Teachers drawing on children?

Talktomyselfforhours · 2024-05-18T06:48:15+00:00

I might be totally overthinking this so hoping for a good sounding board with fellow mumsnetters! DD is in Year 3 at school and has quite often come home with smiley faces drawn on her hand, she told me the teacher draws smiley faces when they've done good work or behaved well. AIBU to think this isn't right and teachers shouldn't be 'marking' the kids? I'm probably over thinking it but surely there are other ways of doing this that doesn't mean I've got to scrub these off each night? And yes she would have a wash etc but pen marks take a little more work and she does have quite sensitive skin. It's a biro pen that's being used. Quite happy to be told to get over it!

Macaroni46 · 18/05/2024 07:49

Hmm as an ex-teacher I do find this a bit odd. Especially the circles. I'd have a quiet word with the head or deputy.

whistleblower99 · 18/05/2024 07:51

That Is not the teacher. It is your child and they are lying. Absolutely no way is a teacher drawing on hands and knees.

lindsaybob · 18/05/2024 07:52

I wouldn’t be bothered by the fact that it was biro on skin (my daughter already draws on herself with pens and I can’t get her to stop, so a little more makes no difference 🤷🏻‍♀️), but I wouldn’t be happy about the circles to show bad behaviour. I don’t see any need for kids to have to walk around wearing physical evidence they got told off. The smiley faces I’d be fine with.

ThreePointOneFourOneFiveNine · 18/05/2024 07:53

Putting marks on a child's body to show they've been naughty is not okay and needs to be stopped. Probably shouldn't do the smiley faces either, but I'm not sure I'd bother complaining about that. The crcles are not okay.

Funkybananabread · 18/05/2024 07:53

I’m a teacher this is extremely odd.
However be prepared for this to be something your DD and her friends have chosen to do to themselves / each other!

MBappse · 18/05/2024 07:55

Why did you delete the circles bit? Makes for a confusing read

BeingATwatItsABingThing · 18/05/2024 07:56

Ex teacher and I think this is weird. You’ve edited the post to remove the bit about the circles though - why?

I would speak to the teacher first before talking any higher. The teacher may be unaware your daughter is drawing on herself and claiming it’s the teacher.

Hadalifeonce · 18/05/2024 07:56

lindsaybob · 18/05/2024 07:52

I wouldn’t be bothered by the fact that it was biro on skin (my daughter already draws on herself with pens and I can’t get her to stop, so a little more makes no difference 🤷🏻‍♀️), but I wouldn’t be happy about the circles to show bad behaviour. I don’t see any need for kids to have to walk around wearing physical evidence they got told off. The smiley faces I’d be fine with.

Was the OP edited? I can't see anything about circles for bad behaviour, just smiley face for good work. Which although a bit weird, if true, but I couldn't get too worked up about it.

BeingATwatItsABingThing · 18/05/2024 07:57

Hadalifeonce · 18/05/2024 07:56

Was the OP edited? I can't see anything about circles for bad behaviour, just smiley face for good work. Which although a bit weird, if true, but I couldn't get too worked up about it.

Show quote history

Yes, it was edited. If you hit the edited button on the op, you can see both versions.

RaininSummer · 18/05/2024 07:57

Don't see a big issue with this but I can't see where people are reading about knees or bad behaviour circles.

CarpetSlipper · 18/05/2024 07:58

I have worked in a school and seen staff do this (though I never did). The kids loved it and it was effective in encouraging good behaviour. I wouldn’t get worked up about it but I also do think it’s a bit inappropriate to draw on the children.

soupfiend · 18/05/2024 07:59

I dont believe this

whistleblower99 · 18/05/2024 08:00

Why have you take out the part about circles on knees for poor behaviour op? I call bullshit.

Original poster

Talktomyselfforhours · 18/05/2024 08:01

Yep edited sorry, you're all too quick! It's been on my mind since Wednesday and daughter straight up told me about circles drawn on knees to show bad behaviour, somethings got lost in translation and I spoke to her again just now to be sure and she said no, on a board in the classroom! That makes more sense now sorry!
Shes adamant though the smiley face drawings are done though by the teacher.

OP posts:

ClonedSquare · 18/05/2024 08:01

If the teachers quite a laid back one, I can see how it might be an unusual kind of class in-joke if it's just smiley faces on hands.

Like a kid did it to themselves one day, teacher joked that it was a good idea and she would do it herself and it became a thing.

But the circles for bad behaviour and writing on their knees? That's weird (I didn't see your post before the edit so not sure what the whole situation was).

