To be really annoyed with this teacher?

[tomboytown]

Ds-first week of senior school.
Mon- supposed to have History homework
Mon- gets given a worksheet
Monday night- completes the worksheet

Tuesday-gets detention for completing the worksheet.

It’s his first week!
Punishing a child for actually doing more work than is necessary?!

Don't get the issue with op saying "just an art teacher". That's not denigrating being an art teacher, it's simply saying she is just an art teacher with no special extra jobs such as being HOD, but some people are clearly sore

Wrong thread

All she had to do was say something like ‘oh you silly so and so, that was supposed to be today’s work! Oh well, I suppose you can help the rest of the class out with it’. It doesn’t kill to be understanding and kind.

It doesn’t kill to listen to instructions either.

Probably because he’s an 11year old with a shitload of stuff going on Hugo*

He wouldn’t say that if he actually wished you were dead.

Not read whole thread. But my dd is just starting year 7. I would be very cross if any punishment given in 1st week or 2 about lateness/homework. So much to take on board and so easy to knock their confidence at such an early stage. Fair enough if it's a few weeks in and down to not listening to instructions . But a detention (be it 5 min or 30) in first week over a misunderstanding would really knock my dc and I think reflects badly on the teacher.

Blimey.

First, that's too extreme for doing extra work but may not be accurate. I would email the tutor or the teacher directly and say hello, this is how my son percieved things, please can you tell me if this is right.

Secondly I would speak to the school about your loss. Transition brings lots of things to the surface and also is very tiring, which again makes emotions raw. All this could easily trigger a meltdown in your ds which reminds him he also lost his dad. Ask for him to have chance to talk with the school counselor if needed.

Thirdly...
He’s got 6 out of 7 instructions written down correctly, completed immediately, neat and tidy and books back in bag.
This concerns me quite a lot. 7 homeworks in 2 days? Awful! I would also be querying this. That's too much for the start of year 7.

*But you would always give absolutely clear instructions about the purpose of a sheet, wouldn’t you? Any teacher would."

The number of students I have taught who simply didn’t listen to instructions beggars belief, though. It is ridiculous when you think about it, how much time is wasted by people who choose not to pay attention
Oh yes. Clear instructions. None of my classes have ever had an issue.
Sometimes a couple don't listen and get it wrong, I'll have a word with them and we all move on.

AnneWeber
Agree. The OP is making a mountain out of a molehill. You got it wrong, you need to listen carefully to instructions, your teacher's had a word. Nobody is going to think you're a terrible student, move on and be careful next time. That's the learning curve.

Sometimes I've had to put sanctions in place for the most delightful students you could wish to teach. I don't dislike them, far from it, but the rules and expectations have to apply to all students not "all students other than the ones I like who I'll give a free pass to and other than the ones whose parents think they should be exempt". There is a real problem if/when students think things don't apply to them (and it's also a problem for those who display challenging behaviour to know they'll get detention for something but another child wont).

I would be very cross if any punishment given in 1st week or 2 about lateness/homework. So much to take on board and so easy to knock their confidence at such an early stage. Fair enough if it's a few weeks in and down to not listening to instructions . But a detention (be it 5 min or 30) in first week over a misunderstanding would really knock my dc and I think reflects badly on the teacher.

I think some people are living on a different planet. Why would you be cross about your child being given the standard consequence for breaking a rule? Why wouldn’t you want your child to quickly learn the importance of being on time/doing homework at secondary school? You would be literally getting cross about teachers doing their jobs.

That's just weird. Teacher had a meltdown and punished kids for doing work? Sounds like lesson plan went awry and they panicked. Detention is still harsh, even if she said to not complete it.

Detention is still harsh, even if she said to not complete it.

