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

POST FROM DD: AIBU?

69 replies

mumtoateen · 21/05/2014 17:07

Today in PSME, a girl had her hoodie on, and our cover teacher was shouting at her the whole lesson and being horrible and took her to the head at the end of the lesson. Another group of girls were filming themselves, singing loudly, playing on their phones, texting and filmed the 'argument' between the girl and the teacher. What did she do? Nothing.
Now forgive me, but I believe the second one is wrong, not the first. Am I unreasonable to report it to the school?

OP posts:
ConferencePear · 21/05/2014 19:16

I don't suppose that the pupils will consider the possible outcomes of situations like this. Schools which are not doing well often find it difficult to get good experienced supply teachers. If the situation escalates schools might have to start sending people home.
Just because some pupils won't behave properly.

FidelineandFumblin · 21/05/2014 19:17

Hoodie wearing is also wrong, but teacher should not have ignored the bad behaviour of loud girls filming with mobile phone. She should have disciplined both.

YourDaughterHasaTattoo · 21/05/2014 19:19

Do you know the girls filming weren't dealt with, or just that your DD didn't see them being dealt with?

What was the girl wearing the hoody response to the teacher? Was she rude, refusing to follow instructions? This would merit a follow up after the lesson. It's very hard if a child undermines your authority in front of the rest of the class.

Teachers are only human, they don't see every behaviour going on in a class of 32. Is it possible she didn't see them filming, I'd say they probably weren't flaunting themselves so they didn't get caught.
No matter how poorly behaved a class are it is up to each individual in it to control their own behaviour. Teachers are not zookeepers there to control children, they are there to teach. Blaming them for not being able to "control" others is pointless, the blame lies with each child to control themselves. (This is for secondary and late primary btw, I'm aware children have to learn social control when they are young). This may not be a popular opinion, but not teaching children to be responsible for their own actions will reap ill rewards later

BoneyBackJefferson · 21/05/2014 21:15

I find it funny that on a website where there are many threads from parents saying I can't control 1 child, a teacher should be in absolute control of up anywhere between 18 to 36 children at all times.

PrincessBabyCat · 21/05/2014 21:30

And I'm sure this first girl was just sitting there quietly and politely while the teacher yelled at her for "no reason". Hmm

If the kids were filming, either the teacher is off the hinge or they were butting heads. I'm guessing it was the latter.

Either way I've been in out of control classrooms. Once the ball has been set in motion it's impossible to calm everyone down again. We had a sub that our class ate alive, she got shouty and yelled at kids for slight infractions while everyone laughed and helped rile her up more. We got brave thinking she couldn't possibly punish all of us. We paid the price with our normal teacher the next day. Drills, basics, and lots of homework to give us something more productive to do with our time.

It's not always the teacher's fault, especially if they're new or not the normal teacher. Kids like to push the envelope to see what they can get away with.

The issue isn't the girl in the hoodie, it's the fact that these kids should have all been behaving and being respectful.

indigo18 · 21/05/2014 22:05

Sound like standard everyday fare in your average state school. Why anyone chooses to teach there defeats me.

3littlefrogs · 21/05/2014 22:17

I feel so sorry for teachers in secondary schools.
Everyone complains about educational standards, but IMO most problems are down to awful parenting and a general level of ignorance, bad manners and lack of respect for anybody else.

I volunteer for a youth group and when I see the behaviour of the parents I am not surprised at the way the kids behave.

SinisterBuggyMonth · 21/05/2014 22:20

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

WooWooOwl · 21/05/2014 22:20

They were both wrong.

Why do you think the hoodie wearer wasn't wrong when they were flouting a school rule?

ravenAK · 22/05/2014 16:55

'Sound like standard everyday fare in your average state school.'

Absolutely not.

I recognise the scenario from my days as a crap (& poorly supported) NQT, but it's categorically not typical of behaviour in a well taught lesson. I teach in an average state school & no-one attempts that sort of malarkey when I'm teaching.

Actually, I also recognise the scenario from my own days at a very naice, super-selective girls' grammar; 'average state schools' don't have the monopoly on classes scenting blood!

indigo18 · 22/05/2014 18:42

Maybe not when you are teaching Raven, but I would question how the girl got as far as a cover lesson with a non-uniform item of clothing. Why was it not confiscated on entry, or by her tutor, or the teacher of the previous lesson, or the ones on break duty?
I would question why the girls are allowed phones in class; why filming or taking photographs is not expressly forbidden, and why they are not routinely suspended for doing so.
I don't believe that these girls will be angelically behaved in their other lessons and will be on the look out for a mass rule break; it will be everyday fare to them.
And I would hate to be judged on my ability to 'control' them, when I am supposed to be teaching. Quite different.
'Classes scenting blood' would not dare to try this on where I work; senior staff would be on their case in an instant. That such behaviour goes on suggests lack of support and a weak management team.

EvilTwins · 22/05/2014 18:51

They were all in the wrong.

As for the teacher "controlling" them, assuming this is a mainstream school, the children should have been perfectly capable of controlling themselves.

ravenAK · 22/05/2014 20:04

indigo18 - probably because it's OK to wear hoodies to & from school, & when moving about the site, but they should be removed on entry to a classroom.

''Classes scenting blood' would not dare to try this on where I work; senior staff would be on their case in an instant. That such behaviour goes on suggests lack of support and a weak management team.'

Quite so - exactly the same where I teach. The factor that prevents supply teachers from being given grief is good support, not a particular type of school.

indigo18 · 22/05/2014 20:43

I think your school is an atypical state school.

ravenAK · 22/05/2014 21:16

Not really: we're in a large town, serve a very mixed catchment, went from Satisfactory to Good last Ofsted.

I do work a fair bit with teachers from other secondary schools, lived for many years practically next door to one, & now have dc in the local primary pyramid & regularly visiting their destination secondary - & I really don't think where I work is in any way unusual.

It's not all Kes meets Grange Hill over here in the cheap seats Grin.

cardibach · 22/05/2014 21:25

Suspension for carrying a phone? No chance. We have to keep suspensions to virtually zero, no SMT member would support suspensions for anything less than actual assault!

BoneyBackJefferson · 23/05/2014 06:33

Cardibach

"no SMT member would support suspensions for anything less than actual assault!"

With that level of support I would be surprised if your school keeps staff for long.

Roshbegosh · 23/05/2014 06:42

Poor teacher having to try to control this shower of shit until they are all old enough to go on benefits.

MiaowTheCat · 23/05/2014 06:58

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

New posts on this thread. Refresh page