My DD, 9, is in year five. The class teacher has told us the kids are often falling out at playtimes with bickering and name-calling that has led to disruption in class.
They’ve decided to deal with this by dividing the children into groups at playtimes - most of the class is in a general group that can go where they like and interact with anyone as they please, and then two groups that have to wear bibs (yellow and green). The greens have to stay in one area, the yellows in a different area, and they are not allowed to move out of these designated areas. The general population are allowed to interact with the groups in bibs, if they choose to.
When this was introduced my DD was really upset, saying that she felt she was marked out as a ‘naughty kid’ by having to wear a bib, and unhappy that she couldn’t be with the friends she normally plays with. Friends in the free-range group can play with her, but only if they choose to go to the area she’s in. The teacher has insisted DD is not a ‘naughty kid’ and that this way of doing things is to encourage children to make different friendships - it’s not a punishment, but a way of defusing the arguments.
AIBU to feel uncomfortable with this? Or is this a perfectly normal way of dealing with behavioural issues? I feel like the bib-wearing and confinement to certain areas is stigmatising and it’s been going on for nearly a month now. I’m not one to complain to teachers lightly and feel I need some perspective on this.