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Original poster

dd1(6) called a 'silly girl' by teacher

43 replies

geekgrrl · 14/07/2006 18:01

I know it's hardly the world's worst insult - but I do object to dd being called names by a teacher.

This teacher is a regular(ish) supply teacher in dd2's class - she took it upon herself to change dd2's hearing aid volume to '3' without asking her teaching assistant who would have told her that it should be set to '2'. This will have caused dd2 distress throughout the school day as it whistles and is too loud for her. Anyway, dd1 saw this in the playground and tried to adjust it - it's very fiddly and she turned it off accidentally. When she turned it on again she set it to '3' again by mistake and the supply teacher who was watching apparently called her a silly girl in a nasty way. Dd1 is only 6. She was trying her best to help her sister. I think who deserves to be called names is this teacher - she sees dd2 maybe once a month, wouldn't it have been a good idea to ask her TA what the hearing aid should be set to?

OP posts:
hulababy · 14/07/2006 18:09

Not on by the teacher; not professional at all and certainly not nice for your DD. What a good example to set the other children about her!

Kelly1978 · 14/07/2006 18:11

Have you complained? If it was my child I would have a fit. Prob as I know how bloody uncomfortable it is to have a hearing aid set too loud too! The teacher needs a kick up the backside on both counts.

Original poster
geekgrrl · 14/07/2006 18:14

I'll complain on Monday, thanks for the replies. I'm never sure whether I'm being a paranoid overprotective parent or not, so the input is much appreciated.

OP posts:
SherlockLGJ · 14/07/2006 18:14

I would have her guts for garters.

Original poster
geekgrrl · 14/07/2006 18:15

she's a right dried-up old bat, anyway. Mouth like a cat's arse.

OP posts:
FairyMum · 14/07/2006 18:18

. How hurtful. Complain!

poisson · 14/07/2006 18:18

oh really
i dont think its crime of the century

SherlockLGJ · 14/07/2006 18:36

It is the deafness factor that peed me off, and the fact that she bypassed the TA.

FairyMum · 14/07/2006 18:37

Well, I know my children would be hurt by it. I never call them silly at home so why the heck should a teacher do it?

edam · 14/07/2006 18:39

I'd be very cross about the mucking about with the hearing aid and I'd be teed off at her having a go at dd1 when she tried to help. OK, 'silly girl' isn't the worst thing to say but it's still not on to rebuke dd1 when she was trying to do the right thing as well as she could because the rotten TA was at fault. She was trying to clear up the mess the grown up had made, for heaven's sake. Grrr on both dds behalves.

Cam · 14/07/2006 18:41

Must admit can think of worse things, presume the teacher jumped to conclusions, happens every day

Twiglett · 14/07/2006 18:45

I'm sorry but I think you're being slightly overprotective and paranoid there .. 'silly girl' is hardly offensive ...

I think I'd probably encourage DD1 to tell an adult that the hearing aid should be set to 2

But I would request that the school ensures everyone is aware of what setting (and any other important facts) .

beckybrastraps · 14/07/2006 18:49

It's not the words. It's the delivery and the context. I often called the children I taught daft, but it was obviously for very minor infringements, and said with a smile. More cajoling than telling off. I also used to tell them I would remove their small intestine if they forgot their homework. Don't get hung up on the words.

edam · 14/07/2006 19:07

agree with becky, it's not the words, it's the ignorance and the nasty attitude to a little girl who was trying to help.

mysonsmummy · 14/07/2006 19:34

if your daughter was offended by this she may be a bit sensitive about it - but as you wern't there you dont know exactly what happened or how it was said - maybe you should be speak to the teacher first c4 complaining about her. a teachers job is difficult enough looking after 30 children on a hot day. please dont get me wrong if your daughter has been upset by her the teacher had obviously spoke out of turn. i always tell myself there are always 3 sides in any incident - your side , my side and the truth.

Blandmum · 14/07/2006 19:34

I tell mine not to be a drongo, not to be a numpty, don't be daft, don't be a wally. When I see two kids snogging I tell them to put each other down as they don't know where they have been. All said in jest, in a friendly way to make a more serious point.

Gawd, the court of MN would have my guts for garters.

JessaJam · 14/07/2006 19:36

I was REALLY offended at about 5 when my Dr called me a "silly moo" and a "nincompoop" (sp?) ( so, looks like she was right!)

noonar · 14/07/2006 19:48

i agree that the teacher should have looked to the t.a for advice on this one. however, i also know that teachers may say things in a light hearted way, that can, on occasion , cause unintended offense. an example of this was when a boy in my yr 5 class was was pulling his top up over his head , revealing a rather large expanse of stomach. i responded- in a jocular way, something along the lines of ...' put it away, tom ,we dont all want to see your tummy!' next thing i know, i'm being told by his mother ' you humiliated my child, people like you shouldn't be teachers, i bet you feel sick when they get changed for P.E...' Quite unbelievable, really imo. i was trying to deal with slightly innapraopriate behaviour, with humour. didn't get me very far!

try to see both sides...

Gillian76 · 14/07/2006 19:52

I don't think it's what she said that would annoy me. It's the fact that she adjusted the hearing aid of her own accord and got annoyed at your DD1 for trying to help.

Not a hanging offence, but I would be annoyed.

zippitippitoes · 14/07/2006 19:52

the confusion over the hearing aid needs clearing up, but I wouldn't be bothered about the silly girl phrase..though i would be fed up that the teacher seemed to have the wrong end of the stick, but it's just the rough and tumble of life..you have to get used to it and cope

coppertop · 14/07/2006 20:01

The name wouldn't particularly bother me but I'd be very annoyed about the hearing-aid. It might not seem like a big deal to turn it up one setting but believe me it makes a huge difference. With a lot of hearing-aids every single sound is amplified when you turn them up. A piece of paper rustling or a chair being scraped across the floor can seem so loud that it's actually quite painful. With 20 or 30 children in one room it would be a nightmare.

I think the staff need to be made aware of just how distressing your dd2 finds it when the settings are interfered with.

Blandmum · 14/07/2006 20:11

i also think that the hearing aid issue is the more serious thing.

thinking about it i have threatened students with the wrath of god, i have threatened to shoott a sixthformers if he did,'t attempt a question, and have also told a student i would push a pencil through their ears! but they didn't take it seriously you understand

edam · 14/07/2006 20:37

Agree with Gillian, it's the hearing aid thing that is wrong, and being too arrogant to realise dd1 was trying to put right what the supply teacher had done wrong. It's not at all the same as having a bit of friendly banter with the class, calling them numpties or something.

edam · 14/07/2006 20:40

MB, you sound like my old chemistry teacher, who was the most popular teacher in the school. Used really elaborate threats, which made us all behave - something about absurdity which encourages co-operation.

Mind you, he did demonstrate why it's important NOT to blow on a bunsen burner by, er, blowing on a bunsen burner. The girl in the front row had the presence of mind to throw herself on the floor...

Greensleeves · 14/07/2006 20:40

I can imagine "silly girl" being said in an affectionate and totally harmless way, and I can imagine it in another context being unnecessarily scornful and crushing. In your OP it sounds closer to the latter .

I would definitely be having strong words about this. They shouldn't be getting it wrong re. her hearing aid in the first place, if it's uncomfortable for her all afternoon because of their mistake it's negligence

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