Was the

[WantToBeAMamma]

AIBU to be upset that my daughters teacher took off 5 marks from her exam total because she doodled on the back of the paper while waiting to be allowed to leave the exam. She would have got 96% without the deduction. See attached the offending doodle. Teachers comment was "minus 5 marks for graffiti at the back. I have told you many times its not on."

She needs to learn where being ‘arty’ is appropriate, though.
She clearly has a problem with authority if she keeps doing it despite being asked not to, so punishment seems reasonable to try and get the message to sink in IMO

OP my daughter uses sketching as a way to self-regulate. She's allowed to do it in class because it's a need identified by an ed psych. She is on the list to have a diagnosis of ASD and while I'm not saying that's what your daughter has, if drawing is something that helps her deal with the stress of exams it might be worth putting something more formal in place.

Otherwise I can't get heated either way. The teacher is wasting energy by focusing on it imo but she is learning to deal with grumpy teachers/people and work to a brief. I wish the world did bend around individual personality/need but alas it doesn't.

no need to fret, just good luck with that Turner Prize.

Still curious to know how old daughter is. Notice OP hasn't actually ever said.

Of course I'm not out to undermine the teachers authority and always encourage my children to respect all school staff . I think any one who teaches in this day and age with the level of respect in classrooms are very brave and commendable. My main gripe is that there was no positive comment on the exam paper even though she achieved a high mark after much revision. I feel that besides the reprimand it could have been balanced out with some positivity, to encourage her to continue putting effort in when revising.

Well, she seems to have 'learned' that lesson. So well done for re-inforcing the rule. Guess you can let it go now.😀

How old are you thinking?

And she still knows enough to get 96%. Why so concerned about the mark?how is it a power trip? It is a nothing consequence aimed to wake the child up. As a GCSE marker has said on the thread already - scripts with ‘doodles’ get referred to team leaders/senior markers for review. Too much of a risk. If I meaningless penalay now stops that happening, that’s in the child’s interests.

It doesn’t, because she marked it positively and the child knows the actual mark. Then she took marks off for breaking a rule she was fully aware of.

Be upset at your daughter
She was told - end of
Shoulder it all on her
The apple hasn't fallen far from the tree has it

Doodling in class in her own book brought in for the purpose or on scrap paper wouldn’t bother me. On exams though it risks issues and suggests a lack of care. Especially if she’s been told (and getting almost full marks doesn’t mean she must care. Following instructions in a formal situation is important).

She did balance it out with positivity. She told her she scored 96% in the exam.

Letting her know that she scored 96% was a statement of fact. But didn't in any way share a positive feeling such as appreciation recognition or validation, in contrast to what she said about the drawing where she labelled it "graffiti" and was explicit in saying 'its not OK".