Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Primary education

Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

Flip

1 2

Original poster

Can any primary teachers advise please?

43 replies

Iputthetrampintrampoline · 07/02/2022 21:12

Hi everyone
My daughter is 10 and a sensitive little thing,This weekend she was sent some optional homework to do if she wished, As my daughter is a real people pleaser she relished this and helped make the Sunday lunch,not much but made yorkshire puddings, chopped some veggies and mashed the potatoes, She then made via a couple of tik tok videos hunters chicken all on her own step by step,under supervision of course,for tonights dinner and then made a disasterous nutella souffle! She worked so hard,was fully engaged and had a messy but good time,She was very proud of herself! She wanted me to take pictures and send them to school but my computer skills are frankly rubbish and I wouldnt let her take my phone into school,so I thought the best thing was to write a note to the teacher stating everything she had done and how much fun we had and how we enjoyed it, I thought that would be enough,however today my daughter handed in her letter and was so proud of herself when the teacher claimed and I quote,.."I have no proof you did this so I am not awarding you any house points" My daughter was crushed by this really disappointed and upset. She said she thinks Miss xxxxx thinks we are lying. I am so ballsed off with seeing her so upset.when she tried so hard. To think a teacher would snub her like that and be well quite cruel. So my question is to teachers is this..would you have handled it the same way? Am I being ridiculous to be so miffed that it was my lack of skills meant my daughters efforts were so easily discarded? I am upset for my daughter ,she thrives on praise and she was hurt,Also to be indirecty called a liar maybe a bit strong but to be so disbelieved I feel was rude, Do I say anything ? I dunno maybe I am making a metorphorical meal out of this but I thought we built kids up not knock them down?
Sorry for the epic post!

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

BendingSpoons · 07/02/2022 21:45

I'm not a teacher, but I can see where they are coming from. Lots of kids might have said 'I made dinner' when they hardly did anything. It feels personal and hurtful, but in reality kids lie lots, and it can be tricky for the teacher to always know what to believe.

How were they expecting you to share the information? It seems a bit strange your daughter can watch Tic Toc videos but you can't email some photos to school. Is there a way you can share the information now (maybe with your daughter's help) so her teacher can see it tomorrow?

DistrictCommissioner · 07/02/2022 21:50

I’m not a teacher either but I disagree with the above poster, I think this was a really poor response from the teacher.

Who wrote the note, you or your daughter?

SallyLovesCheese · 07/02/2022 21:54

A hurtful way to say it. I agree with the pp - as a teacher, you often have pupils saying things that didn't happen or not quite telling things as they did happen. So the teacher can't award house points to one pupil who says they did something with no proof, or they'd have to award points to all children who do it (although house points for doing stuff at home was always going to cause issues like this!).

But teachers need to be aware that not every parent (or indeed staff member) is confident and capable of using technology and perhaps say to the child "I'd love to see photos if you have them so i can award you house points. Perhaps your mum has one I can look at on her phone at the end of the day today?" It just seems more diplomatic.

I would learn how to attach photos to an email, though, as it can be a useful skill.

Hermanfromguesswho · 07/02/2022 21:54

Was the homework to help cook or to write up what she cooked? Perhaps a note was too basic to fit the bill?
She might have been expecting a write up and photos etc

UpDownRound · 07/02/2022 22:08

I'm a teacher and I'd just award the points. It doesn't really matter that much to me but it matters to the child. I'd rather be over generous than under generous.

WonderfulYou · 07/02/2022 22:42

I'm a teacher and I'd just award the points. It doesn't really matter that much to me but it matters to the child. I'd rather be over generous than under generous.

I agree.

Although I don’t think she thought you were lying as such but the teacher may have just meant that she needs proof before she gives her the points so could you not email a photo to her?

fallfallfall · 08/02/2022 04:38

In the mean time up your skills so it doesn’t happen again.
And it will, you’ll be submitting photos of reading books in odd places along with other fun requests.

HettytheHoover · 08/02/2022 04:51

Yeah bad choice of words from the teacher but surely if you can post in here you can attach a photo on an email?

I suppose it is a bit 'dog ate my homework'

ohfook · 08/02/2022 04:56

@UpDownRound

I'm a teacher and I'd just award the points. It doesn't really matter that much to me but it matters to the child. I'd rather be over generous than under generous.

