punishing whole class for one child's misbehaviour - in Y1

[parakeet]

This seems bizarre to me. I've just spent half an hour comforting my just-turned-six year old who is in tears at bedtime. Apparently today a boy was naughty (messing about when he was supposed to be keeping quiet) and the teacher has told them they will all have to stay in at break tomorrow.

My child can't understand why she is being punished when she hasn't been done anything wrong. And neither can I! I do understand the principle of trying to use peer pressure but surely this age - five and six - they are too young. Is it common at this age?

I'm watching this with interest as have the same with my 7 year old who has just started Y3.

I can relate. My son is in year 2 and only turned 6 at end of August. At least 9 children in his class have turned 7 and some of the older boys are very naughty. He is very shy and quiet and over the last few weeks, the boys in the class, have been kept in on at least 4 occassions, during breaks. Today, one of the boys snuck into the classroom during lunch break, and threw the teachers book and pencils down the boys toilets! The boys had to stay in at break and will also have to stay in tomorrow, unless the culprit owns up. The problem is that the teacher can not identify the culprit, but knows it was a boy. The boys all know who it was, but they are too young to realise that if they put pressure on him to own up, the detentions will end. In the meantime, my son doesn't want to go to school tomorrow to be punished for something he would never dream of doing!

It seems to be a punishment that teachers use at this age. However, in your son's case, I don't understand if the teacher knows who was misbehaving, why others have to be punished also! In my son's class, I accept the behaviour was very bad and needed to be dealt with. However, I still feel sorry for my son being punished.

sorry daughter!

I'd be livid, and would ask for a meeting with the teacher for her to explain what possible reason she has for depriving 29 other children of their important break time. And it is important, they need to run off steam, and to wind down from one lesson in order to concentrate on another.. And if I didn't get any joy I'd ask for a meeting with the Head. It's not acceptable to me.

Have never done whole class punishments and I taught in Y6 - totally unacceptable to do this when she knew who the culprit was anyway. I would definitely speak to the teacher tomorrow.

whole thread on this subject here

Thank you - those comments are really helpful, especially the link to the whole thread. I'm quite surprised because I thought you'd accuse me of making too much of a fuss. It seems there's quite a universal condemnation of the practice. I think if it turns out to be a regular occurence I will discuss it with the teacher.

One thing I have realised though - I think my daughter must have got the wrong end of the stick about it being the whole break time. I bet it only turns out to be 3 minutes or so.

I've said this before, I'll say it again - it's lazy discpline, especially when the culprit is clearly identifiable. Children will soon learn that it is not worth their while to behave well, because they will get punished for the sins of others.

If this becomes a pattern in class, you need to go in and talk to the teacher, and if that brings no joy, take it further.

Whole class punishments are never acceptable or appropriate. Ever.

When my dd was in Reception, being one of the oldest, she was always the first dressed for PE. However, a couple of children were slow/messing about, so once they were all undressed and in kit, the teacher told them they weren't doing PE beacuse they were far to slow and all to get dressed again!

She was gutted. Bearing in mind, some of them were only 4, what did she expect? This happened on more than one ocassion.

that's shocking

group punishments are now banned in the army (because they can foster resentment to individuals)

so your childs primary school is harsher than the Army...!