To think that teacher trying to name and shame DS

[krabbiepatty]

In a nutshell the school set targets for Y1s who are not conforming behaviourally (we are talking things like not holding up hand before speaking). The proposal is to stick these targets on the wall with the child's photograph. A small minority of children have these targets. I feel very very very angry about this. I cannot see any justification for doing it and it seems to me likely to do DS harm. Anyone encountered this system? Any thoughts?

I think that's awful tbh. Why don't they just stick them in a corner with a hat marked D !

Well, that's exactly how it feels to me ledodgy. thank you. I am so damn angry...

I think it's very poor if the only way they can think of to make a child adhere to the rules is humiliation.

They are trying to say that the children support each other in acheiving their targets and that is why it is a great idea.
My arse.

Year ONE! For the love of God! There's nothing like making a kid feel good about themselves is there! What's on the wall in Year six I wonder. That is really, really, wrong.

I am just wondering to what extent they can enforce this - so far have been discussing / objecting but am not sure whether they can try to insist.

"achieving" - anger leading to misspelling

That's doesn't sound good but I'm not an expert.

I would have a quiet word with the teacher. Very often I hear things from other parents or ds and things sound appalling until I've spoken to the teacher and it all sounds fine!

But if it's as you say I would ask the teacher about issures around shame, disincentive, and also how important guidelines on SEAL are nowadays:
social
emotional
aspects
of
learning......

My ds's class has all sorts of star charts and rewards etc but I think the emphasis should be on the positive. yr 1 is pretty young.

krabbiepatty - complain, I would. You are right in being very cross about this. I would be in talking to the teacher.
DS's teacher has an opposite system "Caught for being good" - if a child does something - can be something insignificant but the child normally struggles with it (like put hand up first before talking) she makes a big fuss and puts a big sticker on them that says "Caught for Being Good" ...
That gets really positive results IMO ...

at photo of child on wall - shocking!

This is from the teacher - she called me into a meeting to tell me what she was porposing. I have also seen the head and the "inclusion coordinator". I am glad other people think this is wrong.

Ugh, "proposing" - i actually couldn't sleep that well due to anger last night.

I would write a letter to them, withdrawing your consent to your son being involved in this scheme. I can see how it could be perceived by the child as humiliating.....

helping eachother to acheive targets seems a noble aim, but I'm just not convinced that it would work here, with photos on the wall of those that are 'falling behind'. All the kids should be doing for eachother is following the rules, doing it right, and getting praised for it; so that the kids who aren't 'complying' get set an example. It sounds totally unrealistic to think that a yr one group will be actuvely encouraging one another to meet targets.

Photos and names on walls should only be for positive praise and recognising achievements, IMO.

You're right to be angry.

To what extent can one opt out of school disciplinary methods? Does anyone know? am shamefully ignorant about what our rights are.

ds's primary had a whiteboard where names were put (but not pictures) if the child was naughty.

I'm not sure krabbie, but I think where a strategy really verges on the humiliating like this one, I would feel justified in withdrawing my consent. So long as you remain open to supporting other methods, I think that's fine; you're not withdrawing support for the school, just for this strategy.

At the very least it will make them take a good hard look at the policy to see whether they can justify it.

Perhaps you could talk to the parent governor at the school and get their view? Or the PTA if there is one? There's strength in numbers

Those are very good thoughts sunnysideup - I will investigate. I've been feeling rather alone about this!

I will approach the head again tomorrow and report back. Very interested to hear whether anyone has encountered anything like this. Might have a G and T now to disperse anger a little.

good luck krabbie. Deffo a G & T required - you owe it to yourself

Let us know how it goes.

Thanks sunnysideup

It is standard practice in my school to have children's IEP's (individual education plan) on the wall, with their photo and targets. This is so that all teaching staff and support staff can easily see it and help to support the child to meet these targets. The child knows about the targets, as does the parents, and all sign the agreement. Some typical targets in Y1 would have three categories: What - 'I will come to the carpet when I am asked to' Why - So I can learn and How - My teacher will put my special cushion where I should sit to help me remember. I will look at other children to remind myself of what I should do. Very often some of these targets will be educational targets too, such as doing specific activities during the numeracy session to help them learn to count to 20, etc.
Where they are in my classroom is on the notice board which is behind the door - visible, but not 'in yer face'.
It isn't about saying 'this child is naughty', rather 'this is how we will help this child to do the right thing'. At the end of the day, children do need to learn how to be in school and do things like holding up their hand before speaking. It is much harder for a child to learn this at Y2 if the expectation is not set at Y1 (and it will help their learning, and the learning of their peers) if they can learn it in Y1. These things are also positively reinforced - 'catching them while they are good' verbally within the classroom as well.

dd1 class have a blue and red triangle. if they 'caught being good' they go on the blue triangle.

if they are caught not being ood (talking during lessosn when meant to be listening or soemthing' then they go on the red triangle. (each child has coloured in a little picture representing themselves)

they also have a stars systems for attendence.

it works as nobody wants to go on the red triangle, if they get put on it x times i na week then they are spoken to and new targets set for the following week. thats the general gist of it.

My school had a "lazy list" which you went on if you didn't meet your work targets. This was for children aged around 8/9. The work targets were things like maths and literary worksheets that we had to complete on our own (there was one teacher to help a class of 30, sessions lasted hours).

I loved learning but I struggled with that mode of working as I got bored easily. I preferred group to solo activities and at 9 I didn't really have the attention span for the worksheets.

I lived in terror of being on the "lazy list". On one occasion I made the list. The shame and humiliation of it still gives me the chills. My mum recalls me being in tears about it.

The emotional impact on some kids of these lists, targets, etc. is massive.

I have left a letter at the school indicating my unhappiness. I understand what you say jennifersofia about it being standard practice but my view is that it is misguided standard practice. I really do not see why support staff and teachers cannot help children meet their targets without mugshots on the wall of a small minority of children. I have no problem with the general behaviour manangement systems in which all children particpate equally.

jennifersofia, I presume you are a teacher? Can you tell me what approach would be taken if parents don't agree to the targets going on the wall?

Also a quick internet search seems to indicate that IEPs are for children with SEN. No one has suggested DS has SEN.