AIBU for the teacher not to use the word Numpty

[Susanne9176]

My son who is 6 used the word numpty and I asked him where he had heard this. He said his class teacher is using this word to describe the children when they've done something a bit silly and has called.h and other children that. Am I over reacting or is that just not ok, she is basically calling them stupid and encouraging the kids to name call

I'm genuinely at the idea of a teacher calling a student a div. Definitely not a PC term -- even kids shouldn't be using it and definitely not ok from a teacher.

@mauvaisereputation I think it depends where you live. Round here it's slightly worse than numpty/silly sausage but nowhere near idiot.

Said parent was extremely over sensitive about everything. Complained that the pasta sauce was too hot ffs!

I'm also N.Ireland and we use numpty, remit as in meaning silly billy..... Never offensive.

In Scotland it’s not an insult either - no one would take offence. It’s what you call someone when they do or say something silly - so if you came to work in odd socks or if a child opened his schoolbag and realised he’s backed his comics instead of his books.

I don't see any need for a teacher to call a pupil any name that is not their own. To turn it around - I can't imagine the teacher would be very happy being called a numpty or an eejit by a pupil if they made a mistake.
Teachers frequently make silly mistakes wouldn't it be great if the kids could call the teachers names too - no I didn't think so.

Teachers frequently make silly mistakes wouldn't it be great if the kids could call the teachers names too - no I didn't think so.
Again, I guess I better go reporting my students.
Not only did they joke about me not fitting through the door on the run up to my maternity leave, they've also sarcastically mocked my silly mistakes as well.

It's almost like we get on with each other and have positive relationships grounded in mutual respect.

My pupils do call me the same sort of silly names as I call them. I forgot a set of books one day, they called me a numpty and gave me detention for not doing my homework. I bargained them down with "if I bring in my homework before lunchtime can I cancel the detention" just like they do to me. We all had a laugh and moved on (working on paper).

Pupils and teachers like each other, in general. (We all have classes where we don't get along with them in the same way, we wouldn't tease those classes). I tend to go with low level, gentle teasing is fine. If the pupil looks or acts upset then I apologise quickly for offending them and try to remember that child doesn't like it. When they've done something silly the majority of them would rather be gently teased about it and it be considered a bit of a joke, over the alternative which would be to have a serious conversation about it which tends to make it a bigger deal.

also sarcastically mocked my silly mistakes I'm thinking it wasn't 6 years who were mocking your silly mistakes?

I think your being over sensitive. It’s usually a word used with affection

Well, over my long (36) years of teaching, it had been instilled in me to praise/condemn the action, not the child. So, “that’s very good work/that was a very nice thing to do for xxx/this work is too untidy/not enough effort put into it/that was a very unkind /immature thing to say/do” etc. It avoids all the trouble outlined above.
PS Amadán is the Irish term meaning “male fool”, and óinseach is the female equivalent. I wouldn’t be using either of those terms in my classroom.

“has”, not “had”...I’m still teaching!

Call 101 and have it logged.

We used the word div, divvy or divot (lump of earth or clod) if we were really riled.

Logjam
11 year olds, but heaven forbid people built positive relationships with their students where humour was used.

Friends of mine in primary also manage to use humour just fine.

@logjam

11year olds plus mainly. When I did primary placements teachers there managed to use gentle sarcasm to build relationships too.

My own 2yo calls me a silly billy if I do something silly. Shockingly we're both well adjusted!

One of my dc's teachers frequently refer to a boy in their class as a pratt - she's a bit of a scary one, I don't think any of them would feel comfortable calling her a pratt. It doesn't always go both ways.

YABU to a ridiculous extent. It's an affectionate and harmless word.

Wally - there were wallies when I was at school. Not helped by the fact that there was a ‘tough lad’ called Walter (yes really) in our year.

One of my dc's teachers frequently refer to a boy in their class as a pratt
That is disgusting. The poor kid

This exchange happened in my class today:

A: Ummmm I think I forgot my essay structure strip
Me: Well you’re a numpty
A: yeah I know

A: Now who is a numpty?

Then we all planned a Macbeth essay.

doh, don't be a numpty

So pleased I am not a teacher in this day and age. Dealing with the parents of 3p kids must be exhausting

30

YABU get a grip

SmileEachDay
I do hope you all wrote detailed records of these incidents and passed it to the head for investigation.
Not only does it show your students are a bunch of insolent toerags, but it really brings your professionalism into question.