labelling my child

[offtoschool]

My daughter came home from school on Friday with a printed sticky label attached to her uniform. The label reads-

Please would you help your child to pronounce 'th' correctly as in thin or the NOT 'f', thank you.

My daughter is only 4yrs 3months and is in reception class.
Unfortunately I only read the note after i overheard some older children asking her to say 'the' to them in the park after school. (i presumed the not would be a general school notice)
I didn't mention the note on the walk home, i was very upset and i could tell my daughter was also.

I don't understand why anyone would stick a label to a child highlighting what they cant do, nor do i understand why the teacher thought that this was an appropriate way to tell me that my child can not yet pronounce 'th'.

At home we have been practising 'th' sounding words as we already know she says f but we were trying our hardest not to highlight it or make it an issue.
Later i asked my daughter about the special sticker? Trying not to say it was a negative, i wasn't entirely sure she knew about what it said? She replied "oh mummy it wasn't a special sticker, i threw it in the bin, it says i cant say 'th' i say 'f' and i mustn't say 'f' not at school." I cried!(alot) and i have questioned myself as to Am i over reacting?
My daughter is kind, loving, happy, caring, beautiful, confident, outgoing,, bright as a button a fabulous big sister the list of positives is endless.
i hope the teacher wont mind me sending her in with a extra large printed label saying so!!
xxx

I know it is difficult to get parents to read notes in book bags etc., about nits and whole class things - so on that note I think the sticker thing is a good thing - I would see it straight away and could action it. But having one about a personal matter such as a speech issue for all and sundry to read..... I would be marching down to the school guns blazing - its disgusting and the school should be ashamed!

I would email - because then it is in writing, and there will be a record. Which if there are further issues could be important. Your DD being sick is a perfect reason for you to email rather than speak to the teacher.
(I'm in favour of email as I once quietly told a teacher something quit crucial, only to discover much later that she had informed no-one else about it or acted on it in any way.)

Omg that is appalling

My daughter has started to read, So the letter and sound games we play definitely are not confusing her. We practicel the actions for the jolly phonics they are doing at School together. my daughter likes to be the teacher i got a few ideas of the imagination tree website, so we have a nice drawstring bag filled with pingpong balls with letters on and ch sh ee ai....etc etc we pick one out say the sound or letter and do the action my 2yr old even likes to do the actions! It takes 5 min and is alot more fun than just asking her tell us what's in her jolly phonics book this week? We arenot focusing on th it just happens tobe in the bag I don't see it at detrimental to be supporting things my daughter will be doing anyway in the classroom just like painting playing with gloop baking...i don't think I'm alone in doing a range of fun activities at home as well as at school? Xx

That's not what your post above says.

Playing letters and sounds games not the same as practising 'th' in therapy style production activities which is what you described.

Ghastly.
Terrible to put a label on her, as if she is an object and not a human being.
Also, why do they think you will be able to sort out her "th" sound? Of course, you are aware, but I assume these things just take kids time. They need the chance to grow out of it naturally without being harassed. She's not even 5 yet. Good grief!

My dd had this problem, she also struggles with her 'l' sound. I mentioned it to her reception teacher (she's now in y1) at parents evening. She noted it down and said, 'thats fine, we have a SLT that does sessions with some of the other children, we'll get her to do a few exercises with dd', and that was that, job done. She still struggles with 'l's but I hear most grow out of it by 6/7.
I would feel similar to you, and would raise it with the school, its totally unnecessary.