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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think DDs 2 English teacher should not have said " a C Grade at Gcse is only worth putting in the bin" .

103 replies

motown3000 · 22/03/2014 13:00

DD2 13 ,Yr8 at Grammar School. Her friend started talking to DD about her elder brother and that he is expecting C grades for most of his Gcses. DDs English teacher overhears them, and in front of the class says "A C grade is only worth putting in the bin" and you are both in lunch time Detention. ( They Both should have reading and doing a comprehension based on the reading).

The teacher is Old School, and was my Niece's favourite teacher, all her yr11s last year got A* Grades at Gcse. My niece got an A at A level with her she is a brilliant teacher however is very strict, ( she needs to adapt a little bit "Chill" , no one is allowed to take off their blazers E.T.C in her class. ( My niece says DD is very lucky to have her, and will grow to enjoy her classes) . However, though I think she should not have demeaned DDs friends brother who tries very hard. I agree they both deserved Detention for talking, just not the rudeness to DDs friends brother.

OP posts:
ilovesooty · 22/03/2014 16:28

So you want to pick and choose which parts of the expectations and standards are acceptable to you?

manicinsomniac · 22/03/2014 16:37

Very unkind comment if she knew the girls were talking about another pupil and not themselves.

Also not accurate. A C grade is not worthy of the bin, it is the minimum standard required in core subjects to progress to A Levels and University.

If she'd said it about a D grade I'd agree with her. But still think it unkind as she knows nothing about the boy and what is an achievement for him.

Pleasejustgo · 22/03/2014 16:43

Personally I'm not offended so YABU
Grin

I'm off to my class now. Happy debating ladies.

LessMissAbs · 22/03/2014 16:48

My niece got an A at A level with her she is a brilliant teacher however is very strict

I'd leave her to it then (and leave her "need to chill" where it belongs ie down with the boys n' the 'hood and not in an English class).

BoneyBackJefferson · 22/03/2014 16:50

So if your DC (who were expected to get A/A* grades) started to get C grades and said it was because the teacher said that C grades were ok you would be happy?

I suspect that there would be a huge outcry of not doing the job properly and sack them.

Pregnantberry · 22/03/2014 17:09

So if your DC (who were expected to get A/A grades) started to get C grades and said it was because the teacher said that C grades were ok you would be happy?*

No one has said that she should have said that, so yes I would be mad if that happened. But what the teacher said was that a boy in a comprehensive school's C grades were worth the bin, which is factually inaccurate because he will probably need them a great deal to progress. It is also potentially insulting, because she didn't know the personal circumstances of that boy at all.

She should have just shut her trap on this occasion, given ten detentions for all I care because that is her prerogative (unlike passing judgement on children she has never met), and got on with being an otherwise good teacher.

bobot · 22/03/2014 17:16

I think this is horrible. Does the teacher have any idea what proportion of children she is writing off as rubbish with that comment? No matter how bright or otherwise my children are, I wouldn't want them taught to be arrogant and to belittle the achievements of others.

bobot · 22/03/2014 17:20

And if my children were growing into happy, healthy, well-rounded and confident young people, then I'd be happy whatever grades they were getting but maybe I'm the minority. I'd personally rather they failed every single exam they ever took than developed an attitude of superiority like this teacher's.

usualsuspectt · 22/03/2014 17:26

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

bulby · 22/03/2014 17:27

For some of the students I teach C would be a massive achievement, for others it would feel like the end of the world. However, I would never undermine or model such undermining comments to either group of pupils. She is probably a very good teacher of the pupils in this school (if we ignore yhe fact she feels free to make such snobbish comments) but its people like this I have a secret wish to see dropped into my bottom set yr10 with a gentle 'now let's see if a C (or even a G) is worth the paper it is written on'.

bobot · 22/03/2014 17:29

I'm remembering my English teacher, in a top set of comprehensive, so aiming for A's and A*. One of the pupils was sneering at the lowest tier paper, which only allowed pupils to get grades E, F and G. The pupil askedwhat the point is in taking a paper to get those grades - why bother? The teacher tore strips off this pupil, and said she wouldn't tolerate someone so egotistical and arrogant in her classroom. Took her down a peg or two. I prefer my teacher's attitude.

