Any Teachers About?

[MindBoggled]

This is such a bizarre question!

When I send my child off to school, I do always wonder what teachers think of them - I wonder if they genuinely are a 'pleasure to teach' or if they're a bit cheeky that day, they always have a little bit of hate towards them. I was then thinking, do you ever look at their appearance? Do you think some kids are cute and some are not so cute, or if as a teacher you never even think that... I just always wonder. I'm BU to wonder that, but I suppose I wonder what people think about my children!

[sonjadog]

I have had one pupils who was a murderer, one who was murdered and one who tried to be a terrorist (he wasn't successful, but he had a go). I remember when I started teaching, older teachers told me about pupils they had had and what they had done and I didn't really believe them. After many years of teaching I now realise that schools are microcosms of society at large and after a while, you've pretty much seen it all.

[LarrytheCucumber]

Xena. No murderers for me so far.

[Xenadog]

Larry I once taught a pupil who went on to commit murder - less than two years after I taught him and whilst he was still at the school. He was always a cheeky chappy and had caused some trouble around school (previously permanently exclude from another school for arson) but I had always got on well with him. I look back on teaching him with fondness.

[sonjadog]

Fair enough, aduck. I teach upper secondary, which could explain the difference.

[Aducknotallama]

BTW totally disagree with sonja on this, I put a lot of thought into my pupils and how they re and what they like/dislike, home-lives etc in order to help inform my planning and teaching. Also totally disagree that we are there not to like or dislike but only to educate, we are also there to nurture and to care.

[Aducknotallama]

I teach KS2,3 and 4 (private) and am secondary trained. I can honestly say I like all my kids and often like the 'naughty' ones more. I never really any attention to appearance in terms of judging a child, only if they looked neglected etc.

[Gatehouse77]

I'm not a teacher but have worked in schools for many years in the classroom. I would say that the majority of children are lovely, even some of the tricky ones. I have had the odd child who I cannot warm to but it wouldn't stop me wanting and trying to help them.

Even the delightful ones can have their moments!

I'd say it's the parents and their attitude that would be more influential. The parent who always needs to speak to the teacher first thing in the morning about the most mundane trivial irrelevant piece of information. The parents who never turn up to meetings, parents evenings, etc. BUT, that usually means the child will get extra support as it's clear they're not getting it at home.

With regard to appearance, as someone else said it would only be from a safeguarding POV that it would be noted - unwashed, unclean or smelly. Usually those children are already flagged up.

The ones I struggled with were the cocky, attention seeking girls who were sly, manipulative and outright rude. They were few and far between, thankfully.

[sonjadog]

Tbh, I neither like or dislike most of my pupils. I'm not there to have strong emotions about them, I'm there to educate them. I think a lot of pupils and possibly also parents would be surprised to find out how little teachers actually think about pupils when they are not in the classroom. The vast majority of pupils I think are pleasant people, occasionally I meet one where I think that if I had been their peer, we could have been good friends, and I think there have been two pupils I have actually had a bad feeling about. Both have ended up in prison, one I think was a psychopath.

[postmanpatscat]

I've never disliked a child, but I won't write 'a pleasure to teach' on the end of year report unless I genuinely mean it.

[LarrytheCucumber]

Xenagog several of my former pupils are, or have been, in prison, but some of them were actually very nice as children and reading about them in the Court pages of the local paper leaves me a bit

[Xenadog]

In a fairly long teaching career I can think of about 3 or 4 children who were actually vile and at least 2 of them are in prison now for doing some awful, awful things.

There are a few others who I actively disliked because they were rude, disruptive and just unpleasant individuals whom I would never like even as adults. Did I ever show this? Possibly - I always try hard to be neutral and fair because that's the professional thing to do.

On the other hand I have taught at least 2 thousand children in my time and most have been delightful and really a pleasure to teach. I come into school and think about the difficulties some kids face and that makes me consider the shape of my lessons and how I can support them if they are having a tough time/have particular difficulties. I enjoy sitting and chatting to the kids I teach as well - as equals not as an educator too as they have opinions and thoughts which should be listened to on the whole. Do I ever look at what they are wearing, their haircuts or consider their names? Not really. Kids have a habit of surprising you so it's best not to make a snap judgement.

I'm secondary btw.

[TypicallyEnglishMustard]

See, I couldn't be a primary teacher for that reason! I don't like the thought of being with the same class all day, every day, all week long... I like my variety! I do have classes where I think, "Oh, now I don't get to see them again until next week," but mostly it's nice to get a fresh class in every couple of hours.

[LarrytheCucumber]

I think it is easier with Primary children because you spend more time with them. If you see them once or twice a week for one subject it probably takes more effort to get to know them.

[spanieleyes]

I've always managed to find something to like in every child I have taught even though it might be hidden pretty deep! I have never hated a child in my life, although I might hate the behaviour they display.

[LarrytheCucumber]

Retired teacher - I always looked for the best in the children I taught. Just occasionally it took a while, but I was looking at their character or personality, not their appearance.

[MinecraftyMum]

I've always taken teachers at face value at parents evening...we've always had good meetings, the dc are a pleasure to teach, doing really well etc. Great. I've asked questions - shall I continue with this at home, yes you're doing the right thing - great.

