Pupils Shouted At In Schools

[ShoutyInSchools]

Whilst working across some primary schools recently, I several times witnessed teachers taking pupils to the Head’s office to basically be screamed at, sometimes until they were crying. This made me extremely uncomfortable.

I asked a teacher why they did this, and they said the child needed a good shouting at.

AIBU - It’s nothing to do with me or anyone else how staff discipline children in school.

YANBU - This isn’t acceptable. Children shouldn’t be screamed at until they cry. Parents would be disgusted to know this goes on.

Course you did

I've only heard the opposite to be honest- children sent to the headteacher in trouble in primary school come away with a biscuit or a sticker? I'm a secondary teacher myself, but I'm a parent of primary students and I know quite a few other primary parents/teachers. Shouting + screaming at a child of any age is not acceptable (it's also really ineffective behaviour management as well), so I'd hope this isn't the norm.

I really doubt this. They may have been told off but screamed at?? Unlikely. I have worked in several schools and this kind of discipline is extremely old school. I havent seen this in a very long time. However I have frequently seen students shouting at their teachers.

Do you have any idea what preceded the need to be taken to the head teacher?
Kids in my school occasionally get a serious talking to and will end up crying. It’s always preceded by -
deliberate damage to school property
fighting
incidents such as racism

they cry because they know they’ve been caught out and are in trouble.

@cansu Yes I’ve definitely seen students shouting at teachers but only in secondary.

@Smartiepants79 No I don’t know what behaviour led to it.

Is it shouting or screaming?

I work in a primary school and I can't say I've been aware of children being taken to the head just to be screamed/shouted at. To be given a stern talking to, maybe a slightly raised/firm voice, yes. But usually I am in a classroom teaching/supporting and not aware or involved in children visiting the head and what takes place unless it's one of the pupils I work with. Was this the situation for you @ShoutyInSchools ? Or is this info coming from other members of staff?

As a parent, I have had my DC told off at primary school in very strong terms once; he ran off in tears. Once he calmed down and talked it though with me, I explained to him he'd been very rude to his teacher and needed to apologise. His tears were due to embarrassment at being called out for his behaviour and also because he really liked this teacher and didn't want her to think any less of him. Both was solved by talking with the teacher and they had a good working relationship going forward.

(As a parent I've on occasion raised my own voice with my kids when young, so not too precious if raised voices were used with them at school.)

Whats the real story?

@itsnotyouagain Loud enough to be heard right down corridors from behind closed head teacher office doors, so more than a stiff talking to.

I can appreciate children do cry when they know they’re in trouble.

I’ve witnessed this too. The head regularly used to screamed at kids, he was quite the bully and his poor behaviour caused many children to change schools . He also bullied the staff, resulting in a mass staff exodus.

If you don’t know why they’re there then you can’t really have an opinion.
If your child had had a chair thrown at them would you be content with the perpetrator just having a nice quiet chat?
And yes, I have seen this happen, in a primary school.
And I was shouted at, twice, by two different 7 year olds today.

I have taught in many schools for over 25 years and haven’t seen this happen, no.

Reminds me then of my old head when I was at primary school. He was welsh and had a booming voice! But he was very much loved by many of the children, even the ones he occasionally shouted at.

Did you raise a concern there as a professional about staff conduct? If not, will you? If you genuinely felt these children were terrified then maybe you should have at the time, with the deputy or pastoral lead?