ThePerfectDog · 18/05/2024 08:03

Wouldn’t have the slightest issue with it and think it’s cute to be honest.

whistleblower99 · 18/05/2024 08:04

Talktomyselfforhours · 18/05/2024 08:01

Yep edited sorry, you're all too quick! It's been on my mind since Wednesday and daughter straight up told me about circles drawn on knees to show bad behaviour, somethings got lost in translation and I spoke to her again just now to be sure and she said no, on a board in the classroom! That makes more sense now sorry!
Shes adamant though the smiley face drawings are done though by the teacher.

But in your edit history - it’s there. You said your daughter came home with a circle on her knee and then said the teacher does it when children are naughty.

Meredusoleil · 18/05/2024 08:04

How would she draw on a child's knee if they are wearing trousers or tights?

EarringsandLipstick · 18/05/2024 08:05

Talktomyselfforhours · 18/05/2024 08:01

Yep edited sorry, you're all too quick! It's been on my mind since Wednesday and daughter straight up told me about circles drawn on knees to show bad behaviour, somethings got lost in translation and I spoke to her again just now to be sure and she said no, on a board in the classroom! That makes more sense now sorry!
Shes adamant though the smiley face drawings are done though by the teacher.

I think you've more questioning of your DD to do.

You've made your OP v confusing by just deleting that part - you should have edited it to explain.

When my DC were small, they often got stamps of smiley faces on their hands, so similar I guess. Didn't have an issue with it.

Jifmicroliquid · 18/05/2024 08:05

I think your daughter is telling fibs I’m afraid.

lindsaybob · 18/05/2024 08:05

Talktomyselfforhours · 18/05/2024 08:01

Yep edited sorry, you're all too quick! It's been on my mind since Wednesday and daughter straight up told me about circles drawn on knees to show bad behaviour, somethings got lost in translation and I spoke to her again just now to be sure and she said no, on a board in the classroom! That makes more sense now sorry!
Shes adamant though the smiley face drawings are done though by the teacher.

In that case, it’s not something I’d get worked up about, unless the ink has been irritating your daughter’s skin.

Even if that’s the case, I still wouldn’t make a big fuss about it, but just politely ask the teacher not to do it anymore because it’s causing a skin reaction.

OutOfTheHouse · 18/05/2024 08:09

If you click on the edit button on the OP you get to see all the versions.

In the op you said:
‘Then the other day she came home with a circle on her knee and she said it was because she had been told off about something. If you get 4 circles in the day then you go and see the headteacher.’

So did she have a circle on her knee or not?

MargaretThursday · 18/05/2024 08:10

One of dd1's teachers used to do that. She always asked whether they'd prefer a sticker, a smiley face on the work or on the hand. They loved having them on the hand, and looked as that as the ultimate praise. She did it in a soft pen that came off quickly.

The main problem was they then didn't want to wash their hands afterwards.

Original poster

Talktomyselfforhours · 18/05/2024 08:15

Ah sorry I didn't realise the edit still shows! Sorry for any confusion! Mumsnet novice!

It's the first time we'd been spoken to about behaviour (swinging on a chair) and through tears she'd told me she had a circle on her knee (I suspect she said name now) and looking at her knee there were marks which looked like a circle so I believed this to be true. She has completely confirmed its on a board not her knee but at the time I'd already thought it odd when she came home with smiley faces on her hand and she'd said it was because of good behaviour, it sounded likely to be true what I'd heard, or misheard!

It is definitely true that the teacher does them for good behaviour / work. I'm probably less bothered now by that but still would prefer a sticker as surely its encouraging kids to draw on themselves?

Probably totally over thinking as I said!!

OP posts:

EarringsandLipstick · 18/05/2024 08:17

Talktomyselfforhours · 18/05/2024 08:15

Ah sorry I didn't realise the edit still shows! Sorry for any confusion! Mumsnet novice!

It's the first time we'd been spoken to about behaviour (swinging on a chair) and through tears she'd told me she had a circle on her knee (I suspect she said name now) and looking at her knee there were marks which looked like a circle so I believed this to be true. She has completely confirmed its on a board not her knee but at the time I'd already thought it odd when she came home with smiley faces on her hand and she'd said it was because of good behaviour, it sounded likely to be true what I'd heard, or misheard!

It is definitely true that the teacher does them for good behaviour / work. I'm probably less bothered now by that but still would prefer a sticker as surely its encouraging kids to draw on themselves?

Probably totally over thinking as I said!!

Not just over-thinking but you've clearly been fed a story by DD. The circles thing was invented. The smiley faces likely too.

So talk to her & get the details & then suss it out a bit more with the teacher.

And don't listen to everything DD tells you in future!