Friendly names to call kids who make a stupid mistake

[noblegiraffe]

You know, the ones you have a good relationship with, not talking about berating some sensitive y7.

What, in mock exasperation, would you call a pupil who had e.g got a fiendishly difficult differential equation question wrong and you'd just spotted it was because they'd written 1x1=2?

Crumpet

Wazzock or turnip here. Sometimes even a hairy faced wazzock if they've been extra daft.

The thing is that some children are going to be upset at being told they've done a daft thing. Clearly the only way forward is to ever engage, never say anything negative and treat them like robots.

Personally I trust teachers to judge a situation properly. They have far more experience of a huge range of children than I, or many of you, ever will.

Clearly the only way forward is to ever engage, never say anything negative and treat them like robots.

Yes, of course, the only two options are a) to call children names or b) to treat them like robots and have no friendliness or fun in the classroom at all.

Because name-calling is the ONLY way teachers can form a friendly fun relationship with children. There is NO OTHER way to have humour in the classroom.

Or - wait a minute! Perhaps we could all laugh at the mistake, not the person! No-one on this thread has thought of that yet. Perhaps no one in the world has thought of it.

Except they have. And people on the thread have repeatedly said it. But some people on this thread are so blinkered and so hysterical that they appear unable to take it in. I am not sure I trust those people to be so brilliantly sensitive they can gauge exactly how any child feels about being called a name.

silly bugger
silly sod
idiot
cunt

seriously don't call them names its horrible and other kids will use it to bully the child later and tease them. Even if its funny or friendly sounding to you.

would you allow the kids to call you a name when you make a mistake, too? if so what would you allow the class to shout at you?

I'm amazed at how so many people can't distinguish between light hearted banter and name calling

A good teacher would never call a struggling child any sort of name, nor the overly sensitive type. But a bit of humour can actually help a student feel better about themselves. If you have someone who is disappointed with their test for example, and you're able to point out that it's not because they can't do it or they're stupid, but because they've made careless mistakes. This is exactly the sort of situation where making a joke out of it (and yes, calling them a banana or whatever) can help. You are laughing with them, not at them. So yes, probably onky reserved for brighter students and ones you know well.

As someone said to me once, you don't tease those you don't like. And I'm talking gentle teasing here, not bullying, in case it's not clear.

Depends on lots of things but i think a friendly silly sausage can make pointing out silly mistakes easier. I can see points to both sides though. Wonder if it depends where in the UK. Different areas can have different sense of humour.

Shit weasel ?

But the same could be said to you NaughtToThreeSadOnions, the children in your examples (you, your sister, child A) are not every child.

Other people also had examples of their own children who didn't mind the terms banana or silly sausage as a jokey way to point out a silly mistake.

It's up to a good teacher to get to know the students and only use that jokey way with the ones that benefit, enjoy and can take it without getting offended. If the teacher doesn't feel he/she doesn't knows the students that well and would rather not risk it, then better not use it and do it a different way. And if the teacher (despite thinking she/he knows the students well) ever gets it wrong, the student or the parent will be the first to let the teacher know it is not working for them.

I'd say don't call a child anything you're not prepared to have called back to you, or any other person in the school the child might come in contact with. Sorry not read all the thread so may be repeating something already said, but I am talking from experience.

Perhaps we could all laugh at the mistake, not the person!

Perhaps we could read what I said and consider the children who would be upset and embarrassed at being told they'd made a silly mistake! "But some people on this thread are so blinkered and so hysterical that they appear unable to take it in..."

Yes, of course, the only two options are a) to call children names or b) to treat them like robots and have no friendliness or fun in the classroom at all.

And yes, the only sensible option is because teachers are so insensitve to what a particular child might be feeling that they had best not engage in any kind of banter at all for fear of upsetting them.

The only sensible option is b)

Thinking about it, I would find " that was a silly thing to do" more embarrassing than "you numpty". The first seems to me to be a ctiticsm and the second a friendly joke.

Bloody Fat Finger Syndrome. criticism

Noone likes to be told they've made a mistake! But sometimes they do, unbelievably. Yes don't say 'christ you unrelenting thicko' but name calling is fine imo.

Chump.

I like doofus

I wish I'd learned as a child that making a mistake is okay and not to be upset when I did so. Maybe then I wouldn't have got so worried about failing that I gave up on my education.

My DD's school has posters up that say:

F - First
A - Attempt
I - IN
L - Learning.

They are encouraged to give things a go - if they get everything right then they aren't being ambitious enough. Everyone is encouraged to make and share their mistakes (including the teachers) and they all laugh and joke about them.

It all seems so much healthier and more productive than 'my day'

Yes Ellie it could!!! But at least I'm anole dying their are children like my sinister my class myself which is what a lot of you are absolutely failing to do!

I have said over and over and over and over again it works for some children I actually said in previous post SOME IN BIG CAPITAL LETTERS (do you actually read posts you idiot. Oh aren't I nice name calling did you enjoy being called an idiot you fool, aren't you a dick head for not reading my posts this is a lovely way to speak to some one isn't it, oh it's all done in jest you know banter, cos it's just humour)
I've acknowledged over and over again humour banter works for SOME CHILDREN. just as work banter works for aSOME ADULTS. I now lone work a lot of the time and one of the things I miss is the banter of the staff room and bustling office.

The best way is to make humour in the situation not the child. Engage all you like but really name calling is unacceptable.

No idea what anole is or why it's dying . Acknowled is the word my iPad was looking for

Jesus H Christ, the joy suckers are out on MN again I see..

I used to love MN, but I'm getting so fed up with the PC brigade these days.

We all know it's not good for your self esteem to be called stupid but that's not what the OP is saying. She's trying to be light-hearted and help them enjoy their learning by being less serious, and has asked the question because she cares about them and wants to be able to communicate well with them. For those suggesting she's in the wrong job because of it - get a fucking grip will you. No wonder so few people want to go into teaching these days.

Good on you OP for taking the time and care to try your best for your students.