Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

When i dropped my DD (y1) her MALE teacher was standing talking to a parent being cuddled by another wee lass

78 replies

brightlightsandpromises · 17/01/2011 09:21

And i couldnt help but think that my DD is so very lucky to have such a caring and approachable teacher. That anyone who thinks that teachers shouldn't be able to physically interact with children in such a way should get a kick up the bum.

Oh and, this is probably a bit UR, because it does make me have a teeeny bit of a crush on him Grin

OP posts:
Deciduousblonde · 17/01/2011 22:26

My eldest DD has had two male teachers like like.

OMG they were heavenly creatures...certainly made my ovaries pop Wink

Deciduousblonde · 17/01/2011 22:26

Like that

See, the memory of those rare breeds has made me go all of a cuffuffle!

Original poster
brightlightsandpromises · 17/01/2011 22:29

oh er, although to be honest i dont think she worries much about lunch, just using that as an example but she is ALWAYS collaring him after school!

OP posts:
Catnao · 17/01/2011 22:31

My partner's biggest fan is sometimes so worried about book bags. Or a lost pencil. Or whether her child could possibly bring in some show and tell...These issues need one to one discussion after school...He also received 55 Christmas presents this year. From a class of 32 children...

Original poster
brightlightsandpromises · 17/01/2011 22:43

ROTFL - weill my friend would have probably bought him a bloody voucher for a massage or something, or some sort of extravagant gift! Im afraid he had to make do with a box of biscuits from me, although it was a very nice box of biscuits from crabtree and evelyn (which i bought in the sale!) luuuverly tin!!!

OP posts:
Catnao · 17/01/2011 22:48

The plot thickens. I enjoyed those biscuits. Wink

hmc · 17/01/2011 22:51

He sounds lovely (unlike the draconian hag - actually she is my age in her 40's so not such an old hag Blush) that my ks1 child has to put up with!

Catnao · 17/01/2011 22:53

Ah - well now that might be ME..(only 32, but quite haggard....) Wink

magicmummy1 · 17/01/2011 22:57

He sounds lovely, OP. One of the year 1 classes at dd's school has a male teacher, and I've noticed how fantastic he is with the kids - not afraid to let them cuddle him at all, dances with them at the school disco etc. Very heartwarming to watch!

Not that I've been watching him or anything...Blush

MrsLucasNorth · 18/01/2011 00:03

waitwhat - I need to know the name of your DC's school pronto Grin!

sunnydelight · 18/01/2011 04:04

DD is looking forward to having her third male teacher in a row when she goes back to school (Y2) in a couple of weeks - we're in Oz so still on Summer hols. It will be interesting when (if) she has a female teacher to see how she finds it.

Coralanne · 18/01/2011 04:32

Had to read this a couple of times.

Was the parent cuddling the child?

No I think the male teacher was cuddling the child.Grin

Sorry, Going against the grain a bit here.
I don't think that a teacher who is talking to a parent presumably about her child, should actually be cuddling another child at the same time.

A bit unprofessional I think.

I think it makes the child look a bit needy as well.

giraffesCantDirtyDance · 18/01/2011 06:30

My primary 7 teacher was a man, years later when I did my teacher training he was a lecturer Grin and I was assigned him as my tutor one year and he had to come out and watch me teach on my crit. That was surreal!

Breezy1985 · 18/01/2011 07:14

My DD is in year 2 and has a male teacher, he's the only male teacher in the school.

He his fantastic, he's 25 my sister has a massive crush on him Grin

TheGrumpalo · 18/01/2011 07:22

My dd has a male teacher at the moment and he is lovely. All the kids seem to love him and I've never had a more detailed parents meeting than I have with him. He went over everything in fine detail and I left knowing exactly what dd was like in school and how she was with her work. Usually they say oh she's fine and doing well and that's that. I was very pleasantly surprised.

onmyfeet · 18/01/2011 08:41

"He also received 55 Christmas presents this year. From a class of 32 children..."

That cracked me up! Grin

mamadiva · 18/01/2011 08:49

Never seen Richard Armitage before now... he looks scarily like my DPs Uncle :o

Buda · 18/01/2011 09:09

DS's school has quite a few male teachers and obv some are better than others. He still moans though that he has never had a male teacher.

