To think this teacher is chatting bollocks?

[beahunnywashyourtummy]

DNiece (sensible girl, not a bullshitter), came home today a bit upset because her Art teacher? Has threatened to move her down to a low set which would therefore lower her English and Maths set.

In short, the Art teacher said if she didn't improve or start paying more attention, she'd move her down to set 4. DNiece is currently a Set 1 pupil which is top set and set via your standard of Maths and English.

DNiece asked how she could do that since Art was an option subject overall and Maths and English were not. Apparently the Art teacher said she didn't care and she'd move her down if she felt she was poor enough Art wise.

Surely this can't be a thing?

She's always been brilliant at Maths/English and has great reports, genuine interest in
Those subjects and clearly does well marks wise. I just don't see how an Art teacher could move her for art and directly impact two core subjects.

Wind your fucking neck in, tell niece to behave and support the school.

Parent not teacher here, but I think you are right (and funny) hercule and Lola. On the other hand I've got a DC just starting Y7 and I can see that secondary school is a whole powder keg of stress for parents who aren't quite sure whats going on, used to being much closer to things at primary and relying on unreliable communication route of their DC.

But yeah... why would an Aunt care. I always assumed brother and SIL were doing the best for their kids.

YABU for using the phrase "chatting bollocks".

I depends what her behaviour is like in the art class. If it is her behaviour that is a problem in that class, she just needs to work on that, if the art teacher is saying it because her work isn't up to her standard then that is the teachers problem. I remember when I was in school, i spent ages drawing a picture and did everything I could to make it good and my art teacher gave me a detention because he said it had only taken me 5 minutes (it had actually taken me over an hour) and he shouted at me in front of the whole class and told me it was a terrible picture, my mum was furious (she knew how long it had taken me because she was in the same room as me whilst I was doing it) and phoned in to complain that it wasn't fair that I was getting punished just because I wasn't very good at drawing. I gave up trying after that.

Generally very chatty but not in a bad way.

Her wish to chat doesn’t trump others’ wish to teach or learn.

good lord, the 'just an art teacher' is in response to someone wondering if the Teacher is a Head of Dept, not a denigration of her profession.

RTFT.

There's no such thing as "generally very chatty but not in a bad way". Don't be so ridiculous. If she's constantly talking over the teacher, then that is a bad way.

Aside from that I still refuse to believe that she has 4 separate sets for art. That simply doesn't happen.

The issue is that her behaviour has been poor enough to attract this comment for the teacher. Sometimes kids that are normally great have an off day, sometimes they have an off subject, but there has clearly been an issue on this occasion, and the sensible response is to modify her behaviour to the standards expected, not gripe about the rubuke made.

On this occasion, nothing will come of the threat, but if poor behaviour persists, some schools will move sets. Moving sets breaks up disruptive influences. Moving one person down creates an opening for another to move up. In foundation subjects, there are fewer staff, so a year group will be spread across a range of subjects, so it is viable that sets 1 & 4 are the simplest, least disruptive swap.

No set should be a dumping ground, but set 4 is the one more likely for that to happen in. The lowest set is usually smaller and well-supported. Set 4 often contains an awkward mix of weaker than average despite their best efforts, and under-performers. Unless you're unfortunate with a set 1 who mis-apply their intelligence to being a pain in the neck, set 4 is most likley to to be a difficult grouping. My most recent school was going to try mixing 2s, 3s and 4s to prevent this as I moved on.

