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Whether you're a permanent teacher, supply teacher or student teacher, you'll find others in the same situation on our Staffroom forum.

Original poster

What would happen in your school if a child screamed in your face?

127 replies

Screaminyourface · 10/12/2019 20:14

A year 8 boy walked out of a homework detention with me. I caught him outside the pastoral room and shouted at him to get in and sit down. He turned round, put his face about ten inches from mine and screamed at me. I honestly thought he was going to attack me.

What would happen in your school if a pupil did this? Interested in the punishment for the child, as well as the reaction from management and colleagues.

OP posts:
crazycatgal · 10/12/2019 21:18

I'm Primary, not secondary and haven't experienced a child shouting in my face but I wanted to comment to say that I hope you have a better day tomorrow!

Ignore the non-teachers posting unhelpful comments.

Original poster
Screaminyourface · 10/12/2019 21:19

@OhWhatFuckeryIsThisNow sympathies, that is horrendous. Not long now!

OP posts:
MrsPworkingmummy · 10/12/2019 21:19

Nothing would happen in my mainstream school. SLT would probably have a friendly chat to find out what was going on at home, then the teacher would be blamed for shouting. I have a 10 year old student who frequently uses absolutely foul language towards staff and says shocking things (you're a sex abuser/paedophile etc), he intimidates staff and students and has needed positively handling on a couple of occasions where he has hit and kicked staff. He gets isolated for a lesson, but will trash the room he's in. His mother is bloody useless and never tells him off. He spends his life playing computer games that are age inappropriate. He should have been excluded a long time a go, but the school don't seem to know what to do with him.

Teachermaths · 10/12/2019 21:20

Gosh OP you've taken a battering here!!

Of course teachers shout sometimes, we are only human. To all the martyrs out these who would have done something different, yay for you! For all the teachers out there who have had a long day then a 13yo is pushing all your buttons and deliberately disobeying you, there is a point at which you shout. Totally normal reaction OP. A one off shout from a teacher who doesn't normally shout can be incredibly effective.

I'd expect to make a phone call home and possibly time in isolation. This would depend on the individual circumstances of the student.

itsgettingweird · 10/12/2019 21:22

Why isn't he doing his homework? Why is he "whinging" why is is making inappropriate comments? Why does he feel picked on?

You shouted because you aren't at your best (it happens). But I think he fact you don't sound as if you know he answer to any of the above questions you can't know if his behaviour is for the same reasons as yours.

I would expect SLT to be involved but to get to the bottom of it.

I wouldn't expect a child to be punished for behaviour that was only a reflection of mine.

Original poster
Screaminyourface · 10/12/2019 21:23

@crazycatgal might be because they're not tall enoughWink

@Dislocatedeyeballs not sure what makes you think this is my standard teaching practice?Hmm I have said repeatedly that this isn't my norm and I actually dislike shouting. But I'm glad you know how I should do my job better than I do. Have you considered a career change? There's a huge shortage of teachersWink

OP posts:
PurpleDaisies · 10/12/2019 21:25

Internal exclusion but they’re on a behaviour crackdown. Previously, nothing. This is why the crackdown is needed.

Sounds like you’ve had a rough day. Flowers

Teachermaths · 10/12/2019 21:27

The OP didn't shout in the child's face though, so the behaviour wasn't reflecting hers. She shouted at the student. The student then got in her face and shouted. That's a deliberately intimidating act from the student.

Lilymossflower · 10/12/2019 21:28

Don't know how a school would typically deal with this, but in my opinion the kid sounds really stressed, has a lot of pressure , is struggling and punishment isn't the answer

Original poster
Screaminyourface · 10/12/2019 21:28

@itsgettingweird I have only ever heard misbehaving kids complain they are being picked on. And the vast majority of misbehaving kids don't say that. Inappropriate comments: he is a teenage boy (before it starts: I know this can be a sign of something more sinister, but they're not in this case). He's not doing his homework because he isn't. Plenty of kids don't. No biggie. If it happens more than once or twice I will flag it up. And for the twentieth time, it wasn't him shouting that bothers me, it was him getting in my face.