GobbySadcase · 22/03/2014 17:33

As a parent of 3 kids with SN I find it really sad the expectation that's placed on some kids.

They can and will only do their best. If they do that then no more should be expected from them.

Set yourself free from expecting more of your children than they can give. Everyone is happier that way.

ilovesooty · 22/03/2014 17:54

Of course a C grade is an important achievement for many students.

However whether the teacher should or should not have said this wouldn't have even been a factor if the two girls had been getting on with their work in the first place as it simply wouldn't have arisen.

And the OP has still used this thread to take issue with the teacher's expectations and class management.

cory · 22/03/2014 17:59

BoneyBackJefferson Sat 22-Mar-14 16:50:38
"So if your DC (who were expected to get A/A* grades) started to get C grades and said it was because the teacher said that C grades were ok you would be happy?"

Why did she need to say anything other than "Stop talking and get on with your work"?

TheArticFunky · 22/03/2014 19:39

A 'C' was the gold standard in my day and meant that you could go on to do A levels. An 'A' was almost unheard of. How times have changed.

BoneyBackJefferson · 22/03/2014 20:58

cory

Because she has re-enforced her expectations of the class.

Do you have an answer to my question?

TheArtic

If you are of an age were you did "O" levels etc. it was "rare" to get an "A" as they only gave a certain percentage of them out.

SapphireMoon · 22/03/2014 21:12

TheArtic-
I too am 'of an age' where 'A's at O'level were very special indeed and 5Cs was something of a benchmark to Alevel access and many jobs.

rabbitlady · 22/03/2014 21:12

sorry, o p, but this is the prevailing culture. inspectors coming into the school will say that openly to leadership and teachers.

OpalQuartz · 22/03/2014 21:13

No, the teacher wouldn't have said it if the girls had been getting on with their work, but that doesn't make it alright.

Original poster
motown3000 · 22/03/2014 21:46

My Niece has just put me right. I have been on the phone to my Niece, and I asked about the teacher concerned Niece who is still l In touch with her . (Niece is a 2nd year French language student).

Niece said, It does not sound like Mrs P at all. Niece then went on to say did I know that she Teaches adult Education classes, at the local FE College and that before she joined the Grammar school , she taught in a inner city Comprehensive ( Niece said I better ask DD what really happened).

DD admitted she "fabricated" what the teacher said. DD wrote a big C on piece of paper when talking to her friend, teacher took the piece of paper from DD and said " This is going in the bin" DDs friend had written her brothers expected grades on it next to the big C that DD had written.

At the school, a slip with an explanation about why a Detention has been given ( Even for A lunchtime Detention) goes to the parents and should be signed by said parents.

It seems that DD had tried to excuse her behaviour to me by fabricating what actually happened.

Niece said because Mrs P is Strict in the Classroom ( Fantastic Fun on Ski trips and sixth form trips though) some younger pupils try to wind her up.

OP posts:
TheArticFunky · 22/03/2014 21:53

Boney and Sapphire - my cohort sat the first GCSEs. It was such a mess in the first few years. The average grade back then was an F which was appalling.

Original poster
motown3000 · 22/03/2014 21:57

Artic . You are actually making me feel good about 1D and 4 Es from 1989.. Unbelievable how poor the teaching was then.

OP posts:
OpalQuartz · 22/03/2014 21:58

Wow. So not really the same thing at all.

JeanSeberg · 22/03/2014 22:03

So no resemblance whatsoever to the original post. Ho hum.

Original poster
motown3000 · 22/03/2014 22:13

I am "Sorry" about my DDs Behaviour and have reprimanded her .

I would have looked very silly if I had rung the school to complain about the teachers "Comments" . Its a good job for DD , I did not ring the school because she would have been in trouble for lying.

I have ordered her to write a letter of "Apology" for her "childish" and inconsiderate behaviour towards her and the class.

OP posts:
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