Pinkyyy
You see you don't understand.
It was probably chatty but not in a bad way because (delete as appropriate):

• DC is friendly and popular so she was just being friendly
• she wasn't being disruptive, she just sometimes a little chatty
• she'll talk in discussions too so talking over the teacher isn't a problem
• she already knew what she was doing so it wasn't rude
• she was just asking / answering a question to her friends
• everyone says how bubbly and nice she is so it couldn't possibly be disruptive
• her friends were talking too and everyone knows someone else doing the same thing means it's not a problem really
• it's not like she was shouting at the teacher or calling across the room. It was just a quick chat.
• the teacher probably needs to spend their time on actual disruption and not some nice girls gossiping (because remember if you think the child is lovely and it wasn't yelling across the room then it's not rude or disruptive)
• her reports say she's chatty in lots of subjects so it can't possibly be an issue (everyone knows chatty on a report is a euphemism for doesn't shut up and is disruptive)
• the teacher just doesn't like her / I think the teacher feels jealous or intimidated by the popular girls because they clearly weren't in that crowd at school / the teacher picks on her etc

All of those are reasons I've heard why someone is chatty but not in a bad way.

As a teacher, I would just like to confirm, for anyone in doubt, that students “just” being “a bit chatty” is one of the reasons they and other students fail their GCSEs. If everyone just took the decision to STFU, more young people would know more stuff. HTH.

And being a bit chatty disturbs other students. I was pretty quiet at school and just wanted to do my work in peace, not put up with a lot of dickheads disrupting class, especially when it resulted in collective punishment. One of the reasons why I got bullied, as it happens.

Are you the mum?

For those saying that it's unfair on lower sets to have badly behaved pupils with them, I completely agree. However, it's important to note that this kind of actions aren't day to day punishment, it's applied after a series of warnings and other strategies to improve the behaviour. Also top sets in my school used to be made of 30+ pupils while lower sets in most cases are less than 10. That means that the misbehaving pupil knows that they will be noticed and dealt with quickly. They're also sat at the back of the classroom with worksheets with occasional invites to participate in didcussions. The final thing that I would say is that it happened with me once, and I was told to prepare the lesson and exercises of a set 1 on a sheet and pass it on to the student who was moved to set 4! Definitely more work for me as a teacher, but if that is going to let me teach my class in peace I will happily do it!

Generally very chatty but not in a bad way

No such thing.

@herculepoirot2

100% agree

@FamilyOfAliens

www.lexico.com/en/definition/arrant

@LolaSmiles ah yes, of course, thank you for making me realise what an angel she is!

@GreenyEye

this >>> "Firstly, nobody is 'only' an art teacher. Nobody is 'only' an anything teacher."

ty @thebakerwithboobs

RTFT

beahunnywashyourtummy
No, that's not what was said. From what we've been told, what was said is along he lines of "if you continue to be this way in Art, you'll be moved down elsewhere"

You have either information from your niece or second hand information from your sister. We have heresay from you.

The changing of the story through whispers on a medium with no tone.

Either way if you are going to get stuck in, sort your "chatty" but not in a bad way niece out and not "just an art teacher".

and the point I was making went right over @newmenewbys head.

She is just an Art Teacher, because she just teaches Art, she's not also a Head of Dept!

I've seen the reports and attended a few of her parents evenings

Who on earth would you go to your niece’s parents evening?

Don’t you have cinemas where you live?

Generally very chatty but not in a bad way.

What don't you understand OP?
The teacher is telling you that your DN isn't doing what she should be doing.
Maybe she needs to STFU in class?

I still really can't see what any of this has to do with the OP. Surely it's for the child's parents to sort out.

Kids have a tendency to exaggerate or dramatise and to make themselves out to be the victim. She needs to pay attention in class and be more respectful. If the threat is carried out then it’ll be worth investigating, otherwise it’s probably most likely that your DN was being a little shit and the exasperated teacher said something along the lines of “if you behave like this you won’t be in set 1 for long...”

I’m not a teacher but I pity them, the amount of emails they must get from overbearing parents about this crap. My mum would’ve punished me by making me do more art outside of school if it got back to her I questioned a teacher!

Any update, OP?

For what it’s worth, my brother is a single parent, and I quite often went to parents evenings and discussed his children’s education with him.It’s tough doing this stuff on your own, and if you’ve got someone to share it with why not?