In fact he was incensed in Year 3 when he discovered that the other Year 3 class had everyone's favourite male teacher. He was so angry with the head that I did warn her that if she felt she was getting dirty looks/bad vibes it was DS and the reason why! Grin

DS was really nervous about the 2 night school residential trip that year and that male teacher was fantastic at encouraging him to go.

That teacher is married to another teacher at the school and they had their first baby last year. She came back to school this September and they job share which I think is fantastic.

Original poster
brightlightsandpromises · 18/01/2011 09:51

Coralane - there had to be one didnt there! lolol

I did point out in one of my previous posts that my English in the titles was dire, so yeah, who exactly was dropping who, cuddling who and talking to who isnt entirely clear.

REally? Unprofessional? I happen to know the "weedy" child you are referring to, and yes, she is somewhat vulnerable and had some trouble settling in to school in her reception year. So i was heartened to see her clinging on to her teacher like a limpet, him putting a reassuring hand on her head whilst talking to a parent at drop off time, i would assume it wasn't a desperately important conversation otherwise he woudlnt be having it with all the comings and goings around him that is morning drop off.

Would you prefer he made the child go and sit down and dimissed her when this caring attitude is making such a marked difference to this little girl! shakes head

OP posts:
Buda · 18/01/2011 10:18

Exactly brightlights!

Coralane - we are talking Year 1 children. So 5 or 6 years old. How does a child of 5 or 6 cuddling a teacher translate to 'needy'??

When DS was in year 2 (so 6 years old) he had a female teacher who I was a bit unsure of as a few people had said she was 'shouty'. One day I came to pick DS up after football club at school just as the teacher was leaving. She didn't see me. She met DS and gave him a hug for doing so well at something that day. He was a mixture of bright red from embarassment and delight. I was very happy to see that his teacher was confident enough and warm and feeling enough to hug a child.

Deciduousblonde · 18/01/2011 10:33

Totally agree.

I think it's fabulous that we have teachers (male & female) who are actually caring enough to reassure a child.

I think there should be more primary schools with male teachers, but unfortunately the numbers have dwindled over the years due to salaries not being wonderful for the main breadwinner & some parents being a bit twitchy (or dare I say it paranoid) about 'strange' men & children together.

IShallWearMidnight · 18/01/2011 10:49

we have several male teachers at DD3s school, but sadly none are fanciable Sad.

Original poster
brightlightsandpromises · 18/01/2011 10:55

I do think that their "eye candy" potential should be assessed as part of the recruitment process :)

OP posts:
Coralanne · 19/01/2011 01:30

Buda The OP did say that she knows the child and this particular child is vulnerable and had trouble settling in.

Yes, the child's teacher (male or female) should be encouraging her to form friendships with other children and encouraging her confidence by maybe giving her small tasks to do in the classroom. Not encourage her to cling to him like a "limpet"

Sorry, I know this is a lighthearted thread.

Many a time I have sat watching our DS's play rugby and a whole group of mothers sit commenting on the "abs", legs etc of the "boys.

All of a sudden we would realise "get a grip, these are 17 year old boys"

My DS had had male teachers all but 2 of his primary years and they were great because they understood that boys need to be taught differently to girls.

He had one particular teacher when he was 9 who used to take them out into the playground for a run around after working for about an hour. He treated the girls exactly how he treated the boys. Made them respect each other, say please and thankyou and work together as equals.

At the end of the year he put on a class party for all the mums who had helped out during the year.

Every child in the class contributed money towards a trophy with the inscription "To the best ever teacher ever"

The girls especially thought he was great. There was no "girly" squabbles or bitchiness in the class because he just wouldn't tolerate it.

duchesse · 19/01/2011 01:36

YANBU. This thing of having no contact with children in any way shape or form has progressed to the extent that teachers are now supposed to have a business relationship with even very small children. If you want to make small children anxious, one of the best ways is to show them no human kindness imo. Good on your DD's teacher for sticking his neck out.

Swipe left for the next trending thread