OP posts:
PurpleDaisies · 10/12/2019 21:29

Are you a teacher or a psychic lily?

Original poster
Screaminyourface · 10/12/2019 21:29

@Lilymossflower are you a teacher???

OP posts:
noblegiraffe · 10/12/2019 21:29

Did someone set off a twat-siren on this thread? Bizarre responses.

It’s not that your school handled it fine, it’s that lots of schools are shit at managing behaviour at the moment. What happened to you was unacceptable and should be dealt with as such by someone higher than you.

Original poster
Screaminyourface · 10/12/2019 21:31

@noblegiraffe is it in trending threads? Seems to be an unusually high number of non-teachers commenting.

OP posts:
mummyduckduck · 10/12/2019 21:33

It would be internal exclusion for threatening / intimidating behaviour in our school.

Pupil is out of order and needs a suitable consequence, but don't let it get to you. You should be supported by your management team.

For those criticising the shouting - we all know it's not usually ideal, but it happens occasionally and it's not the end of the world. Some pupils do need telling off in a firm and loud voice, because they respond to little else.

Yes, some behaviour has serious root causes that require support. Other times pre-teens like to push their luck to find out where the boundary is; that's normal development.

CurlyhairedAssassin · 10/12/2019 21:35

@c75kp0r *He'd come home again and still not do that homework or the new one. And so it went on all bloody year. Year after year.^

And why didn’t YOU, as his parent, MAKE him do the homework? You know, at HOME. Why leave it to the teacher to do that? There are more useful things they could be doing than doing your job.

Honestly....Hmm

WoollyMummoth · 10/12/2019 21:38

Well done to all those saints out there that never ever shout at their own kids when they have been pushing your buttons all day.
I’m so sorry that us teachers are not sainted or have endless stores of patience especially when a child is being an arse. And before anyone mentions he might have a wide and varied range of special needs, he might not and simple be an arse. Some kids just are unfortunately.

Teachermaths · 10/12/2019 21:47

Did someone set off a twat-siren on this thread?Grin

serialtester · 10/12/2019 21:49

On this thread you have parents who view whole school behaviour policies through the lens of their own children's needs. They think a teacher in a school of maybe 1000+ kids should know the background of EVERY child before expecting to be treated with a level of basic respect? Jog on.

serialtester · 10/12/2019 21:54

The kid in the OP walked out of a detention ffs.

wtffgs · 10/12/2019 21:54

  • how to manage extremely challenging behaviour without escalating the confrontation

Which would be... ?

Are you SLT by any chance?*

GrinGrinGrinGrin

Also why I no longer teach!

OP naff all happened when I was bitten or a pregnant TA was punched in the stomach Sad

TheWinterCaillech · 10/12/2019 21:55

So if we offer alternative strategies, we’re twats? OP should have been clearer about what responses she wanted.

Piggywaspushed · 10/12/2019 21:57

Did the child actually scream? Or did they shout also?

It's semantics but I cannot understand this modern hyperbolic use of the word screaming.

Either way shouting is part of a teacher's toolkit (under control). A child showing you real aggression, especially when quite young is concerning and should be dealt with. I am worried about the lewd comments, too.

In my school, isolation, even exclusion if you are a member of SLT. Otherwise, sweet FA...

You do sound at the end of your tether Sad

Original poster
Screaminyourface · 10/12/2019 21:59

@TheWinterCaillech What, clearer than this?

What would happen in your school if a pupil did this? Interested in the punishment for the child, as well as the reaction from management and colleagues.

So yeah, pretty clear I wasn't asking for advice on behaviour managementConfused

OP posts:
Dislocatedeyeballs · 10/12/2019 22:00

There's a reason for the teacher shortage here it is! Teenagers are shits (some of them) believe me I do know I have two!