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Primary education

Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

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Original poster

anyone else's dc's got a strict/scary teacher this year?

32 replies

roundabout1 · 04/09/2011 20:10

My dd is not looking forward to going back to school at all, she's moving up to year 2 & has a very strict/stern teacher. The teacher in question has a reputation of being very strict & stern. I always assumed that she must be a lot more friendly than what I have seen of her but this last week all I have heard from anyone I've met is how awful she is. Now I know that being strict isn't a bad thing in a teacher but that it can make them unpopular with children. I am getting a bit worried about it though. My dd is quite sensitive anyway & finds change difficult so I anticipate a few teething problems. Beginning to get a bit anxious about it myself on her behalf. please tell me I'm not the onl;y one & I'm not some over protective molly coddling parent!

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epeems · 04/09/2011 20:19

It depends on what they mean by strict. If it means she's negative and belittling then I'd have an issue with that.

dreamer79 · 04/09/2011 20:30

When going into year three my DS had heard that the teacher he was having was very strict and scary but turned out to be fantastic - the class were a lot better behaved because they had heard she was strict and he made so much progress the year that he had her.

festi · 04/09/2011 20:36

I didnt think my dds reception teacher ever raised her voice to be honest, she is always smiley and kind hearted always chatty and welcoming and everyone loves her.

I was worried about new teacher, seems a bit shouty, never smiles. but evry one who I have spoken to says she is lovely. My dd over heard me saying to someonelse I thought new teacher was a bit shouty, but dd put me right and said she doesnt shoiut anymore than reception teacher. DD is a bit worried about going from recption to y1-2 as she knows she wont be playing as much and will be working more.

Original poster

roundabout1 · 04/09/2011 20:39

epeems - i always just thought she was strict but I have heard stories of her telling parents off & being negative about one child but to be honest not too sure about the source of those stories

dreamer - that's what I'm telling dd, she's good (well at school she is!) but they do seem to be quite a naughty class so I'm telling her there will be alot less disruption if she is strict.

She never seems very approachable when you see her in the playground but it is impossible to tell until you deal with her one to one I guess.

OP posts:

Panzee · 04/09/2011 20:45

Ooh I wonder if it's me? :o

teacherwith2kids · 04/09/2011 21:13

Or me....

stillsurvinghols · 04/09/2011 21:14

My DC is moving into year 1 and by most accounts has a "shouty" teacher. He's not looking forward to it. I think it's worse because older sibling doesn't exactly help when I say things like "you don't actually know what she is going to be like" for older DC to chirp up with "well she does shout a lot". Great!

lostinwales · 04/09/2011 21:16

All the children going into DH's class...

To be honest, he has a reputation as strict but he is strict but fair and children seem to thrive in his class. The only problem is when he forgets to turn it off when he comes home, I do not appreciate being spoken too like a 9 year old

stillsurvinghols · 04/09/2011 21:19

p.s I actually think the DS will be a little bit quiet to start with and then he will gently gently try to work his creeping, I'm a good boy magic on her. I have no idea where he's learnt it from I just hope it works on her otherwise it will be the first female teacher it hasn't worked on [now that would be interesting!]

OddBoots · 04/09/2011 21:19

My dd had a strict teacher in Y2, it was the best thing for her. The levels of classroom disruption were much reduced and she worked better.

stillsurvinghols · 04/09/2011 21:22

lol lost in wales....... hubby in the psych field and I less than appreciate him coming home without talking his hat off to! (although after picking the darling children up from school this week I might need him to leave it on - they always seem to keep it together all day and then something happens in week 1 when I pick them up from school as they adjust)

sittinginthesun · 04/09/2011 21:27

Similar problem with us - teacher apparently has horrendous PMT, and has weeks where she is scarily unreasonable. I saw both sides of her last year (I help out at school), and have quietly been talking DS through techniques for design with it. Mainly, being enthusiastic, keen and listening to instructions.

clam · 04/09/2011 22:33

sittinginthesun Seriously? She has PMT so the kids have to tiptoe around her? Not very professional!

Panzee · 04/09/2011 22:34

They should just replace all teachers with robots.

Happymum22 · 05/09/2011 00:16

As a primary teacher and mum...

