Whole class punishments

[GorgonRamsey]

My DD is in year 5 and the whole class is been kept in for up to 30 mins every lunchtime at the moment due to some children talking in class.

It isn't her class teacher doing this but another teacher (student, cover staff or TA, I'm not sure?) who does english with them in the mornings.

What usually happens is they are kept in for 10 mins, they're not allowed to read or occupy themselves in any way but just sit quietly. If a single child speaks he adds on another 10 mins. This can go on for up to 30 mins. This seems to be happening every lunchtime when he's teaching.

I know there are a lot of children in the class with disabilities like ASD and ADHD that means they may find this difficult. My DD has ASD but is virtually mute in school so isn't one of the chatterboxes. She is getting very anxious and upset about being kept in for indefinite periods of time. She really needs her lunch break to unwind as she suffers from school related anxiety has has been treated by CAMHS who supported us to get a safe space in school for DD where she can go to unwind at break times.

I spoke to the senco about it and she suggested using a social story to help Dad understands whole class punishments. She DOES understand them she just can't cope with them. She thinks they're unfair and she can't cope with not knowing when they will end!

AIBU to think this is a particularly cruel kind of punishment, ineffectual (clearly, as the teacher has to do it every single lunchtime so it's obvs not working!) and crappy lazy teaching. I want to speak to the teacher and ask them nicely not to keep DD in unless she is personally responsible for the noise, in which case I will fully support them.

Well, they are unfair and ineffectual. Poor, lazy teaching I'm afraid. I'd be tempted to complain on those grounds!

What does the schools behaviour policy say on collective punishments?

If it doesn't mention it, ignore the teacher, just go straight to the head.

Very lazy teaching. Instead of children rounding on the noisy ones it just gives power to those intent on misbehaving. This approach was very much frowned apon when I was doing teacher training nearly 30 years ago.

My DD gets so so upset at these punishments, she has ASD and is very rule bound and loves school, she is always well behaved and these set her back massively as she can't understand why they are fair. I complained and I would again and again as they made her in to an anxious mess who did not want to go to school. Luckily they only tend to happen a few times a yr if at all now, I was told similar to you ( make her understand them.) I refused and complained to the head and they stopped them.

DD is pretty mute at school too but has a massive issue with anxiety and others not following the rules

I think they are wrong and I would take it higher, I would not be happy if they happened regularly.

I didnt think i was being all that unreasonable. I'll have a chat with the class teacher hopefully they'll understand.

I've been a teacher for 30 years and this is unacceptable. There are dozens of more effective and fairer ways of maintaining order than something like this which is so divisive and doesn't even work anyway.

Speak to the teacher. And if there's no joy, the Head (and I rarely say that).

Teacher here and that's poor teaching in my opinion.

If it was whole class kept in a few minutes because they were fussing and dawdling in from break, I'd have got it.

Whole class punishments aren't effective teaching. I'd also have said the school may have something to say about it too as there's no way that'll be in their behaviour policy.

Check it's definitely 30mins at lunch and maybe call up.

I would go to the Head because this is a policy issue and a possible breach of it. The Head should also know it is happening. She/he is clearly not on the ball if they don't know children are stuck in a classroom for 30 minutes at lunchtime. Make an appointment but make sure your facts are correct by asking other parents in the class to see if their children have talked about this.

I agree it is a one size fits all lazy approach. Especially when it's doing absolutely nothing otherwise the 10 mins wouldn't keep being added. I have always hated this. My DS unwittingly caused quite a few (ASD) to the point that most of the pupils in the class hated him and he didn't want to be around anymore because the things which he was doing to cause the punishment were beyond his control. Then there is my DD who on the flip side is the one upset because she is the quiet one (needs that space at break time) who misses out because of another.

I would speak to the headteacher. If the headteacher agrees with this approach you could point out that they are becoming more frequent and lasting longer, maybe the teacher needs some support with the behavior in his/her class.

I would check your schools policy on this. At our school it shouldn't be happening. A few minutes I can understand but 30! That's awful. Even the local senior school are only able to keep children in for 20 minutes before they have to inform the parents!

I hate collective punishment. My DD stopped doing gymnastics at school because the teachers used this method. So and so is talking so the whole team lose points etc. Doesn't seem fair and makes children resent each other.

Another teacher here. I've got some absolutely dreadful classes this year but I would never give a whole-class punishment.
I go through the whole rigmarole of verbal reminders, names on the board, ticks next to names, detentions given, noted in planners, logged, written up, chased, held, no-shows chased, parents rang, faculty report issued and filled in- and this cycle is repeated over and over all year round, often with the same hard-core group of kids- ALL to avoid whole-class punishments, which are quick, easy but mainly lazy. It's not fair on the quiet kids who behave.