to think this punishment a bit degrading?

[thirtysomething]

DS aged 10 was kept back from assembly by his somewhat ambitious teacher to do some science extension work as an "experiment" (her words). He is one of the more able kids at science apparently.
Anyway, he got the method right but made a stupid mistake with a calculation - added two numbers rather than multiplies them. So she went and found the coolest teacher in the school (in DS's opinion) and made DS sit in front of this teacher wearing a pink fluffy hat repeating the times table he'd got wrong 10 times.

DS said he was embarassed. i actually think it's inappropriate though DP thinks I should just let it go? This is a young, pushy teacher who's getting them all very worked up about SATs at the moment.

just caught up - what a great DS you have there, 30something - well handled all round and I hope she has learnt a salutary lesson from it.

I think somewhere down the line the "cool" teacher ought to be taken aside as well and have it pointed out that complicity in this action was very unwise and should anything like this ever arise again, refusing to participate would be the way forward.

I agree, well done to your DS. He sounds very mature!
Lets hope she takes it on board, I'm sure I did some pretty stupid things as a new teacher too.

What a brave little lad you have! He's a credit to you Well done BOTH of you!!!

I'm really impressed by the way you and ds dealt with it.

Don't leave mn - I want your advice when stuff like that happens to me and the dc.

Well done the pair of you. I would never have been so mature at ten years.

Thanks everyone, it means a lot to feel I've done the "right thing" by DS and haven't been misguided in not going to the headteacher over this! DS certainly seems to be feeling ok about it all today anyway so it seems as if any lasting harm has kind of been cancelled out by the apology and him explaining to her how he felt.

Thanks v. much everyone for your support - I love MN!!

Had to comment on your ds- what a sensible and mature 10 yo you have there. Am glad you both got the outcome you desired

Oh also- hope my ds grows to be like that. He is 6 and today cut a chunk from his own hair

saucepanman DS isn't always like this by any means!!! And he certainly wouldn't have been averse to a bit of haircutting at age 6!!