Teacher telling 4 year old her work is *No good

[Itiswhatitisamilliontimes]

We live abroad, Dh and I are British but speak the language we reside in now, I’m not great, Dh speaks fluently.
Dd is 4 and has been at Pre school since September, she speaks a small amount, but not fluently yet.
Majority of people where we are speak English also, her teacher doesn’t really (obviously don’t expect her to speak English at all)
Dd came home upset today, she said she had painted her picture wrong and painted inside a heart instead of around it, but that she didn’t know. She said her teacher said to her it was No good and moved it out of the way, she said she didn’t shout it at her but didn’t let her do another etc. I asked my Dd what she did and she said she just sat there. She then said that she also did a picture of people wrong as she painted their faces black and the teacher also moved it and said it was *No good. Dd then said she drew the boy with a striped t-shirt and that it was okay and that wasn’t wrong.
From what I can gather, having seen todays display on the wall, it was a heart with a picture of your family inside, I guess Dd wasn’t meant to paint inside the heart as the picture was meant to be there and I’m guessing her painting the faces black was wrong, because we don’t have black skin.
Dd didn’t understand what to do, I realise it’s not the teachers fault she doesn’t speak English, but is saying that her pictures are no good and moving them the correct thing to do? Am I being over sensitive in feeling sad for Dd?
Also in her reports it’s says that Dd needs a lot of extra assistance with her work and can’t do things independently (at home she’s so good, really bright, confident and independent) I asked the teacher about it and I asked wasn’t that because she doesn’t speak the language fully yet, she looked embarrassed and said yes and now always writes this on her report.
Aibu to also expect her to be shown how to do things and to have help being taught her new language?

I’m a bit surprised by some of the responses saying the teacher is uncaring. Have you never conversed with someone who doesn’t speak English? ‘No good’ means everything from I’m not feeling well/am in pain (while pointing to the affected area), it means no that’s not what I wanted when handed something, it can mean anything! You’re expecting a non English speaker to be able to praise a child’s efforts and also explain the task. You’re also expecting another culture to adapt to your preferences.

I really don’t think a painting is a big enough issue to complain about. I would however come up with a plan on how you’re going to improve your DD’s language so she can enjoy school more.

I think there is an element of lost in translation that we can't know without knowing the language and what exactly was said in that language. Would it out you to say which language?
For example if the teacher said in German, das is nicht gut, she would have reason to be more upset than if the teacher said in french, c'est pas bien ça or in Spanish eso no es bueno, both of which can convey sort of it's not right as well as it's not good. If french, the teacher might also have said c'est pas correct, which also implies it wasn't right rather than actually bad. I can see how she would interpret any of those phrases as negative feedback.
Then not being allowed to do another could be a time issue.

I think you need to work very hard on you and your child’s language skills, so that misunderstandings don’t happen in school. It’s your responsibility to speak the language of the country you chose to live in, not put additional burden on the teachers to speak English.

I'm an early years teacher and can't imagine a situation where it's ok for a teacher to tell any child their art work is no good. Also can't imagine where an art lesson is as prescribed as this as that's not art.

Did you see the part where the teacher doesn’t speak much English? From another early childhood educator. I think everyone is reading way too much into this. Op is in another country, with different ideas and different values. I’m pretty sure that some of you would balk at the way things are done in my country. In the same way I roll my eyes at the way you lot do things. It doesn’t mean that either way is wrong it’s just different.

Did sue says this in English or Portuguese? Either way- she was either A) simplifying it in Portuguese so that your daughter understood she hadn't done the assignment correctly or B) she said it in simple English because that's not her native language. On the basis of that I think you're overreacting- she will be communicating with a child who basically doesn't understand her and vice versa. Unless she's been shouting at your daughter or otherwise singling her out, whilst I understand the interaction upset your daughter, a very short, no good, without the context wouldn't be something I'd be dwelling on and would try to explain to your daughter people may speak shortly to her until the language is more natural.

Your DH needs to take over communication with the school for this. Find out what exactly happened and what the teacher said.

I'd be very concerned, if I were you. Your post seems to describe something that could happen after a month or so of kindy. However, I've just re-read she's been there since September and she has exposure outside of school. She really should be able to keep up by now. You and your husband should continue speaking English to her, but really she should have picked up a lot more of Portuguese by now. Do the school have any other concerns?

