to query this nursery teacher disciplining DD2?

[spongebobsquareeyes]

DD2 is 3 and attends school nursery 5 days a week for 2.5 hours every day. I'm the first one to admit she is hard to handle and doesn't always listen but I use time out with her and she is starting to understand there are consequences to her actions.

Another parent stopped me in the playground after drop off today and told me she had a stay and share session and that she didn't like the way a particular teachef dealt with DD2s behaviour. The children were picking library books to take home and were sitting in the circle time area. DD2 wasn't sitting still and was getting up to look at what books other children had. The teacher in question was apparently quite harshly telling her to sit down and was getting more and more annoyed with DD2 the more she kept doing it. She then got up, marched over to her, grabbed her by the arm and pulled her down to the front.

[ppeatfruit]

Yes IMO the fact yr. DD is happy to go there is all you need really. BUT it is very normal for 3 yr olds to not listen (they tend to be somewhere else in their minds) It's not naughty it's just developmental.

[mrsjay]

It does sound positive and you and nursery are on the same page

[spongebobsquareeyes]

I had a word about it and her behaviour is good but her listening isn't so good, she even stated to me that she has removed her from situations where she hasn't listened and put her in time out. I'm satisfied that's what happened that day. She doesn't feel that she has any problems, just the listening and we have agreed that giving her warnings then removing her from the situation is the plan of action at nursery and home. She is starting to improve and take more of a telling now they said.

Thank you to everyone who posted, thank god for MN, I would have got angrier about it if I didn't discuss it with some impartial people beforehand.

[mrsjay]

when I worked in nurseries we sometimes placed children to where they needed to be didn't drag them though

[mrsjay]

posting on here is good - it helps you think straight, not go barging in.


this I agree nothing wrong in being concerned that your child may have been dragged by the arm but putting it into some sort of perspective and having a think and a rant is good, just ask how her behaviour is in general and see how it goes,

[TotallyBS]

Dragging a child kicking and screaming is a serious event. Taking a child that isn't paying attention to your verbal instructions back to their place on the carpet isn't.

You are getting a lot of supportive posts from mums with DCs that have similar behavior problems. Isn't it time to start listening to parents who don't have these problems?

[SamSmalaidh]

There is a big difference between gently moving/guiding a child (I would always say "can you move over here yourself, or do you need me to help you?") and grabbing/pulling. Like ppeat I have also seen some poor practice in terms of physically intervening with children, so it does happen especially when adults get irritated or frustrated.

[spongebobsquareeyes]

cassarick, yes, but I didn't see it as a non event when I was told. I'm leaving to get her in a minute, really in two minds about mentioning something now, feel like a right idiot for getting so riled up!

[Cassarick]

So when she is 'stubborn' YOU take her to time out. That's JUST what the teacher did, isn't it, as she was obviously being stubborn and not listening?

This really is a non-event, you know.

[mrsjay]

it may not have been so dramatic as you were told sometimes people see things a bit different ask the nursery what happened dont listen to second hand stories as gospel but do say what you heard, ask them

[spongebobsquareeyes]

Excuse the typing and appauling spelling, am on a tablet, must proofread before posting!

[spongebobsquareeyes]

Sorry, meant to sat she hasn't mentioned anything about it.

Wrt to time out sometimes I have to take her but most times she will go when told and stay there until I take her out, depending on how stubborn she is that day.

[spongebobsquareeyes]

I've had a stay and share session before Christmas and everything seemed fine. DD2 loves nursery and is very happy to go in and always happy when I collect her.

I wouldn't say she has behaviour issues, once I have put her in time out she apologises and does as she is told. I am worried about her concentration sometimes but she is only 3 so not making an issue of it just yet. She can sit fine at the cinema, listen to and eneage with a story book, she is just very figety and her mind can wander off!

[ppeatfruit]

All DCs are different just because one child is happy in a class with a certain teacher doesn't mean the next one will be.

[Cassarick]

When you use time out does your DD go on her own, or do you have to 'take' her?

[spongebobsquareeyes]

Absolutely jamdonut, DD2 is frustrating sometimes and I find myself saying things through gritted teeth! And I can totally see her compliantly going when she has been taken by the hand so maybe that's what's happened. Even though she persists in misbehaving if the teacher took her by the hand and sat her down she would have sat there and not moved (I hope). Also, yes I would expect them to speak to her firmly. I fully support teachers disciplining if need be, was just shocked to hear that DD2 was possibly grabbed.

It seems out of character for this teacher because she's always seemed to have a soft spot for DD2, just last week she rebraided her hair for her when it was coming loose.

Feel a lot calmer now, will have a quick chat with the teacher when I pick DD2 up. Thank you everyone.

[Smartiepants79]

Also, has your daughter mentioned it at all? Did it bother or upset her? I would be more concerned about it if this was the case. As a primary school teacher I do occasionally 'move' children by taking their arm or holding on to the sleeve of a jumper. With some children it is necessary if they are in a little world of their own or being particularly stubborn.
Speak calmly to the teacher and see if you are happy with what she says. If not take it further.
If you have never had issues before I would take it with a pinch of salt.
Are you able to have a stay and share session?

[ppeatfruit]

spongebob I have no axe to grind; but I must say as an EY teacher that i've seen some very unpleasant and unnecessary disciplining by some nursery teachers. Your DD is only 3 FFS. I would talk to her and see how she is when going in to the nursery. Does she like it?

[RubyGates]

Did she move your child because she was about to stand on another child who was sitting down nicely?

If she had been asked repeatedly to sit down and was ignoring the instruction then that's one thing. If she was endangering the other children who were listening and sitting, what was the teacher supposed to do in the end?

I think you need to know more about the situation.

In our tiny library it only takes one non-listening child to cause chaos for all the others; while I wouldn't condone harshly grabbing a child as a matter of discipline, if the child was about to be injured or injure someone else I wouldn't hesitate to remove them and discuss the proper way to behave in a library afterwards.

[jamdonut]

Sounds like she is trying to get you on side if she already has an axe to grind. Children do get moved sometimes,usually by taking them by the hand and moving them to a spot nearer the teacher. It is not usually forbidden to do that. If a child refuses to go then you wouldn't keep pulling,and you would have to try another tack, but most children will go compliantly when you take their hand.

And as for speaking harshly...sometimes it is necessary. No amount of gentle "please stop doing that" is going to stop some children. As long as it is not continual . Do you not think staff can get exasperated sometimes? Do you not ever get exasperated,especially if you are sending her to time out?

[Lovelygoldboots]

Some parents will stir for their own reason. You should of course talk to teacher but don't take other parents word as gospel. If you have not had previous issues with teacher then I wouldnt read too much into what other parent said. Don't make her issues your problem.

[spongebobsquareeyes]

Very true about the other parent having a tainted view about the nursery, I never thought of it that way, thank you. Like I say I have never had an issue with the nursery before and now I have some outside opinions on the situation I've went from furious to a bit puzzled!