Punishment over spelling test

[Incunabula]

My DD (yr 3) came home from school tonight absolutely inconsolable because she and a few others had been punished for not doing well enough in their weekly spelling test (less than 6/10). They'd been docked 5 minutes golden time and had to stand in the corridor with their faces to the wall in silence. This rule was introduced this week without any warning. My DD is currently being assessed for possible dyslexia due to problems tracking words and holding a point of focus, which the school are aware of, so she struggles with spelling. Poor DD was crying for hours as she's very keen to always make a good impression and tries very hard. Irrespective of her particular situation though, I think it's appalling to humiliate any child like this over their (perceived lack of) academic achievement. I thought the days of 'punishment as motivation' were over and discredited? I'm absolutely incensed about it but need to find a rational way of communicating with the Head about why I think it's so dreadful. Would appreciate any thoughts on whether this is commonplace and/or how to handle it best.

[eddiemairswife]

I have been scarred for life by being put in the corner facing the wall when I was 5!!!

[jamdonut]

It sounds to me that there was something more going on. Teachers ( that I know and work with) hardly ever use that sort of punishment,and certainly not for simply getting less than expected in a spelling test.
No matter how well behaved you think your child is, from time to time even the 'good' ones need to be reprimanded for things, and they of course feel it hardest.

It would have everyone up in uproar now,but when I was in year 4 ( we're talking 1970's here) my teacher told me off for talking. She said if I kept doing it she would have to tape my mouth. I didn't listen, got caught chatting and she did indeed put tape over my mouth. I was embarrassed, but certainly not traumatised! She was a teacher that I have very fond memories of. I don't think it cured me completely of talking in class, but that never happened again! I think I told my mum and she probably said "Serves you right"!

[MovingOnUpMovingOnOut]

Yeah and we also used to cane kids jamdonut

If it happened as reported that is absolutely not on and does need to be dealt with extremely robustly.

Obviously getting the facts checked first is important but if what is here is an accurate account I would be making one hell of a fuss and getting it changed.

Humiliating children is never ok. Humiliating them for something they can't help is barbaric.

[MovingOnUpMovingOnOut]

And this isn't teaching them any valuable lessons. If you don't perform at work you don't expect to be publicly humiliated.

The ones who do try will end up completely demoralised and the ones who don't won't change because of such action. This is not new stuff, people were cottoning on in the 70s and 80s that the way to motivate children is with support and encouragement. Not humiliation.

[Incunabula]

I've sent an email to the Head stating my concerns and asking him to investigate, so we'll see where that gets us. Glad there's a general consensus that if it happened as described, it's not on! I was in primary school in the 70s too but was never treated anything like that, although in retrospect I think I went to quite a progressive school (and consequently had a really lovely time). I'd have been absolutely mortified!

[KindDogsTail]

Good, Incu
If happened as you child thought, it was wrong and will not help the children learn to spell.

[calamityjam]

When my son was in y5, he had a supply teacher for a week who gave the class a particularly difficult set of spellings. My son found spelling very difficult, although he excelled at maths. He was terrified that he would receive some kind of punishment if he got a low mark. We spent an hour each night going over and over these spelling until in the end I told him that it didn't matter what score he got because he had tried so hard all week. The day of the test he performed poorly, the headmaster pulled him up in front of the whole class and admonished him saying his spelling was worse than an infants and he would therefore spend every breaktime learning them until he passed the test. So much for me reassuring him all would be fine! My son was distraught and so embarassed. I went into school the next day and had it out with the head and subsequently took all three of my dcs' out of the school. My lovely son is now 20 next week and never forgets this, although he spent a fantastic 18 months at his new primary. head was suspended after this for something to do with fiddling exam results. Karma.

