I'm shocked at this teachers behaviour. Do I need to do something?

[Spidermama]

My dd, who's nine, told me today that her teacher regularly shows pupils work to the whole class to scorn it.

The other day she took the picture a boy had done of the school trip and said, furiously, 'Do you really call this a picture of our school trip?' DD said he's not the best drawer but the picture was OK. Then she threw it on the floor.

DD said the boy went very red and quiet (he's a well behaved boy) and the class laughed.

I think this must have been so traumatic for him. I can't believe she can be such a bully and feel compelled to do something. But what? Should I interfere? It wasn't even my child but I don't think I can do NOTHING about this.

What, if anything, would you do?

Agree with portandlemon

If it happened as described, then that woman shouldn't be in teaching, at least for the moment. She's disregarding every rule in the book and there is no excuse for it - stress, burnout, whatever, she should be taking stress leave, not bullying children.

I'm always astonished by how many lunatics still are able to get into a classroom (not counting the pupils, obv). How on earth do these people get through the training?

Good point Port and Lemon. I didn't think of that.
As it happens I met the Head again today and we chatted about it. I've decided I'll go and chat to the teacher myself and give her a chance to give her side.

From my pov all I really want is to get her to think about it and realise that she can't carry on like this in a vacuum. I want her to realise it was bad behaviour and have a word with herself as it were.

I will let her know I've raised my concerns with the head too.

Oh yippee! What fun. Now I just want to get the whole thing over with so I can let it drop knowing I've done what I can.

Well done Spidermana, but would that not break your promise to your dd?

spidermama
sorry

spidermama it sounds like you need a new head teacher. It is amazing that he wouldn't have a chat with one of his staff to find out what had happened. He doesn't need to names.
If a child behaved as you described they would be called a bully. In my eyes its no different.

I once saw a new teacher rip a page out of a childs book and screw it up because he has done it wrong. The child was crushed but this was a new teacher and I didn't want to add pressure to her by bringing it up myself as I helped in her class twice a week and didn't want her feeling that I was watching her every move. So I had a word with the head, who is very approachable and has known me a lot longer and she had a quiet word and it was sorted.

Spidermama,.. Approaching the teacher sounds like a good way to go about this. She will however know it comes from your daughter so surely breaks your promise. I don't think this is a bad thing though, as you say you can't do nothing. Difficult one, Hope it goes well x

You can anonymously report any ol' rubbish (or truths even) to social services or RSPCA or other protection charity and they will go and talk to the person to hear their side of the story, keeping your anonymity 100%. So I can't see why head is insisting that you put the allegations direct to the teacher, at end of the day head can only do disciplinary action on the basis of evidence, not anon. complaints, so teacher isn't that threatened.

But a chat with the head might get teacher to rethink how the things she does are seen by the children. Surely head can figure all that out for himself??

Alternatively, you could tell head you're willing to talk to teacher direct, but not before the last week of term, and she mustn't be informed about you or the allgations until then (although I suspect OP's dd wouldn't like this solution, either... nobody likes a 'grass').