AIBU? Dentention for low score?

[ThrowAwayQP]

Okay; I’m a long time lurker. Made this account to ask all you kind people to sound out this issue we and DH are having.

DD is in year 7. Yesterday we had a text from school saying that she had a detention for “inadequate progress”. DD has never been in trouble before, no issues at parents evening and we always make sure she does her homework so was a bit confused.

I asked her what happened when she got home, and she explained that her teacher set homework to revise for a short test in lesson. Apparently they needed to get a certain score in the test or they would get a dentention and she missed this score by two marks. She says there was another pupil in the class who got much lower but everyone else met the score; so she and this other boy were issued the detention.

It didn’t seem fair to me to set a detention for a score on a test so I rang the school to enquire and to be fair the class teacher emailed me within about half an hour.

The teacher said, and I’m quoting here; “It’s not a dentention per se, but a mandatory revision session that I’ll be running. It’ll be an opportunity for [DD] to have another look at what’s she’s struggling with in order to ensure she makes the progress she needs to to meet her target. If you are not happy with her to do it after school, considering her age and the dark nights we can arrange it for a lunchtime instead; but in line with the policy she will be attending at some point.”

I was actually happy with the response; since it looks like the teacher will actually be going back over lessons in this time and explained to DD it wasn’t a punishment but meant to help her.

DD is stil pretty upset by the whole thing tho; and when DH got home he still thought the school were being unreasonable in making the session compulsory for her.

So... what are your thoughts; people of mumsnet? Do I get back in touch with the school or no?

It sounds okaaaaaay but not as an after school thing.

Was it actually called detention? Seems strange given their explanation.

Also great they are willing to give children who are struggling some additional help. Entirely different to not being able to run round the PE field. Surely striving to make sure all children are encouraged to do better in learning us a good thing?

Our school does an after school homework club for those who struggle. It's really popular.

I think the teacher is reasonable.

The homework was to learn a specific thing. The pupils knew there would be a test. Your DD did not memorise what was required. The teacher needs to be sure that everyone has mastered this info before the class can progress so the two pupils that failed the test need extra time to catch up.

Something very similar happened to me aged 12/13. The info in question was to memorise the full sequence of hic, haec, hoc for Latin. Myself and 2 others failed the test and were given detention both to catch us up and to demonstrate that it isn't acceptable for any of the class to hold the rest back by not doing the set task. it worked on both counts - I can still remember hic, haec, hoc in full, and I never failed to achieve my Latin homework again over the next 4 years.

Op we have the same at my dc school.
Why call it detention?
I get a text telling me x child has detention so obviously I'm a bit cross with them to of done something to get detention talk to them and find out it's extra support.
Why not just put that?

I think the intention was good, but calling it a detention, and making it after school, put backs up uneccessarily.
Does your DD need help with revising strategies? I've overheard, at the end of the day, "Oh, no homework tonight, just revision!" (ie, nothing written for the teacher to check, so off the hook).
You might even find that, in the catch up session, she gets some pointers, or guidance on something she hasn't grasped. I'd guess that the teacher has other things they would rather be doing.
I used to try to remember, when holding a pupil back, to say that this wasn't a punishment, they needed to go over things again in a quieter classroom, but they didn't always see it that way.....
(BTW, PeaQiwiComHequo you triggered a reflex recitation of hic, haec, hoc; our Latin teacher was a strong-minded woman! And yes, I once got an after-school detention for not learning that week's vocabulary list.)
If I were that teacher, I'd be wary of accepting a score marked by another pupil; it won't be long before they learn to do a deal with the friend who marks their work (bitter experience.....for all you know, DD and the other boy concerned weren't the only ones with under-par scores, just the two honest/naive ones)
But at least she's alert to a pupil slipping behind and is trying to sort it out, before a "backlog" piles up.
Sympathise with your DD by all means, insist that after school is not appropriate, but on the other hand, ask DD if you can help, maybe offer to test her on what she should have learned?

Hi all,

Thought I’d update you all.

DD was still upset when she left this morning; as she was saying the teacher didn’t warn them they’d get this “detention.”

Just to clarify I emailed the teacher back to say that I was fine with it; and lunch would be better. I also said that DD was upset about it being called a detention; and I’m just waiting for a reply.

If indeed the teacher called it a detention then he or she was very wrong to do so. I think it's wise to clarify if that's what it was called or if that's what your child interpreted it to be.

language, words and meaning matter so I think it's right that that should be addressed.