My DC and several others I know have been in the situation of different home language and new school language. The only one who had such issues towards the end of one year was the child who has other SN. One year immersion should really be enough to follow kindy instructions and be able to ask if she doesn't understand. And frankly, as you've described it draw, mummy, daddy and pointing should convey the task and she should be able to follow it.

Point is, it's not the teacher abroad's job to learn and speak the language of their non-native speaker kids, is it?

I'd definitely clarify with the teacher what was actually said @Itiswhatitisamilliontimes as 4 year olds (working in a language that isn't their own to boot) aren't the most reliable witnesses.

Then you need to really get moving to get your daughter immersed in the new language. As her father is fluent and you're actually living there, it won't take long.

I think this is probably just a language barrier thing - could be that your daughter has misinterpreted what the teacher said, could be that the teacher was attempting to speak English and didn't do a great job of it, which she can't reallt be blamed for.

I have worked with a few 'new arrivals' to the UK recently who speak no English. They do pick up the language very quickly just through school and ultimately being bilingual is really, really good for them once they get past this first bit so please don't worry about doing loads in the local language at home. My FIL spoke only Polish at home as a child and English at school and went on to be head of department for English at a secondary school, then an educational consultant.

Your DD is going to come across a lot of people in life whose actions aren't ideal; this time it was a teacher and next week it'll be a kid. We have had issues from time to time, but we find it easiest to focus on building up DS's resilience. Just talk to your DD and pick a path that's most useful at the time depending on what will build her confidence:
"if you don't know what to do, you say XYZ".
"I think your pictures were great, they just weren't the task she wanted you to do. Can I put this one on the fridge? And do you want to do the task at home so you can take it in?"
"That doesn't sound like she was fair to you. When someone isn't fair to me I feel really frustrated, how did you feel?"

Have a look at this website - scroll down to 'primary phase' and 'new arrivals good practice guide' which gives you an idea about what teachers in the UK do for children who speak no English. https://www.hants.gov.uk/educationandlearning/emtas/primary-secondary-phase

I work with 4 year olds and there is no way we would have such a prescriptive art class! We complain our children start school early here but I don't think even in Reception that they'd do something like this. We are not allowed to intervene too closely and give lots of help and guidance (a situation like this would likely be 1:1 if it was supposed to be that specific) which is very possible with EAL kids, of which I have many. I'm not sure of their ratios with 4 year olds but ours is 1:8 until Reception. Part of the joy of 'teaching' them is seeing how they interpret and apply their own ideas. The instruction could have been 'paint your family' and then you would get everyone's interpretations even if it was a blob of green and purple.

OP, maybe you need to look at different provision for September, something like Montessori? Where she can learn through play which is less prescriptive.

It's all very well for saying the culture is different etc. but that doesn't make it less damaging and there are good reasons the culture in preschools/ Reception here is the way it is.

I've heard from a Portuguese staff member at my work that the Portuguese education is highly pressured and not geared toward the mental wel being of young people

I think this sentence sounds lost in translation though. Does the teacher have access to an iPad. We usually try various translation apps to help EAL kids.

You’re taking as gospel the word of a 4 year old, regardless of the language issue that is bonkers to get upset without hearing the teacher’s version of the interaction.

Definitely check the language angle as I think there's some lost in translation issues here- and I would also check what provision there is for your Dd if she's not picking up Portuguese easily, as well as looking at what you could do at home.

That said I would also take your Dds feelings seriously and encourage her and perhaps raise the way this has made her feel with the school, as a reason to review her provision because continual comments like that can get internalised and really affect us. Something like this really can stay with children and it always seems to be art ime. I was a good pupil from a young age but I had zero artistic aptitude, in fact I now know I'm dyspraxic. It didn't matter how well I did in the actual work in year one, the psychotic cow of a teacher only ever seemed to be interested in our art work, so in my case she was focusing unrelentingly on my less than perfect colouring in - and complaining. All school year long. I was quite a sensitive child and this was on repeat. It stuck.

