"punishment" in year 1

[makemineaginandtonic]

DD is not settling into Yr1 particularly well and especially dislikes "carpet time" because it's boring and her bum goes numb. Today she was talking (actually reciting a poem from a book she borrowed from school!) during carpet time and as a result was delayed going out to play time and had to spend extra time on the carpet.

I really don't agree with "punishments" such as this, especially when it is keeping her from a physical activity which might actually calm her down and make it easier to sit still!

What other experiences of "punishments" are out there?

should I talk to the teacher and tell her what I think?

You sound a bit like my Headteacher...

BTW, we would never keep a child in or issue any sanction TBH without prior warning (unless in a sserious problem.) We'd always give a couple of warnings, plus in our school - and imagine in most schools - children are made aware of the classroom rules very early on.

In addition, it is incredibly annoying if a child starts reading a book when you are talking / in the middle of a lesson. In fact, it is rude and disrespectful.
And out loud???!!

It would be interesting if all the class started to do their own thing because listening is 'boring'! I expect that you would complain that she wasn't learning anything! Or is it only acceptable because your DC is 'spirited'-and works because the rest aren't!
It was perfectly reasonable. She is certainly old enough to know that it is rude. If she wastes everyone's time it is perfectly acceptable to waste her time! She might get the point. Back up the school.

makemineaginandtonic Tue 28-Sep-10 18:14:25

Gee, I never thought she might learn something if she listened!! Of course that is the ideal, but has anyone even wondered why she isn't listening? Maybe she can't hear, maybe she can't understand the teacher's accent, maybe she's really anxious about getting it right? Hopefully her teacher isn't such a hardarse bitch as some of you.

or maybe she knows mummy will say it's ok not to listen as it's boring ...

this thread is really really annoying me

I'm with you mrz!

I'd forgotten that lovely parental description of a child, 'spirited'
It's been a few years since I heard it.
Does the teacher have a strong accent that differs from the child?
Is your child using EAL?
Why are you uncertain about your own daughter's hearing?

Why are you annoyed mrtumblewhereareyou?

Just the OP thats all she seems just a bit of a PIA parent or at least this is how it comes across to me.

I do not agree that punishments should be given out at such a young age for something like this. Surely the teacher should be able to tell the child to be quiet and explain why, rather than meting out punishment for minor transgression. And a young child can be disproportionately upset by what is seen by a grown up as a "few minutes off playtime": she is singled out, feels different and "bad"; OTT in my book.

Not worth getting actually annoyed, there are so very many parents who struggle with the difference between one confident little angel and a class full of egomaniac dictators.
She's a very late birthday and a PFB and a very active child with a mother who feels that missing a minute or two of playtime is excluding her.
Annoying ? No. Predictable?

My DC is 'spirited' your DC is 'naughty'.
It is actually a term parents use. Another is 'free spirit' also used to explain why they don't follow instructions!

Also, young children need their playtime to let off steam and be able to concentrate better. This all makes me quite cross. I do not mean children should be rude and do anything they like, far from it, am quite old fashiloned, but think better ways to deal with it

Ds is a chatterbox. If he disrupted his classmates I would expect him to be punished. If the most effective punishment was to deny him break time then so be it.

How would you feel if your dd came home and said that she didn't enjoy part of her school lessons because another pupil was talking when the teacher was trying to teach?

Ime not being punished for bad behaviour does not result in a child being more engaged in school. All it means is they learn that they don't have to bother respecting the teacher. Ok in year 1, possibly, but imagine if that carried on to years 5 and 6.

If you think your dd is actually struggling to hear the teacher then you need to get your dd's hearing checked. I can't think why a regional accent would have any effect on your dd's listening skills. Surely if she couldn't understand what the teacher was asking her she could say?

2 minutes out of 20?
2 minutes out of 55?
2 minutes out of 10?
Our Y1 get a lot of playtime, does it help to think of it as two minutes on the Naughty Step?

I would doubt very much whether that was the first occasion JDMLTWWG. I expect that the teacher has politely asked her to be quiet, and explained why,since the start of term. If she doesn't respond, then wasting her time might give the message. It isn't fair on the others to have their time wasted by her so they can see the fairness of her making it up afterwards.It is extremely boring sitting on the carpet and having to put up with disruption.

JustDoMyLippyThenWeWillGo - I don't think missing a couple of minutes of a 15 minute playtime will be harmful or hinder their ability to let of steam too much TBH.

Children, even at 5 and 6 have to learn that there are consequences to their actions. if they chose to disrupt others then there will be a consequence.

yes, the teacher can ask the child to be quiet. I suspect this had already happened - very unlikely a teacher will set the punishment without a couple f warnings/reminders.

Wait a year or two and the OP may well be back saying that her DD has the reputation of being the naughty girl, and other parents are telling their children not to play with her because she's not good friendship material and will get them into trouble.
Or not.
Who can tell what the future may bring?

With class sizes of 20-30 the teachers have to keep pretty tight reins on the lot to manage to teach them anything.

I am sympathetic to OP's concerns, but I don't see what else teachers can do in most cases. DS gets his name on the board etc. for "shouting out" answers rather than raising his hand I wince to think that he is being punished for enthusiasm. But he has to learn to control his impulses in class and everywhere else.

MollieO Tue 28-Sep-10 19:30:39

Ds is a chatterbox.

I think most children can be chatterboxes given half a chance but to recite a poem !

I would like to see OP engage with 30 DC on the carpet and cope when they are blatantly talking against her! What is she proposing to get them all quiet-bearing in mind that she only has 10 minutes?

Darlinks, she is an Artiste, not just a common chatterbox.
How can you crush her budding thespian spirit?

This is seriously not a wind up. I can't believe you are all so indoctrinated into school policy! Do you all blindly believe that teacher knows best? I don't look forward to the zombies coming forth from your schools.

Yes. Clearly you are right and everybody else is wrong. We're sorry.