I'm a teacher and I'd do the same. Just email the pictures as proof but I'd add that you think it was quite poor form to suggest your note wasn't proof unless she also thinks you're dishonest too.

Suzi888 · 08/02/2022 05:06

Take screenshots and print them ?
Email them in?

Chanel05 · 08/02/2022 05:21

I'm a teacher and agree. I'd just have given the points out, it's only primary. I'd have asked her to explain to me what she did, step-by-step too.

RussianSpy101 · 08/02/2022 05:28

I would think it’s as easy to attach photos to an email as it is to create a tiktok account.

Learn how to do this so your DD doesn’t need to go through this again.

daisychainsandrainbows · 08/02/2022 06:19

They're bloody house points, not the Crown Jewels and the world will not come to an end for being generous handing them out! What a miserable teacher!

I'm a teacher and would love to send your lovely daughter a virtual house point for all her hard work

ScarlettDarling · 08/02/2022 06:23

Surely the letter from you WAS the proof?? If she’s not accepting that then she clearly doesn’t believe you! I’d be really miffed too op.

I’m a teacher and would certainly have given your dd the house points and a big pat on the back.

GeodesicDome · 08/02/2022 06:31

She wanted me to take pictures and send them to school but my computer skills are frankly rubbish and I wouldnt let her take my phone into school

Why not use the device you're using right now to google how to email a photo to someone?

Gabbiadini · 08/02/2022 06:45

I agree with many others, this does seem unfair for primary age kids but really there must be very few families that don’t have a single person who is able to take a photo on a phone and email it or print it out. Even to ask a neighbour if you can borrow a printer to print a photo which is what I’ve done in the past when our printer wasn’t working.

RebeccaCloud9 · 08/02/2022 06:46

It was totally unfair of her to say what she said but jeepers, stop using that rubbish excuse and learn how to email a photo!

Lulu1919 · 08/02/2022 06:52

I'd have given the points
BUT
It's very simple to take a photo on your phone and and email it to school or print - most 10 years olds will know how to,do this even if they don't ha e their own phone or iPad
You need to learn as previous posters have said you'll need this further along i her schooling life.

SweetPotatoDumpling · 08/02/2022 06:56

I'm a primary teacher and I think the teacher was really cruel...I always celebrate my children's efforts, in whatever form they are presented!

However, I do agree with other posters...your excuse about not knowing how to attach a photo to an email is completely ridiculous!! It's a really basic skill!! How on earth could you not google? It's a very easy, 2-click tech skill! How did you manage the online learning during lockdown with your DC? There was much more than attaching a photo required then!

Come on OP, upskill yourself! It's your responsibility to do these things when required, not to make excuses.

pastapestoparmesan · 08/02/2022 06:57

I teach 10 year olds, and I’m very strict.
I would have awarded your daughter all the house points. Her teacher sounds like a miserable cow.

Mumwithbaggage · 08/02/2022 07:01

Another teacher who'd give the points - I know some children would have done very little but equally there are lots of children who would have had no opportunity and whose parents never cook anyway. Self-esteem is more important to me than housepoints.

Equally I do agree about learning to attach an email. It's a useful skill to have and my class were uploading all sorts during lockdown.

Eightiesfan · 08/02/2022 07:09

This a a dreadful response. I suspect the teacher did not expect you to share the letter with your daughter. If it was me, I would ask to speak to her teacher after school, not to have a go, but to explain how sad this made your daughter feel. Show her the evidence and I’m sure your daughter will be given her merit points.

MrsDeaconClaybourne · 08/02/2022 07:15

If I'd had time I'd have probably got her to do a little talk about what she'd done. But I'd have given her the points anyway. Like a pp said, they're not some rare finite resource!

Rickrollme · 08/02/2022 07:18

Are you saying neither you nor your 10-year-old know how to email a photo you took on your phone? You have no reason to lie on here but I would find that hard to believe.

Russell19 · 08/02/2022 07:18

Terrible from the teacher but all you need to do is go to your gallery and share, click email option and put in the teacher or office email and send. Job done.

Flip

1 2

Swipe left for the next trending thread