New Year 4 Teacher Shouting; Banging Desks; Physically Pulling Kids Into Line....

[roses2]

Hi,

My DS in Year 4 (age 9) goes to a small outstanding rated school. Three weeks ago he got a new teacher as the old one "suddenly" resigned (we only got 1 day notice!).

The first two weeks he was coming home crying; said she shouts a lot and sends him out of class. Granted he can be disruptive but each year so far all the teachers have found a way to hold his attention without disrupting the class and sending him out.

DH went to speak with her; gave her a firm talking to that the shouting and sending him out isn't working and she needs to try another strategy which we will happily work with her on. Since then she has stopped sending DS out of class although the shouting continues.

Since last week DS has been coming home crying saying she has been hurting his friends. This is where I am now concerned:

• she shouts a lot
• Bangs the table of kids not listening
• DS said she is physically hurting his friends. Another school mum contacted me yesterday to say she is taking her child out of school today because he was the one she physically pulled to get into line. DS actually gave me the name of another child the teacher did this to, not this child!
• There is no longer a TA in the class, just her. So no other adult witness

I have a meeting with the deputy head this afternoon. Shouting at kids, banging desks and physically manoeuvring children to the point they cry is not acceptable.

I want to log this formally with the school but not really sure how to.

Can anyone help guide me on the process so I can articulate myself clearly when I meet the deputy head this afternoon?

It's normally a loving nurturing school with a great ethos. This is the first major issue we have had (and heard of).

Multiple parents have complained.

Yes, multiple parents of disruptive children who was shouted, put in line, etc by this teacher for misbehaving.
Tbh, by yr4, many children know right from wrong, so they know if they are shouted at, then they are doing something wrong and try not to get shouted. And parents of a child who has been sent out for misbehaving don't give the teacher firm talking to. They give the firm talking to their child.

It really started to look like apple doesn't fall far from the tree.

You pay your child to behave?!
My children are for the most part well behaved and polite... I bet they wouldn't be if I said 'please be good, if youre good I'll give you 50p because I'm so worried about you being naughty', behaviour would be worse and they'd probably bargain a quid to pack it in...

Good behaviour is an expectation. There are consequences for bad behaviour, not bribes to be good, that is giving incentive to be badly behaved.

I was a secondary teacher for years. When l had a noisy class l used to keep a hammer and wack the desk with it. That soon shut them up.

Maybe this is why she bangs the desk? And if you have a very disruptive class, you sometimes have to shout. Even if you don’t want to.

Your DH sounds like a bully and your child sounds naughty.

The child will be naughty if the Dh is a bully.

Sounds like a challenging class, and to send a child out - tells you something about your child’s behaviour. Your DH giving the teacher a stern talk?! Sounds like your child needs a stern talk. He is not just ‘disruptive’ he sounds like a complete nightmare if she is resorting to sending him out. There is a rumour that she has hurt a child - not yours - that child, and their parents need to deal with that accusation.

PoorMegHopkins

Ive had “a talking to” once or twice, usually from a Dad. Incredibly intimidating and in all cases, they did not know the whole story.

And one wonders why it was "usually from a Dad" and why the OP's DH went in to speak to the teacher.
"Give a talking to" is a terrible expression for what should be a discussion between adults and, presumably, the man in the relationship goes in because it's more intimidating especially if the teacher is a woman.
Children will pick up on these sorts of attitudes at home and it will shape their behaviour.

I've had a few 'talking's to' in the nearly 20 years I have been teaching. I've had countless positive meetings but the ones that stay with me are the 4 or 5 fathers over the years who have been intimidating, aggressive and taken pleasure in 'getting one over' on me. The first was 18 years ago and I can remember it word for word. He was misinformed and hadn't got the whole story but it didn't stop him.

I agree, @ThatAnnoysMeToo . Or at least a carrot AND stick approach - stars for good behaviour, building up to a reward each week, but stars lost on days where the child didn’t behave themselves, for example.

I’ve had a few too.

l remember one who was plumber trying to lecture me on design. I had a degree and 10 years working experience as a designer. But he knew best….