Shouty teacher

[CantStopEating79]

Dd is 9 in year 4. Usually enjoys school but this year has hated it. Cries most mornings to not go in. When prompted she says the teacher shouts really loud and aggressively at children who misbehave, and punches the whole class for a couple of children who misbehave. Never had any problems before with school and I am going to have a work with teacher/head teacher.
Aibu to ask the teacher to use other strategies rather than scream and shout at the children especially in the class room when my dc is there and is well behave. I don't shout at home and so dd is probably not used to it. Just after a bit advice before meeting with school.

It’s not ok. I’d ask to see the behaviour policy.

It’s difficult because you only have your child’s version. Have you spoken to other parents?
mom going to assume typo on ‘punches the whole class’ 😂🙈 I would get some other viewpoints and then present a balanced, calm persona when you go in.

Mine was a typo too 🙈 *I’m

Punching the kids is a bit extreme if you ask me

Definitely a typo...he absolutely does not punch the whole class 🙈

I'm still half a sleep but that typo did make me laugh 🤣

I’d ask to see the behaviour policy too. It really annoys me when teachers shout/punish a whole class when there are a couple misbehaving. Why can’t they just manage/address/punish the behaviour of the relevant kids.

My dc spoke about constant shouting at school too. I complained because by dd particularly couldn't cope with it. To me shouting and screaming at a class means you have lost control. It wouldn't be acceptable in a home or workplace, and shouldn't be acceptable in a school - I think these are the exact words I used in my complaint.

Punches the whole class 🤣
Sometimes shouting is needed.

Ugh we had this in Year 5. My DS hated going in. Complained several times but this was an old school style teacher who just shouted all the time. He had a supply teacher for a few weeks and the difference in him was massive. I had a meeting with the Head but she didn't want to know. The following year she took a non teaching role, then retired. No advice really but you have my sympathies. Definitely explain to the school how itself affecting your child.

We had a shouty teacher last year in p2. Well for half the week. There are a couple of challenging children in the class, refuse to listen, hit other children and the teachers. Class discipline vanished. It culminated in one of the teachers shaking a child and her early retirement.

just try and ascertain that the teacher is, in fact, shouting!

i work as a TA and last year had a ‘challenging’ child who didn’t work, faffed about with her hair / jewellery/ socks / pen and didn’t listen. Every time I got insistant with her to do her work she said I was shouting at her (I was not raising my voice, I don’t shout at kids). Her parents complained, said she said I was always shouting. Luckily I work in a really small school (3 classrooms, village school set up) and there’s no way that I could be shouting at a kid without everyone in the building hearing!

sometimes kids mistake speaking firmly as ‘shouting’ especially if they are not used to firmer voices.

it could also be that the teacher is genuinely shouting, but try to check with others first before you complain!

It is a tricky balance because on one hand when they get to secondary school they encounter a whole range of teachers, some of whom will be more shouty than others and sometimes the classes are quite lively so need a firm direction. Having said that we are still dealing with the implications of a similar teacher years later with one dc who is now really sensitive to any shouting. I would try to have a discussion with the teacher but focus on the impact on your dc and how to build resilience in her. Help her to talk with him and maybe have an agreement that if she has done something wrong that he won't shout at her specifically. This may reduce the general level too if he is aware of the impact on her. Do though be aware that sometimes their interpretation of shouting is just a loud male voice. Whole class punishments generally are not good.

I thought punishing all for the behaviour of a few was very much not in use because it's a stupid and futile response?

Sounds like he has no control over his class.

Don't even bother with speaking to him, in my experience it will do no good. Straight to headteacher and ask them to perhaps do a walk past and see if they can catch him out.

Some good advice thank you all.

My Ds also had this teacher but only for a couple of months as it was just before lockdown, he said he did shout loud and a lot, but my dc are completely different and it didn't bother Ds the way it is bothering dd.

I'm definetely going to speak to head teacher, I can't have dd being unhappy about going to school, she is crying most evenings at the thought of school. It's upsetting to see her like this.

Just another thing he says to class, if you don't understand that's fine just ask but when someone asks he shouts and says they were not listening.

@FrenchFancie is this girl being considered for ADHD? I did a training course recently and they said it can present exactly like you describe. It is very under diagnosed in girls apparently.

It also said more than one third of children with ADHD have ASD or ASD traits which can include sensory differences. This could be why your slightly raised voice felt like shouting to her?

Sometimes children do mistake a stern tone for shouting. I had a parent tell me that a certain teacher shouted all the time, I told her I was in that class and they absolutely do not shout. I would inform the head teacher that your child is reluctant to come to school as they feel that the class is being shouted at.

Whole class punishment is unacceptable so that does need to be addressed.

Asking for help, most teachers will write things on the board when they explain things because then it is there to see if a child needs a reminder of what they have just done step by step. Some children will just constantly tell you that they don't understand which in lots of cases is untrue. They have little self reliance and want you to tell them what to write. We refer them back to the board and if they are still asking we get them to walk themselves through the board example.

But definitely raise it with the head teacher or head of year group if you have one of those, in our case they are called phase leaders over a key stage.

My son had a shouty TA in primary us parents were waiting outside at pick up and could hear her screaming at the children. She was just awful. She's still at that school though they put her outburst down to the death of her father.

The OP has referred to the teacher as "he".

Complained several times but this was an old school style teacher who just shouted all the time

What is an ‘old style teacher?’. I was a teacher until my late 50’s. I never shouted, it’s really bad practice to shout. The quieter you are, the quieter and calmer the class. Teachers have to keep ahead of the curve re classroom management. I don’t think ‘old style teachers’ exist anymore.

Also my dd was scared of a shouty teacher when she was 9 or 10.

She was diagnosed ASD at 16.

I’d also clarify if he is actually shouting or not. For my kids, they had only had female teachers and the first male teacher they had they weren’t used to the different tone and interpreted it as ‘shouting’ initially.

Have also had the same experience as @MoreSleepPleasee - so much so I wonder if it’s the same school!

So yes, there may be an issue and if so you do need to raise it - but check what’s actually happening first.