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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

being punished for not reading enough at school :(

17 replies

Mossop17 · 10/03/2017 12:12

my 7 yr old was asked (not by name, and with other kids) to stand in assembly if they hadn't read at home for 5 times in that week. I feel this is VERY bad for my childs confidence and now says they do not want to read at all, or go to school. I spoke with the teacher in question who confirms they were asked to stand, they also get them to stand if they have forgotten something on that particular day. Other kids have called it naming and shaming. I'm really upset by this and feel it isn't at all right, i now have a meeting with the teacher and possibly the head after school. Im hoping they will see sense and that this shouldn't be happening, but I'm concerned in case it goes the other way! anyone been here with a similar situation?

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bojorojo · 10/03/2017 12:51

No, I have not been in this situation, exactly, but it is not acceptable. My DD was humiliated in front of the whole school once for something she did not do - forge my signature! (I signed a permission form resting the form on my padded ironing board - big mistake!).

They have humiliated these children and that is not a good way to foster a love of learning. There could be all sorts of reasons why a child has not read five times in a week. Perhaps three long reads is all that could be fitted in for this particular week. How do they know what has happened to family life in a given week?

Schools should work closely with parents on how often children read and accept that not everyone can stick to a rigid timetable. Some children find reading more difficut than others and need encouragement. I would be cross too and I would ask why they thought humiliation would help? Why did they not write to parents first if they were concerned about reading frequency and progress ? What do they propose to do now to help the children feel that this school is somewhere they want to be and a place that values them as individuals? How will they rebuild trust? Why did they not seek to evaluate why some chidren may not have read five times that week before humiliating them?

Grrrr! I feel angry for you! (My DD never received an apology, by the way, and I asked for the apology to be delivered in the same way as she was humiliated and made to cry - in front of the whole school).

MilkRunningOutAgain · 10/03/2017 13:25

My DC's primary does this but just for years 5&6, arguing that 5 reads of 15 minutes each should be possible for children of this age to arrange, & that if it is too noisy/ crowded/ not conducive to reading at home they can read in school at lunch or after school, the library stays open for 45 minutes after school Monday - Thursday. I'm actually in favour of this. But I would not be in favour of it for younger kids or if facilities were not easily available for reading. I should add that it's a village school & nearly all year 5&6 kids walk home by themselves and often do stay back to read after school.

user789653241 · 10/03/2017 13:26

I feel angry for you too.
There could be all sorts of reason why they couldn't read 5 times in the week!
Also about have to stand if they forget something! It could be parents fault...
No, I would be complaining if this happened.Hope teachers in your school see sense.

bojorojo · 10/03/2017 13:28

If there is a reading club and children are supposed to attend it, that is different. Admonishing children publicly who may, unfortunately, have a chaotic family life and great difficultis to overcome, is not acceptable. Never mind some children who may have SEND.

bigbuttons · 10/03/2017 13:33

Tell them not to stand( they have had to do this in the past). I tell mine to tell the teacher concerned that I have said they are not to stand in front of others. I then tell them then to go to the office and get them phone me and that I will come to school and deal with it.
I am a teacher btw and find this dickinsian attitude to learning horrific.

bigbuttons · 10/03/2017 13:34

also, just tell your kid to lie if he has to.

Starlight2345 · 10/03/2017 13:45

I don't like humiliation of children.. I am not sure how it supports a love of reading however I also wonder why you can't find 5 minutes a day for at least 5 days a week to listen to your child to read. I don't think either approaches are helping your child.

IamFriedSpam · 10/03/2017 13:59

YANBU. I don't think deliberately humiliating children achieves anything. Particularly stupid in this case as you're meant to be getting children to actually like reading, not turn it into a miserable chore.

Greenleave · 10/03/2017 14:03

There was an incident I read sometimes ago that a head called a girl to stand up infront if the whole school and showed a picture he found of her kissing the other girl. The girl later on killed herself. While teachers are so powerful at school and children have to have utmost respect toward their teacher however humiliating a child is a crime, its an abuse. Humiliating anyone is a bully. That should never happen. I feel angry too.

Original poster

Mossop17 · 10/03/2017 14:14

thank you for all your responses, it's good to know i'm not alone i n feeling this is not good :( yes we have a very hectic time and fitting in reading on the required days doesn't always happen, ( you cant even say 3 long reads it has to be 5 a week on sunday to thursday ! for some reason you can skip friday and saturday! which are days we can do ggrrr) she now doesn't want to read out loud at all, she is very stubborn, however i'm going to take her book shopping tomorrow and hopefully find something she will want to read.

I have also said to her that she doesn't need to stand up, and have told the teacher that she will not stand up for these things from now on.

There are no reading clubs for any age at our school

Her reading levels and comprehension are exceeding her target and she is nearly at the next target

Yes i agree they should have spoken with me about frequency of reading etc and not shame and humiliate her in front of many other children

Will update later after the meeting

OP posts:

bigbuttons · 10/03/2017 14:26

Well done for telling her not to stand up in future. It is really important that even young children learn that some adult actions at school are not ok. It is not ok to be humiliated and treated disrespectfully and it is ok to say that you don't like the way you are being treated.

A teacher did this to my son during one assembly. She singled him out for chatting and made him stand on his own in front of the whole school. He is a very sensitive boy and was beside himself with shame and rage when he told me. I was livid and told her she was not to do it again. I asked her how she would feel if someone did that to her. I used the word humiliation .

Bitlost · 10/03/2017 15:02

Ridiculous! I'm angry for you.

And does the school providing stimulating books to nurture a love of
reading?

bojorojo · 10/03/2017 15:49

My child was told to stop lying when she said she hadn't forged my signature. When she came out of school she had been preceded by a teacher who asked me if I had signed the form. I said yes and the teacher rushed back into school. No explanation at all. My DD then appeared comforted by school friends. One lovely lad said they all knew my DD hadn't done the 'crime'. One boy said he might have done it but never my DD!

That also gives you an insight into stupid adults. The children knew my DD was innocent. Never ever been in trouble. The teachers just thought badly of her with no justification and no phone call to check. DD is a barrister now. Standing up for herself and others is second nature now! Unfairness can have positive spin but it is not easy to spot at the time.

Agree with everyone else - keep sitting down. Better still, parents should complain very loudly.

Original poster

Mossop17 · 10/03/2017 16:32

Bojo - i love that your dd is now a barrister and standing up for whats right thats awesome!

I have now returned from the follow up meeting, with the NQT and a deputy who have said it was wrong and wont be happening again, i still would have liked to have heard the word sorry, but you cant have it all! i expect the NQT had a bit of a telling off from the more senior members of the staff. Unfortunately for my DD the NQT is also her class teacher, but im pretty sure she wont put another foot out of line for a long time yet!

I feel a bit bad for her as she new and finding her way, but this was a common sense call and should never have been considered an ok way to encourage kids to read more!

Now for a large wine and to put it behind us,

OP posts:

user789653241 · 10/03/2017 16:48

I'm glad it was sorted.
If it was a NQT, she was just trying to do her best, and lost her perspective.
Hope you are enjoying your !

IamFriedSpam · 10/03/2017 16:59

bojorojo That's horrible, I hope your DD got a proper apology.

Tomorrowillbeachicken · 10/03/2017 17:07

NQT or not she should perhaps be put in front of the school in same factor and forced to apologise for it in same fashion

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