DS1 (Y8) is being a PITA for one particular teacher. Advice needed.

[LynetteScavo]

He's had a couple of lunch time detentions already this term for being "off task" in these lessons.

I'm at a loss at what to do to get DS to behave for this teacher. Stern words from me obviously aren't having effect, and neither are the detentions. Secretly I think this teacher is pretty useless, to the point that I feel sorry for him. I gather the more senior staff are aware of this teachers short comings. DS isn't the only one in the class "off task" during these lessons, but that is no excuse for his poor behavior.

How do I persuade DS to at least sit down and shut up in these lessons? Other teachers tell me DS is a delight to teach.

He missed the end of year trip to Alton Towers at the end of last year because his overall engagement level wasn't sufficient (each teacher awards an engagement level, and the average is taken into account) - due to the low score he received from this one teacher (which was quite justified). I did tell him he could chose a reward from me if he got a decent engagement level in this subject this term, and his reply was "There's no point".

I'm afraid that 'I showed her' does not sound to me like testing boundaries. It sounds like trying to dominate. He doesnt try to dominate weaker people because he knows that he already does dominate them.

The comment about 'teachers think they're strong etc.........' I do find that very worrying. In life he will have a boss, someone who has authority over him and ultimately holds his financial future in their hands. He sounds incredibly arrogant from those last comments. He may have had more problems if you'd sent him to a traditional school but then he may also have learned that he is just one of many and there are norms of behaviour that must be observed. He needs to know that it isn't the teacher trying to make him do something for the sake of it, he is teaching him. It really doesn't matter whether he wants to be taught the particular subject or not, whether he likes the teacher, he's 12/13, it's time to say tough. What is going to happen next year when he gets new teachers, next time it may be his maths teacher or his English teacher, or 2 or 3 teachers........