5 x 60 seconds barely counts as a detention, and certainly isn’t “harsh”. The child needs to learn to listen. What’s with all the excuses for a simple case of a child not listening?

i dont think this is hard to understand...
history teacher said they would get homework...
they wrote homework in their homework diary...
they got given a worksheet near the end of the class....
no other homework was given or discussed...
so they did the worksheet thinking that was the homework...
then they got in trouble at school for doing the "homework" ....
how were they meant to know that the worksheet was not home work if they had been told they would be getting homework
Yes if i was him i would be pissed at being punished for doing my homework...and i would be doing the next worksheet as well, so i didnt get in trouble for not doing it... and if the teach gave me a detention again then mum would be getting a pissed off phone call to come speak to the teacher and find out what the fuck he/she is doing

TheSerenDipitY

You don’t think it’s relevant whether or not the child was specifically told don’t do that worksheet?

But "we'll go through it next lesson" could also be interpreted as "we'll go through the answers next lesson" (so do it for homework). Especially for a new year 7 who isn't sure how things work, and is expecting to be given homework.

Agree with this. If you are teaching a class you need to be very clear what you want I.e, "just look at this sheet for ideas, but don't complete it" I suspect this is what has happened. I think there is a difference between blatantly not listening or doing your homework, than misunderstanding what was asked. I have difficulty processing spoken word. It needs to write it on the board too.

You wanted opinions....you got em OP!!

Here we go with that classic AIBU troll line.....

360eyes
I've already said I was summarising part of a lesson. Funnily enough, none of my classes have ever had an issue with following instructions.
If give them a second chance and have a chat with the one or two who got it wrong early days, but it's a total non issue

As other teachers have said on this thread, it's amazing how often there's claims that we haven't explained things properly, haven't given instructions through the medium of contemporary dance to match learning styles, haven't told students what to do... And yet on almost every occasion the vast majority of students in the room have managed to follow the instructions that we clearly mustn't have given properly.

Complain. That's not right at all. Fair enough tell the child they got the wrong end of the stick, but well done for being so well prepared for the lesson. And a detention? Way over the top. I'd be livid.

Complain. That's not right at all. Fair enough tell the child they got the wrong end of the stick, but well done for being so well prepared for the lesson. And a detention? Way over the top. I'd be livid.

It was 5 minutes for not listening. If I were the teacher’s line manager I would back them up 100%. We need the children to listen.

The meltdown started when I took his phone off him because he wasn’t getting ready and the rule is no phone until he’s dressed.
Then he started with some backchat about me breaking the rules about my diet!
Then about how I’m the worst mother in the world, then the rolling round on the floor, I hate you etc.
Then, I miss Daddy, then inconsolable tears

He was late for school, I went in with him to explain why.
Then I completely broke down in front of the school secretary and some teachers, fortunately no pupils.
So, now I’m ‘that parent’ but for different reasons

I honestly want to die

I now have a gp appt where no doubt I will break down again

It sounds like there are bigger things going on than this 5 minutes being kept back by the teacher. Try to put that into the “who cares” box and focus on the bigger issues?

Indeed
The good news is my blood pressure is ok!

Oh op I am so sorry.
You arent 'that parent' ignore the stupid posters who bleat on with their repetative rubbish.
Sounds like you are having a really hard time.
11 is a really tricky age in itself let alone when you have had such a terrible tragedy hit your family.
So sorry

tomboytown
Your update is nowhere close to "that parent" behaviour.

Ultimately the start of secondary is a learning experience. Home wanting to complain after a child's not followed instructions is unreasonable and "that parent" behaviour.

Home being upset because a meltdown has happened based on totally different events in their home life is totally reasonable and school wouldn't think anything other than how to help.

At my dd1 school y7's cannot be given detentions for the first month as it's expected that they may take a while to adjust. They also get way more achievement points than normal for any good work/behaviour to encourage it.

WellVersedInEtiquette
A month is a long time and long enough for bad habits to creep in. I'm surprised it's that long given how on it year 6 teachers are and how high their expectations are. I sometimes find expectations of y7 are lower than y6 from some staff so they expect and accept a lot more silliness and disorganisation than the primaries would.

We do the same on lots of achievement points and rewards though. There's a bit of flex for the first week, then the usual system of warnings/chance/sanction kicks in. Most don't get further than a warning and most people who use their second chance don't take the mick.