Then on ds2s last parents evening I was early and sat outside waiting for my turn and could hear every word his teacher was saying to another parent.

Some of the stuff this parent was saying made me and some made me . Boasting about how her ds did an hour of reading or extra work a night (these are 5 year olds). And massive excuses for her tearaway 'excitable' son - things that just generally made me think the mother was a complete tit, the most overbearing parent ever and in denial. No sane person could have agreed with some of things this woman was saying, it was blatant rubbish.

I could hear the hesitation in the teachers voice but she didn't call her on it at all, just ended up kind of agreeing with all the ridiculous things the mother was saying.

It's the first time I've really thought about the fact that of course teachers have different traits - and some may well be unhappy with confrontation or disagreement - and if you're that parent with that type of (albeit lovely) teacher then you're probably never going to know the true feelings of the teacher. But of course that type of parent never actually realises that they are that type of parent either so you'll never realise

[TypicallyEnglishMustard]

Secondary here, and sixth form. I'm still in the job primarily because I love to work with kids and young adults. It must be a pretty awful job to put up with if you don't enjoy working with children!

99% of the kids I teach are fabulous people, IMO. There's the odd one who make it quite difficult for you to like them, but I have never hated a child. I would feel as if I were in the wrong job if it ever came to that.

I actually have one very badly behaved Year 11 student, who is an absolute pleasure to teach (and I mean that) in my tiny English class. I consider myself fortunate to have a positive relationship with this young man when so many others don't. I've helped him with his apprenticeships and college applications, and now that he's been kicked out of some of his optional GCSE classes, he comes to my classroom to do extra English revision. He has his own desk in the room, regardless of which other year group I'm teaching, and gets on with his revision books, good as gold.

I've learned that the vast majority of children all have something to love about them.

[mmgirish]

Primary teacher. There were a few times in the past when I have had to try hard to find positive traits in students I have taught. It isn't very frequent though. Some parents on the other hand I have had a deep dislike for. The worst parent I have dealt with was a colleague actually. Not fun at all.

[awfullyproper]

In the 20 years I've been teaching I've never got close to hating any child. I've found some very difficult, and tend to prefer teaching children who are spirited. I love seeing children develop, being part of their journey and helping them to do their best and build their confidence. I don't tend to preempt how a child will behave.
Parents can be a different matter. They often bring all their woes in and can behave terribly. Some people seem to think it is perfectly ok to act out how you feel. I do tell them if it's unacceptable and had to show some screaming shouty parents the door last week. That has definitely got worse in the last few years but that's a whole other thread.
Finally, I would never say a child was 'a pleasure to teach' if I didn't mean it.

[BocaDeTrucha]

I'm struggling this year to like a boy in my class (Y3) and to make things worse, his mum works in the school and is truly lovely.

Their looks never really register, tbh, as it has zero bearing on them being likeable or not. We sometimes comment in the staff room on haircuts, but that's it. It's usually when someone needs a haircut more than anything else!

[FuzzyWizard]

I've never hated a child I taught (secondary). I have had one in 7 years that I've had to work really hard to like though. And it wasn't a "naughty" child either. It was an exceptionally gifted girl who wasted an awful lot of potential and who took pleasure in distracting a couple of far less academically able kids who were in genuine danger of failing. She scraped a clutch of As and Bs...her classmates got Fs. I didn't hate her... I just found her incredibly frustrating. She wasn't deliberately sabotaging them but being a teenager she was silly and couldn't see the long term impact of her constant pratting about for her and her friends.
I actually find the naughtiest kids are often very endearing... They are usually quite sad in their own way and just crying out to be liked.

[MrsSippy]

I've taught for a long time now, and can count on one hand (and still remember the names of) the students I have disliked - but have never HATED a child, that's far too strong a word and also implies over-investment emotionally.

There is generally good in each and every kid, even the ones who are disruptive and do cause trouble in the classroom can be pleasant and often charming in a one-to-one situation.

There was a thing on facebook recently which kind of sums it up for me, something like 'the kids who are loved at home come to school to learn, the kids who aren't, come to school to be loved'

[TimeToMuskUp]

I'm a TA not a Teacher but work in Reception and genuinely adore being around children. The only time I've been upset over one was in relation to a safeguarding issue. There have been tough days and times when I've thought I've no clue what I'm doing, but haven't ever disliked a single child. There's something redeeming about every single child in the class if I search hard enough.

Of course, Reception-age children are very different to older ones, so it's entirely possible that by the time they hit high school some will be actively disliked by staff.

[mrsmeerkat]

I have loved 99percent of children but I taught secondary for a while many years ago and no .. I didn't particularly like a lot of them. That's why I made my exit. I thought a lot were not well brought up. I didn't blame them. Just being honest.

I now work with children who are disadvantaged and love it. small setting.

I do see a lot of small neglect at times - smell, dirty fingers - follow protocol. I do judge when the parent of that child is dolled up and immaculate.

[LittleNelle]

I've never hated a child but I have definitely not liked some of them. From staffroom discussion I'd say it is unusual for a teacher to like/love every child.

That doesn't mean they're not all treated fairly and equally though.

Obviously some are cuter than others, I've never thought any ugly but I'm certainly less drawn to the ones who are always wiping snot on their sleeves or have their hands down their pants.