Complaint re teacher Unprofessional Language

[thypnochick]

Hello folks
My son has recently started in YEAR 3.His teacher calls the class Plinkey Plonkers, Nutters, Lazy Toe Rags, and the boys typical blokes.. Also beautiful children do beautiful work and sloppy sitters do sloppy work!
Son is left handed and not the neatest writer at the moment and was veru upset last term as he didn''t think she likes him ie because doesnt do beautiful work and was refering to himself as a sloppy child.
I had a wrod with his teacher but the language has not stopped and the list of unprofessional language has got worse.
I have asked to speak to deputy head about this. What are your thought please?

I do the same onlyonejimmy-it just wouldn't be 'me'-I don't use the phrases ever -however teachers are individuals and one style doesn't fit all. Maybe it works well for that particular teacher and class.
All I am saying is that unless you see the teacher and class in operation you can't tell.
I can write on here 'you silly nitwit'- but no one can tell it it is said in anger, with tongue in cheek,in an endearing way, in a patronising way, as part of a long standing joke-in fact about 101 different ways! OP is the same-impossible to tell. If her DC is upset she needs to look into it-in an open minded way.

'silly sausages' is the kind of expression you use to jolly a child along. It's OK.

Making fun of childern, as the teacher in the OP appears to do, is shitty shit.

She reminds me of a teacher we used to have who loved all the little girls who were good at sewing and netball, but the boys and the cack-handed girls like me were a PITA. It was so obvious to us. Yuck.

Some people could take offence at 'silly sausage'. We simply don't know enough from OP.

SianGee Mon 29-Nov-10 23:57:14

I recently found out where the phrase 'toe-rag' comes from and it's not very pleasant, but as we're all Mum's in this discussion I shall continue. In the 'olden days' women would wrap rags around their toes to use as tampons!

Am I alone in wondering how on earth that would work urban myth ...

Like many words and phrases in the English language the original meaning has been lost or changed present day usage of a bit of a rascal is slightly different from the original definition of a thief or tramp.
Plinkey Plonker meaning someone clumsy who makes mistakes

People can find offence if they look for it and some people will be genuinely upset and offended but is it a hanging matter?

i always thought toe rag came from convicts and tramps wrapped around thier feet instead of socks or shoes from around the early 19c

I agree that the above definition regarding toe rag is incorrect. Toe rag these days doesn't mean a bit of a rascal - it is still a common phrase used for criminal.

It is not a question of finding offence. It does not matter what the intent of the phrase is necessarily it is the effect it has on the recipient. If you can moderate the way you speak because of the audience, then that shows professionalism and taking your job seriously.

Would teachers use the phrase "good morning my little fuckwits"......I think it is rather funny terminology that shows how I is down wiv da kids.

So you'd disagree with the definition of a rascal as a dishonest person ?

No, I disagree with SianGee's definition.

My apologies

I was as clear as mud.

i belive rascal derives from a petty criminal ie not murderous or dangerouse and so has been watered down along the way to mean a mischivious child.

comming from the word filth or rabble and so goes as far to have included dishonesty and lower class.

Thanks for comments folks, first post here and will not be my last. Great advice and good to see other peoples perspectives.

Piscesmoon, you keep saying you're sure the class loves it and the children are happy. However I thought the entire point of the OP was that her son is upset by this?

I'm a bit confused as to why you seem to be contradicting this.

EnnisDelMar perhaps because the OP later said Im not suggesting no informality and my son thinks plinkey plonkey is funny^

LOL mrz!!! I was trying to work out 'toerag' too! I won't even begin to describe the imagaes I was having, trying to get it to work in my mind!!

I have to say that this does seem to me a bit of a big fuss over nothing.....

well yes but he was still upset by 'sloppy child'

I'm sure Pisces is able to differentiate between the bits the children might like and the bits the OP's child is upset by.

But she doesn't seem to be doing so.

I just think like people have said - if he's upset, something needs to be done to change that. Maybe she could stop calling them sloppy, and keep saying plonkers or whatever.

Just because OP qualified her position on one or two elements doesn't mean 'Oh well then, problem solved'.

All I have said is that we can't possibly tell from OP and she should go in and discuss it. It is all to do with tone and relationships-I haven't a clue but neither has anyone else-we are not there.
You always needs 2 sides-people get terribly judgemental from one side.

Sorry, Pisces, I really don't want to go on at you but this makes it clear to me there is a problem:

'Son is left handed and not the neatest writer at the moment and was veru upset last term as he didn''t think she likes him ie because doesnt do beautiful work and was refering to himself as a sloppy child.'

Anyway - hopefully OP will get some answers if she goes in and has yet another word. Always best to ask the teacher I agree, though it's been tried once already.

Maybe there is an issue-maybe it is a misunderstanding-unless OP goes in she won't know-we certainly don't.

No one is suggesting the problem is solved if the teacher isn't aware one of the class has been upset by what she said then she can't deal with it.

Hi mrz, she was made aware of it weeks ago.. I will update you all tomorrow. Many thanks for all contributions..