[calamityjam]

www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=4&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwiE1f3wkO7MAhUjBMAKHcKMBNsQFggxMAM&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.bbc.co.uk%2F2%2Fhi%2Fuk_news%2Feducation%2F1375450.stm&usg=AFQjCNEtmIEnQqW4vr525cnNERQu7TTbbg&sig2=rooQcyobu3YM03DEbIjCfA

[oktimetodoit]

Will never understand why some take this approach, punishment very rarely motivates children it certainly didn't motivate me. Why is a dc's version of events never to be trusted when they come home distraught after something like this has happened?? I'm glad you are following it up Incu but I'm sure it will not of happened the way your dd has said .

My ds repeats things verbatim and we have been told on occasions how he has distorted the truth (whilst being glared at by 2 teachers over a desk with us present)..erm no my ds really does repeat things verbatim believe me he has dropped me in it many a time over the years but I now make a point to be very careful what I say .

[Incunabula]

Thank you oktime, that's actually really helpful as I've been mulling over what possible response I could get from the Head, and if they deny it happened then you're right, I should still trust DDs account as she is brutally honest at the best/worst of times! If they have to save face I'm not really bothered, what matters to me is that it never, ever happens again, and they can't repeat the punishment if it 'never happened in the first place'.

[KindDogsTail]

OKtime is probably right about it being just as your child described it. Its difficult to believe the school could behave so stupidly!

[corythatwas]

two possibilities that I can see, neither of which involves conscious fibbing on the part of the OP's dd:

it happened exactly as she said- in which case it is completely unacceptable

the punishment was actually for some mild disruptiveness related to the spelling test and the dd got the wrong end of the stick- punishment of standing against the wall still very Victorian and not appropriate unless they were completely running riot

[Catmuffin]

Did they get back to you op?

[BoGrainger]

It would be interesting to know the school's response

[Incunabula]

Head emailed me this evening to say, yes it had happened and was meant to 'incentivise' those children who hadn't put enough effort into learning their spellings. And that dyslexic children may misspell in their free writing but are just as capable of learning their spellings. The whole tone was very patronising and basically supported the idea you can encourage learning with fear. We're going to arrange to see him and talk it through, as that's a completely unacceptable response (as far as we're concerned), and if we get no joy there will be going to the governors. He did at least say it wasn't meant to embarrass DD but gawd knows how else he thought it was going to make her feel.

[Catmuffin]

Blimey. I was hoping there'd have been some sort of misunderstanding!

[BoGrainger]

But facing the wall... How did he think that was going to help children learn their spellings?

[Incunabula]

I know! Beggars belief but I thought he would probably stand by it. I hope a meeting in person might allow us to put more of our points across but I'm not feeling optimistic about the outcome.

[tribpot]

I'd wonder if he intends to use similar techniques to incentivise under performing members of staff. If they are appropriate, they presumably are appropriate for adults too.

[Mumoftwoyoungkids]

Dyslexia is a disability.

Have a look at page 25/26 of this link. www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/315587/Equality_Act_Advice_Final.pdf

[MrsHathaway]

Fucking hell. Is there a time vortex to the seventies in his office somewhere?

[CocktailQueen]

Oh, ffs. Really?? What an absolute arse. Op, you have my sympathy.
Go in and speak to the ht. Ask if he treats his teachers that way and , if not, why he feels it's ok to treat DC this way. Gah. Your poor dd.

[BiscuitMillionaire]

All those posters who said that your DD must have got it wrong because teachers just don't do that, can now come on and apologise.

[alltouchedout]

I'd go to the governors now (unless you're in Scotland or outside the UK) to complain about the initial incident and the head's response.

[KindDogsTail]

Well done for questioning him and planning to go and stand up to him.

I thought it was out of the question than anyone could possibly believe this would 'incentivise' a child.

I don't know what the words were they were being tested on, but with truly good teaching towards understanding while the children are learning to read and write words, children would be fairly likely to get them right without having to learn them by rote.

It sounds like the teacher needs to be incentivised to help the children understand spelling principles before testing them. OP are you aware of the teacher having taught this understanding properly?