Strict teachers are often fantastic, it often means they have the confidence to have the children not like them if it means they will achieve more highly. I try to get the balance, at first most teachers with sense go in strict, set down the boundaries and expectations. Chidlren at the dtart of the year are desperate to impress, as the year goes on you have to do something to keep the motivation going. Strict teachers may do this by flooding any child who really puts the effort in or does a fantastic bit of work with praise, and keeping boundaries clear. It doesn't mean they are nasty, unfriendly or unapproachable. It often leads to happier kids with great respect for their teacher, who simply want to constantly impress their teacher because they know they can't slack and still be given a 'good try' sticker.

It completely depends there are the strict but brimming with positivity and clear expectations (which many children especially those who are normally disrupitve thrive on) and then theres the strict lazy, negative teacher which can really crush a more sensitive child and lead to more disruptive children feeling lost as they dont really know the boundaries and feel they never seem to do anything right, and when they do its not recognised.

Wait and see...you can't tell what will suit your DD, my DD loved her strict teacher because she got so much praise and quickly learnt how she needed to act and work hard to get that praise, the beahviour of her class was wonderful all year and my DD really took a liking to her teacher who was so dedicated and determined to help every single child develop socially and academically. My DD is now 18 and just left school, she still names this teacher as her best and says its one of few teachers she remembers who took time to listen to her and give her a chance as a shy child to talk and to recognise all her positives and encourage her.

cat64 · 05/09/2011 00:19

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

Playingwithbuses · 05/09/2011 00:23

Looking back I loved one of my teachers wha was probably the srtictest, only one to threaten me with the belt (ok we are going back a few years), but she was fair and firm, unlike the next teacher who just seemed to like the sound of her own voice, hence lots of shouting and er singing too if i remember right.

clam · 05/09/2011 09:46

I had an extemely naughty little boy in my class last year (no SN, just spoilt I'm afraid and no respect for women at all) who had run rings round previous teachers. I was tough on him, yes, but his mother told me that I was the only one he'd do as he was told for, he thought I was the best teacher he'd ever had and he highly recommended me to his younger brother! Strange but true. And not uncommon. Kids like to know where they are and what their boundaries are.
Remember that strict doesn't have to mean unpleasant. I have lots of fun with my class too.

Original poster

roundabout1 · 05/09/2011 12:43

Thanks everyone - I remember preferring strict teachers too at school. Dd is so sensitive & hates any shouting - except her own! & everyone talks about how much said teacher shouts. That said her yr 1 teacher was very shouty & she survived that as I keep reminding her!

OP posts:

Insomnia11 · 05/09/2011 12:51

Strict but reasonable teachers are the best. I remember a couple of teachers who would tell me off for talking out of turn quite a lot but I really liked them. Conversely I really didn't respect some teachers at secondary school who didn't seem to notice whether I tried hard or not, seemed to lash out randomly and were unapproachably grumpy all the time.

Grumpla · 05/09/2011 12:51

I had a really strict teacher when I was about 7. I spent the first week coming home telling my mum that I hated him and I wanted her to go to school and kill him.

He was one of the best teachers I ever, ever had. I still remember loads of the things he taught us (had total contempt for the national curriculum!) and he inspired me with a real enjoyment of learning for it's own sake. I was a very sensitive weird kid and he toughened me up a bit, and never let me 'coast' as most teachers before and since were happy to do.

He was terrifying when he wanted to be but then he also used to do things like buy (with his own money) a twelve foot tall christmas tree for our crappy prefab classroom, bring in a gas stove and teach s all how to cook tandoori chicken, teach us how to do 'proper' joined up writing (not bothered with by any other teachers in the school!) etc. If he hadn't been strict it would have been impossible to get a large overcrowded class under control to do loads of the stuff he did.

There is a big difference between being strict and shouting a lot though!

clam · 05/09/2011 13:37

Controlling a class has nothing to do with shouting.

Takver · 05/09/2011 13:43

DD also going into a class with a reputedly strict teacher. She's not too worried as I've stressed the 'class will be quieter and easier to work in' points.

I also think it will be a good thing for her as she is much better with extremely clear boundaries!

(Maybe its your DH, LostinWales?! Though if so, he is remarkably young looking Very tickled by him speaking to you as to a recalcitrent 9 y/o)

coccyx · 05/09/2011 13:48

I like the stricter teachers, maybe less so for reception/year1. Can't be doing with the fluffy ones. strict and fair works well

madamehooch · 05/09/2011 14:31

If she's worried, you could get her a copy of 'Laura's Star and the New Teacher' - a really good book, just right for this situation.

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