As an adult I have generalised anxiety disorder and during CBT I started looking at where a lot of my tics, triggers and perception of myself came from and my year with the poison bitch featured heavily. Because a lot of it was "just" comments in the classroom and I was embarrassed and thought I'd be in trouble/they'd side with the grown up, I didn't tell my parents much. My mum says she wishes I had as she only picked up on a lot of it later!

I imagine this is a translation issue. 'No good' is probably the phrase the teacher knows to express that's not how it's meant to be done - or how it translates to the language, some languages are often more blunt than English. I'd explain it that way to dd

I work with 4 year olds and there is no way we would have such a prescriptive art class!
oh come off it! Drawing a picture of your family in/around a heart is hardly a "prescriptive art class" and is a totally normal kindergarten activity.

It might also be worth reading your country/regions education website. There must be something there about help given to children who don't speak the language and recommendations for teachers. In our case, the DC who weren't fluent were taken in a small group for one lesson a week for kindy and first school year.

I think this is a language issue. I would encourage you and your DH to help your DD learn the local language. It's difficult to say if her teacher was being rude or just couldn't explain the task properly in English. It will make your life and your DD life much easier if you make an effort to speak the language of the country you live in.
I was in the same position a few times and my life got much easier once I spoke the language (I moved a lot in my 20ties and now we are settled in another country with a language that I am slowly learning).

I'd leave it orobably is a language thing if it is cultural then its going to happen again so no point making a big thing over it I think you're being a bit over dramatic, your dd seems more pragmatic about the whole thing than you

It’s harsh to tell any child their artwork is ‘no good’ because it’s art, it’s supposed to be subjective and creative so irrespective of the language/cultural barrier the teacher was out of order for that alone. When you consider the fact your child is four, it’s particularly cruel because of course a four year old’s artwork can’t be ‘wrong’!

But we're not talking about an English teacher dealing with an English student.

We're talking about a teacher who pretty much only speaks Portuguese trying to have a conversation with a 4yo who pretty much only speaks English. That's never going to work without something getting lost in translation.

If your DH speaks Portuguese then he needs to speak to DD in Portuguese all the time at home so she has as much chance as possible to pick up the language.

Imagine being 4yo in a new country where you barely speak the language, and having to go to kindergarten with children and teachers who don't understand you - it must be absolutely terrifying. You and DH need to do everything you can to help her - and I don't think that should involve complaining to a teacher who doesn't even speak the same language as your child.

@Sartre don't be ridiculous! If they were given a specific task to do, and DC didn't do the task then of course it can be "wrong". Doesn't mean the picture isn't cute or artistic.

@coffeecupsandwaxmelts that's not necessarily a good idea, there's a massive difference between fluent and native. It's really not recommended to speak a learnt language to your Dc especially when they have native exposure. OP's DD really should have a better grasp of the local language if she has been there almost a year.

Have you had her hearing checked?

Does she have any friends in the class?

Do they play together out of school? (Or do you stick to the other Brit families?)

Can she read in English (it will help her later if she can, and has a thorough grounding in grammar, in her main language)?

Will she be expected to repeat a year if her language doesn't improve before end of kindergarten? Or first year of school if it hasn't improved by then?

there's a massive difference between fluent and native. It's really not recommended to speak a learnt language to your Dc especially when they have native exposure.

Why isn't it recommended?

I've never once heard that and have learnt the basics of a couple of languages from my parents who were both non-native speakers, just by them speaking that language around me.

In the UK, it is not recommended that parents who speak English as a second language speak to their children in English at home. This is because:

1. Children benefit massively from being bilingual.
2. Children hearing 'bad' English spoken at home often does more harm than good.
3. It is important to value the home language for cultural reasons.

As teachers, we are told to discourage speaking English at home. I have even purchased novels in Ukrainian for refugee children in junior school because it us important for them to keep reading, no matter the lamguage, and it helps them to feel like their own language and culture matters.

Because you inevitably make mistakes or formulate sentences differently. Then the DC has to "unlearn" those mistakes. It's different, I suppose, if the child has no exposure to native speakers. However in this case, the child goes to a local kindy and will need to speak and write for school so she needs far more than to learn the basics. The best way for a child to learn is for them to have native language exposure (school/friends), for their parents to speak their own native language to the child and for the child to hear their parents speaking the local language to others when out and about.