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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Is this acceptable? Re teacher using work example.

62 replies

DontOpenDeadInside · 26/01/2017 22:00

My dd1 (12) was a bit upset because her English teacher photocopied a bit of her work and handed it around the classroom as a "bad example" of complete with bits crossed out, notes etc. DD is and has always been very good at English. She got 2 trophies leaving primary for creative writing and literacy and is working at a high level (she's in top 5 of her class) and this has really knocked her confidence. I was wondering if this is not acceptable or am I being pfb?

OP posts:
CaraAspen · 26/01/2017 22:17

So sorry again. He DID identify her? Then I would make a formal complaint. Has he no sense or sensitivity at all?

Helbelle75 · 26/01/2017 22:17

Not acceptable in my view. I'm a secondary teacher and I do take common errors from students' work, but I type it up onto the whiteboard and state them as common errors, no names. It's a good exercise in correcting work, but I would never name and shame anyone.

Original poster
DontOpenDeadInside · 26/01/2017 22:17

Thank you for your replies, I honestly wasn't sure. I've never complained to the school (primary or secondary) so didn't want to look a fool if this is normal. I will double check facts with DD in the morning, then fire off an email. (To who? Head of year, I don't have the English teachers email)

OP posts:
MooPointCowsOpinion · 26/01/2017 22:21

Not on at all. I'm a teacher and we encourage students to share mistakes and learn from them, but it's voluntary and after weeks of building trust in the classroom between students and with me. There's a tonne of praise involved too so the student knows it's a learning technique and they should be proud of being so brave.

Shame is such a demotivator. I can't think what on earth he was thinking.

MooPointCowsOpinion · 26/01/2017 22:22

Head of Year is a great idea, they will be best placed to handle it tactfully.

JigglyTuff · 26/01/2017 22:22

"Having a real example of work (providing it's anonymous so that the child isn't shown up in front of the rest of the class) is a good way to get children to think about the learning intentions, how to improve writing etc. It's more purposeful than a piece of bad writing that the teacher has made themselves."

Absolutely agree. Except when it's a real example from a child who is actually sitting in the class. Even if it's anonymous, it's a horrible thing to do.

Imagine if they did this to you at work? Held up a project you'd worked on in front of your colleagues as an example of shit work? That would be workplace bullying.

OP - I'd complain to Head of Year. It's absolutely unacceptable.

onceandneveragain · 26/01/2017 22:23

what the hell! that's awful! Teachers in my school used to use my work as 'good' examples sometimes (not bragging, there were other subjects I'm sure my work would have been the 'bad' example for!) and that was embarrassing enough, and they asked my permission first! I honestly can't think of any justification for this. I mean I understand the reasoning for showing good and bad examples, but a) don't use an example of someone within the class - use one from a textbook/write their own/use one from a few years ago, and EVEN THEN
b) anonymise it!!!

I would honestly complain to the school. Did they use a 'good' example too, or other 'bad' examples?

user1484226561 · 26/01/2017 22:24

children have to learn how to critisise each others work, Peer marking, Ofsted demand it.

DontTouchTheMoustache · 26/01/2017 22:25

Your poor DD that's so awful I would have felt completely humiliated at school had that been me and it would have totally put me off the class. I would complain, that's a terrible thing to do.

Wolfiefan · 26/01/2017 22:25

Poor kid. I would use examples from students that they have volunteered. I might ask the class what they like and what they could improve about those pieces. I would never say "here's a bad piece of work". How utterly shit!

EverySongbirdSays · 26/01/2017 22:25

Not acceptable and definitely one for her HOY.

downwardfacingdog · 26/01/2017 22:26

Yanbu. That's awful. I'm not a complainer, but I'd definitely complain about that one. Wtf.

LeninaCrowne · 26/01/2017 22:31

I'd tell the teacher that in the future all she will remember about his teaching is how he shamed her, and what a bad teacher he is.

GrandDesespoir · 26/01/2017 22:34

I doubt it would have had any adverse affect on your daughter's morality, although perhaps the teacher's - or at least his judgment - could be called into question.

nursy1 · 26/01/2017 22:34

Humiliating a child! For what reason. As you have said its knocked her confidence so it's not going to improve her work. She was probably too upset to take on board any of the points she was making.
Horrific. Something a bit similar happened to my daughter with a teaching assistant. I asked for a meeting with her with the head and class teacher present.

MikeUniformMike · 26/01/2017 22:35

Complain to the headteacher.

Your DD will probably be the next JK Rollinginit and will one day gleefully be able to name and shame this nasty bully.

Trifleorbust · 26/01/2017 22:35

Done well, in a classroom with an open culture where work is frequently analysed for its strengths and weaknesses, this can work. I do it and no-one gets upset because I put the work in in terms of building that culture of scholarship first. It sounds like the teacher got this wrong but probably not deliberately. I am sure he would apologise if this was fed back to him.

Chickoletta · 26/01/2017 22:40

I'm an English teacher and think this is outrageous. Find an email address for the Head of English (phone reception and ask if you can't find it anywhere else) and complain to him/her. It's so bizarre that I would triple-check the facts with your daughter first though.

ThirdTimeLuck · 26/01/2017 22:43

Definitely not ok, as a teacher I can't think of a single time where this would be an effective teaching method. Peer assessment is one thing but this is not the way to go about it.

Helbelle75 · 26/01/2017 22:43

We do peer assessment as well, but in pairs, not as a whole class. There are clear guidelines and we work with 'what went well' and 'even better if'. Students are invited to share feedback and comments with the class of that are comfortable to do so. There are ways of doing these things that are encouraging as well as a learning experience.

thebakerwithboobs · 26/01/2017 22:44

children have to learn how to critisise each others work, Peer marking, Ofsted demand it.

This is not peer assessment and absolutely not something that Ofsted would demand. This is identifying, uncomfortable and unnecessary approach which is actually quite nasty in my view. Certainly take this to the head of department or Year (if the teacher IS the head of department)

PurpleDaisies · 26/01/2017 22:47

It isnt right but thats what teachers do before and at gcse to "toughen" them up for the pressure of how hard it is.

No teacher I know does this. I've got a bank of old work or stuff OCD made up myself. They look at each other's work in pairs or small groups but not in the very public way like this was done. I think that peer marking has been misunderstood by some.

P00pchute · 26/01/2017 22:51

That's a horribly cruel thing for a teacher to do, whether it was easily identifiable as hers or not. Absolute dick move, and a shit teaching method to boot.

booellesmum · 26/01/2017 22:59

When I was in year 7 I wrote an essay that the teacher deemed to be rubbish. She made me stand up and read it out to the class and then told everyone how rubbish it was. I was usually great at English but the essay was timed and I'd rushed it.
I can still remember how humiliated I felt and that was 32 years ago.
I would definitely complain - it should never be acceptable to do this to a child.

Italiangreyhound · 26/01/2017 23:05

DontOpenDeadInside My Geography teacher held up my book full of blank pages where I had planned to 'catch up'. I was about 14. I still remember it and I am nearly 52!

Please complain and ideally ask for the teacher to apologize to your child. This is so unfair and unprofessional.