My friend an English teacher does this she bakes cakes, makes drinks and runs a session after school for her pupils that are struggling. All unpaid. She is a lovely person who cares for her pupils.

Lunch would not be better, teacher needs a break as do children.

madmum that sounds lovely (hope my DD's teachers are like her especially when DD reaches Y10/11) whereas to me the OP's teacher's reply sounds like backtracking.

Had a reply off teacher.

It clarified that they (according to them) didn’t use the word “detention” in the lesson and they “wouldnt call a session such as this a detention” however it’s school policy that it is recorded as a “progress detention” and this auto generates a text home.

It is apparently a school wide thing; so I’m assuming this is the first time DD hasn’t met the benchmark on a test?

Anyway; if the teacher is happy to do the session one lunchtime, I’m happy to leave it now.

I agree he wording isn’t great but if there are issues it’s better to pick up on them now than them develop. Even if it’s as simple as something that will help her focus her revision technique.

This is terrible.

When did school just totally give up on the idea that children are different, have different abilities and learn at different speeds?

Education is NOT battering information into children who aren't ready to learn it yet in order to met arbitrary benchmark scores.

It would be lovely to OFFER a catch up session to a student in case that could keep them up with the group effectively. Mandatory additional study to keep a class together by brute force is LAZY teaching if its anything.

I would be extremely grateful for the teacher who tries to help a child to reach a better level!

Of course, there's always going to be that ridiculous parent who doesn't want pressure on their little darling instead of taking steps to help them achieve at the very least the minimum expected at that age and in that year.

I would see nothing wrong in detention for failing marks full stop, they have to take responsibility. Extra study to help them? It's great, I can't believe some people resent that.

It's fine for you to email. It shows concern and the fact you are involved and paying attention.

M3lon. The alternative is to ignore the child shrug and say what will be will be. I prefer teachers to care.

don did you drink to much of the 'anyone can achieve anything if they work hard enough' koolaid?

You do know some people are not going pass A-level maths no matter how big stick you beat them with, or how frequently?

Education and attainment targets should take into account children's current abilities.

I got in detention once because of a mark in test. The rule in my class at the time was you had to improve your average mark as time went on. This is actually not a bad way to go at it. It is a personalized goal relevant for each student and usually achievable....though not if you get 95% twice in a row then miss a few lessons with flu as it turns out.

It wouldn't cost that much effort for teachers to set reasonable goals on an individual basis...probably less effort than getting everyone to a certain arbitrary standard...but in a world governed entirely by performance metrics you can't seriously expect teachers to care about students as individuals can you?

madmum in between setting the same target for everyone regardless of current attainment, and not setting any targets at all is the golden glittering unicorn of setting relevant targets for individuals.

I dare to dream.....

Mandatory additional study to keep a class together by brute force is LAZY teaching if its anything.

There is nothing lazy about a teacher giving up their lunchtime and time after school (which this teacher will have to do, now they are giving a one to one session with the OP's DD and the original after school session with the other pupil mentioned). Especially for subjects where you only see a class once a week or once a fortnight.

I'm glad you are happy with the outcome OP and I do hope your DH is now.

This thread does highlight that it is a good thing to clarify situations with a teacher, like the OP has done, as the couple of updates show that there were some misunderstandings from the DD, has resulted in a lunchtime session instead and highlighted a fault with the wording of the automated text (which comes from SIMS and annoyingly, schools can only choose from a drop down box, when recording the issue).

maybe INEFFICIENT is a better word than LAZY.

M3lon
the target is fairly average. It's a pity people like you enjoy a race to the bottom and don't encourage children to achieve at least a very average level. What exactly are these kids going to do after school?

The classes are too big, there are not enough teachers, so you should be grateful they take the time to try to help individuals like that!

It's a great shame kids cannot repeat a year they fail in this country. If they need time to catch up, they would have it. It works very well in other countries, and there's no stigma attached in repeating a year.

you can't seriously expect teachers to care about students as individuals can you?

that's exactly what that teacher is doing by offering extra lessons!
What more do you want them to do?

I admire teachers who have to deal with people like you and can never do anything right... It's scary.

Take the teacher up on the offer of a lunchtime session. Sounds like a good idea.

You can pay for private education£15k a year upwards day pupil and still not get this kind of care to be honest.