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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

reception child shouting out answers in class - help!

23 replies

ArriettyC · 18/10/2011 20:24

My DD's reception teacher took me to one side again today, and said my daughter is still shouting out the answers in class when they are doing a group activity on the mat (like sounds and letters). She said my DD is one step away from a meeting with the infant head if this carries on, and she asked my advice how to stop it. I really don't know what to do :(. We've talked about it lots at home, and my DD understands why she mustn't do it, but I think simply cannot resist! Can anyone offer some help or advice please? Thanks in advance!

OP posts:

Eglu · 18/10/2011 20:27

I think that the teacher should not be asking for your advice on dealing with it. She should be able to deal with it. It is a maturity thing, and I'm sure your DD will get there with it soon.

You can keep mentioning to her not to do it, but I'm not sure what else you are meant to do, you are not there.

schmee · 18/10/2011 20:57

What!!! She shouldn't be asking for your advice, nor should she be involving the infant head. Surely she has dealt with something like this before.

LindyHemming · 18/10/2011 21:14

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

celticlassie · 18/10/2011 21:22

Personally, what I do is pretend I can't hear the child shouting out and allow someone else (who puts their hand up) to steal her answer.... They soon learn then. But that's secondary.

I do think it's funny that she's put the problem onto you - at your DD's age surely it'll be hard for her to make the connection between the chat you had at home and what happens in school.

LindyHemming · 18/10/2011 21:32

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster

ArriettyC · 18/10/2011 21:51

thanks everyone for the advice! Really appreciate the input!

OP posts:

dikkertjedap · 18/10/2011 21:54

Advice on how to stop this: Before the activity starts the teacher asks how she knows that all children have put their listening ears on. The children have to answer (with teacher's help if necessary) that they look at the teacher and have their mouths shut. Teacher then explains the activity and asks the class what they have to do if they know the answer to a question: Yes, put your hand up. Any children who call out will be ignored, I only listen to children who are sitting nicely and put their hand up. Activity starts, teacher gives children who put hand up a turn and praises them for putting their hand up. Initially ignores kids who shout out. If after a few times the penny is still not dropping, then tells kids who are calling out: 'I am not going to listen to you because you are calling out. Only children who put their hand up will get a turn'. Ultimately the penny will drop. TBH I am a bit surprised if the teacher asks you for advice how to deal with this, calling out is very common when they have only just started school.

ImNotaCelebrity · 18/10/2011 22:11

celticlassie's approach works just as well with little ones as it does with secondary. Suggest she tries this.
And also suggest she differentiates the work on the carpet so your DD has to think about the answer and will be less likely to shout out.
Oh, and also suggest she starts behaving like a professional.
Ridiculous.

DeWe · 19/10/2011 12:11

I've seen ceticlassie's approach work with reception and preschool even.

It may be that the teacher wasn't so much wanting your advice (although I'm sure she'd happily listen to you) so much as just letting you know this was happening before she comes home and says that she was sent to the head. I've seen plenty of threads from parents upset that they weren't aware of a problem like this before a response they think OTT, and ATBU to be upset that they weren't told before.

2BoysTooLoud · 19/10/2011 12:21

Sending a reception child to the Head for shouting out seem OTT to me. My ds had this 'problem' and now he is in year 2 he appears [mostly] to have grown out of it. Teachers made me aware of the issue but also made it clear they were dealing with it and that it was not a major worry. I was told he was very enthusiastic which was good but just needed to learn a bit of self control/ taking turns/ listening to other children before jumping in with his big gob!
It can take a while for the 'penny to drop' and the shouting out to completely stop.

whenIgetto3 · 19/10/2011 14:28

Well my DD is learning this lesson to, every day the other DCs in her class come out with stickers and she has none :( asked her why and she said it is because she answers too many questions spoke to her teacher about another unconnected incident for her teacher to add at the end of the conversation that DD doesn't get stickers as the other children won't put their hands up as my DD always knows the answer and stickers encourage her to answer more and if she is not picked and they are waiting for others to put hands up to answer she shouts out. Now DD thinks she is naughty but does not know what she is doing wrong. Tried explaining it to her but made it worse as she now thinks that the other children are scared of her, that she knows everything (in my defence she already thought this) and that answering is naughty and if you don't answer for a week and then answer a simple question you will get a sticker as you knew something. She said "playing stupid works mummy" very proudly when she got a sticker the other day

If I was you OP I would just ignore it as trying to explain could make it worse, he is only in reception surely they are allowed to be a little over enthusiastic that's a good thing isn't it? At least he is happy to get involved, better than being a quiet shy child IMHO

MissingMySleep · 19/10/2011 18:14

wow that is OTT, 4/5 year olds are bound to do that from time to time

my DS gets in trouble for it but that is cos he is nearly 9 ... sigh...

RitaMorgan · 19/10/2011 18:26

Weird that the teacher doesn't have any strategies for dealing with this herself, beyond sending a 4/5 year old to the Head! I'm ask the teacher how she is tackling it.

amistillscary · 19/10/2011 19:00

It's obvious.

Your remote control is broken.

The teacher needs you to get the remote fixed and then you'll be able to get your DD to do as she's told again.

dearheart · 19/10/2011 19:54

Poor dd. I think it is great she is enthusiastic and a decent teacher should surely be able to manage the situation.

LindyHemming · 19/10/2011 21:33

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Lara2 · 22/10/2011 09:17

And why is a Year R child shouting out answers so surprising for this teacher????!!!! It sounds like half my class bless them! They're still in their first half term at school, some are only just 4 and this woman seriously needs a reality check!!!! FFS - has she ever taught Reception before? I'd be FURIOUS if my child was sent to the Head for calling out!!!!!

mrz · 22/10/2011 10:21

I can't believe anyone would send a reception child to the head for shouting out answers. It's part of learning how to behave in school and as the teacher she should be teaching children what is expected.

ScareyFairenuff · 22/10/2011 12:21

One of the strategies we use if it is appropriate at the time, is to give all the children a white board and ask them to write their answer and hold up the board. That way everyone gets to answer the question. For numeracy, they could hold up the relevant number of fingers, or show their answer on a bead string. The teacher should not be asking you about this though, I'm not sure what they expect you to do.

mrz · 22/10/2011 13:18

Although a child just arrived in reception is unlikely to be able to write down an answer at this stage in the year

ScareyFairenuff · 23/10/2011 12:46

No, that's true, I am in Year 1. Maybe some single letters or numbers but the white board thing might not work in reception. I am sure that the teacher could find some strategies that would be useful, especially if she talks to other teachers rather than expecting you as the parent to resolve it.

Tbh it is quite common at that age to shout out answers but maybe she could give out stickers when children remember to put their hand up first.

jamandposterpaint · 23/10/2011 12:56

Good Lord

How bloody ridiculous!

She wants your advice? ...but you're not even there!

Other than discuss it with your dd out of context, what the hell does she think you can do about it? Surely any competant Reception teacher should be able to deal with what has got to be par for the course in Reception?

sarahfreck · 24/10/2011 16:41

Could you "play act " schools with teddies? You be the teacher and ask question and ask for hands up. Hopefully DD puts hand up. You tell teddy off for "shouting out". You say "look at DD. She is sitting nicely and putting her hand up to answer the question" etc etc. Then let DD be the teacher and tell you teddies to put hand up. You can role play someone not putting hand up etc. This might help her to practice what is required.

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