To 5yo: You are the worst at football in the whole class

[PeachZucchini]

AIBU to be furious at a PE teacher for saying this?

The child in question is the youngest in the class, loves football and is enthusiastic and keen and, yes, not that good at it but wants to be.

Came home really upset at this put-down.

I feel really angry because no teacher of any academic subject would ever (well, not these days) say to a child "you are the worst at maths in the whole class" or "you are the worst at reading in the whole class". It is sending an terrible message.

It may be true, but surely any decent teacher should be praising children of all ability levels according to how much effort they are putting in, and only criticizing if a child isn't really trying to improve? Or do we want our children to get the message that there is only any point doing something if you are already good at it?

(MN regular NC as I suspect I'll end up making a formal complaint to the school and don't want this to be linked to my normal MN name)

I thought PE teachers were given special training to teach them to be utterly undermining and unpleasant to children? The ones at my school certainly seemed proficient at it. Strong memories of tracksuit clad hockey coach yelling at us (wearing split-skirts and aertex tops) that we wouldn't be cold if we ran about in the snow more.

Downamongtherednecks we must have gone to the same school!!! Hockey in the snow and running round the gym in bare feet in the middle of winter. Don't get me started on the skanky freezing showers!

OP I'd certainly speak to the school.

I'm a teacher and if this was said it's dreadful however, I would really check what was actually said as kids have an uncanny way of getting the wrong end of the stick, or miss interpreting jokes, etc etc
I have never in all my years teaching ever heard a teacher say anything like that to a child so please do check it out first

Check with the school...
But then again, my teacher told me I'm like 'silk paper (??)' meaning I was weak because I was crying over eating a gross bit of liver casserole or blood pudding (not UK, free school meals for all, horrid food). My gym teacher told me 'I would not be anything ever' because I refused to do some gymnastic thing because I was scared. That was a while ago but teachers do end up saying some shit sometimes....and it sticks to ones memory!

There is no way in a million years a teacher said this to a 5 year old. Even the sentence is phrased in a 5 year old way and not an adult way.

It is a state school not a private school, but this teacher/coach isn't a general class teacher but a sports specialist who isn't there every day, just comes in a couple of days a week. (not sure what the deal is - prob should find out). Haven't been able to get corroboration - asked a couple of classmates but they couldn't remember.

DH is writing to the head.

Charitybelle / Downamongtherednecks that was my experience too and I wouldn't have been shocked if it was still the 1980's. I'm only shocked because I honestly thought it didn't happen any more.

Don't write. Go in tomorrow and ask about it.

I think the best thing to do is take what ever a five year old said, as gossip true and rush in and complain to the governors!!!
Really????
It's' leap into life' until KS2. NO team games at all.

To PE teacher - FOAD.

Oh, not appropriate.

Go and ask about it. If you aren't satisfied, write to the headteacher.

People are suggesting the child might not be telling the truth/ might have misunderstood. My daughter, when a similar age, told me her school meal had been a cheese slice on white bread. It wasn't. She was just saying so because she was a big girl who had a part of life that mummy didn't rule over.

Unfortunately this sounds pretty 'normal' from the majority of sports coaches and teachers out there! Totally unforgivable - it should never be allowed or accepted - but unfortunately very 'normal'. And it happens at all levels and at all ages in sport no matter where you go. At our previously school (very well known sports school) swimmers were spoken to appallingly on a regular basis. They were treated appallingly as well. One 16 year old swimmer was recently told he could not carry on swimming with the squad anymore as 'he didn't bring anything to the table'. Total public humiliation to be spoken to like that. Such a nice lad - who was also a very good swimmer! I would not get away with talking to any colleagues at work like that! Yet this so-called 'coach' thought it totally acceptable. Another time one of the swim coaches took a session and brought in some cakes for the swimmers. She called all the swimmers over to have a cake and specifically left out/did not call over 4 male swimmers. It was horrific to watch from the viewing area. They knew they had been left out. Horrible bullying by an adult coach who should know better. Again I could not imagine that you would take cakes into work one day - but specifically leave out 3 or 4 of your colleagues and not let them join in with the cakes! Appalling! Coaches should be there to encourage and inspire young athletes - not put them down, kill their aspirations (for whatever level sport they achieve at). Also surely coaches should just be pleasant to their fellow human beings? How could you say such horrible things to anyone stood in front of you - let alone a young 16 year old lad? Or a 5 yr old child? Or a group of 4 lads? People say that they remember their own sports teachers being mean and cruel and humiliating - all these years later they still remember that horrible feeling. Yet it still goes on in this day and age! It does not HAVE to be a part of school or sport or being coached! The best sports coaches out there are certainly tough on their athletes when they need to be - but being 'tough' does not have to include being mean, cruel, manipulative, nasty, and taking great delight in humiliating their young athletes. makes me so angry that young children and athletes are treated like this. The adult coaches have no excuse.

Meh, my french teacher said the same to me aged 9, I now speak fluent French. Your son will no doubt become more determined to play to a better standard, and he may not achieve it but it will probably motivate him (or it will if that's how you help him address it, rather than complaining).