'lazy' is this a word teachers should use in reports??

[3076Worb]

My son is on daily report at the moment (mainly for his organisation and focus, as he has ADHD). One of his teachers wrote in his report yesterday 'Lazy. Didn't follow instructions and did not complete the work'
Am I being totally oversensitive? I don't think teachers should be using such emotive terms for any child, but esp. for someone who has ADHD. It seems this teacher has assumed his behaviour is down to laziness and not lack of focus.

There are only four scenarios

1. It is impossible for an ADHD pupil ever to demonstrate laziness
2. It is possible for someone who happens to have ADHD also to have a lazy afternoon or whatever (as it is for ANY human being)
3. Teachers should be banned from using certain words for fear of offence (even if they are true). Parents and other professionals therefore have to "interpret" what they really mean from every sugar-coated platitude
4. If a child has been lazy (regardless of their "condition" - a teacher should be within her rights to state this.

Take your choice

Does the word lazy add any information on top of the second sentence? I'd say no, so don't think there was any need for it.

Have you spoken to him and asked him?

I have 2 dc with ADHD and 2 with ADD, 2 of them especially can be really lazy. The other 2 are more likely to not complete the work due to concentration/muddled thoughts.

If my dc were on report, I would welcome any comments, especially the negative ones, as a way of gaining more insight and was of supporting dc AND teachers.

what has your ds said? Is he generally honest (with himself) about his performance and behaviour? Again, one of my dc ( a 'lazy' one!) would probably say the teacher was boring and they couldn't be bothered. Another (not lazy!) would say they were frustrated and couldn't concentrate etc.

Instead of being upset about emotive term, use the information.

btw, if on report, the teacher has probably got to scribble something in 2 seconds in the madness of lesson change-over, loads of kids rushing off, others trying to come in, check books are handed in etc. It was probably bedlam, and little time for fumbling round for the nicest wording. And if lazy is the 1st word, sounds like the teacher was frustrated.