pleasantly surprised.

I think sometimes the reputation gets wildly exaggerated amongst kids and parents.

Completely agree. When they mixed classes one of my DC got allocated to Mrs XYZ's class and lots of their friends were all sympathising and saying how horrible she was - supposedly shouting all the time, kept them in at playtime, gave more homework than anyone else.

She was my DC's absolute favourite teacher ever. Yes she was strict but they had a lot of fun and none of the rumours ever really came true.

Magpiecomplex · 03/09/2025 18:05

Sometimes a shouty reputation is justified, I've heard one particular teacher yelling at her class a lot, over several years. She wasn't a good teacher and couldn't keep control of her class without shouting at them.
This was some time ago now though, so I trust she has improved.

Original poster

KenIsAnAccessory · 03/09/2025 18:56

Bluevelvetsofa · 03/09/2025 16:21

One person’s excessively strict might be another’s firm but fair.

Is this a preliminary to wanting him moved to a different class?

Oh no, there's only one class per year so no chance of that. I've just never seen him so reluctant to go back to school so wondering if the reputation is genuinely justified or if he's over worrying. I guess I'll find out!

OP posts:

arcticpandas · 03/09/2025 19:01

Strict is fine though. You can be strict but also be kind and funny. DS had a teacher who was very strict when it came to calm in the class while working, bad behaviour and bullying. Otherwise she could tell funny stories and had a big heart. It was the best teacher he ever had. Last year he had a "cool, nice" teacher in a subject (secondary now) and while he thought she was really nice the disruption in class gave him a headache. She was lovely and could have been great but just had no authority whatsoever.

deeahgwitch · 03/09/2025 19:01

I agree with you @Bluevelvetsofathat one person’s excessively strict might be another’s firm but fair.

Tell your dc @KenIsAnAccessorythat it is their relationship with the teacher that counts, not anything anyone has said to them to “frighten” them. Your dc might get on like a house on fire with the teacher.

TheBeaTgoeson1 · 03/09/2025 19:06

Can you explain examples of unnecessarily strict?

CeciliaMars · 03/09/2025 19:31

hellohellooo · 03/09/2025 17:32

Ughhhh we have one who is v v harsh with Sen kids

It breaks my heart

She ridicules their spellings in front of the whole class
I have been in to complain

No way will she get away with this

That’s not strict, that’s just horrible.

Original poster

KenIsAnAccessory · 03/09/2025 19:31

TheBeaTgoeson1 · 03/09/2025 19:06

Can you explain examples of unnecessarily strict?

No! Literally just been told by reluctant returner DS that she is awful, shouty, all the kids hate her etc. Then heard her described by parents of older children at the school as anything from 'firm but fair' to 'extremely unpleasant'. Obviously I've told him as long as he behaves he should have nothing to worry about, to keep his head down and crack on, do as he is asked etc. To be honest his class can be a bit wild so it could be a very good thing if she is 'firm but fair'- it would certainly benefit DS who is one of the quieter class members!

I have myself been described as 'firm but fair' and I'm sure some of the 'gentle' parents I know would describe me as too harsh 😅 so I'm of the opinion he should go in open minded and behave himself and hopefully he'll be alright. Just unusual for him to be so worried!

OP posts:

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