Children in my sons class were fooling around and my son accidentally fell against another lad..who said it wasn't my sons fault..The teacher walked up to my son and said " You have brought the back end of Hull with you (We use to live there) and its about time you learnt to read, you are thick" ..this has been verified by another student as truth..
2006-07-18 11:20:16 · 38 answers · asked by Anonymous in Education & Reference ➔ Teaching
Big him up, tell him the truth about himself; tell him he is certainly NOT think, and make sure he feels strong enough to reject that assessment of himself.
Try also to tell him that even though the teacher said something s/he shouldn't, he should still do his best in class and not think too bad of the teacher for that. Grown-ups do these things.
Then go talk first to the teacher and if necessary to the headteacher. Your son should not be there and should know only the basics of what is said. In any sensible school you will be listened to.
Then big your son up again, and then leave it there.
Hmm. You may have to adapt this, my kid is younger than yours and I'm thinking of a seven year old here...!
2006-07-18 11:27:05 · answer #1 · answered by wild_eep 6 · 5⤊ 1⤋
I was doing the teaching degree and I have to say if that had come out of my mouth I would have regretted it . If this is typical of what the teacher says and s/he is often a bully then yes, go to the Head teacher. However if this is an isolated incident you could have a quiet word with the teacher. Just explain that your son has told you about an incident and you would like to know the teacher's point of veiw.
Alternatively, talk to your son about it and realise that teachers are human to, yes really! They have bad days and get fed up with children and parents abusing them at every step.
As everyone else has said "Go to the Head" I just want to ask you to consider what you want from this. It is possible that the teacher will have this on his/her permanant record and will be disciplined. This may stop them from rising up the paystructure, getting promotion to head of department or getting a job in another school. I'm understand that whilst you are upset you don't really care, but when you are calmer think about if this is really what you want to happen to a teacher who has said something in anger and probably deeply regrets it.
2006-07-19 22:37:46 · answer #2 · answered by Cazza 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
sorry to hear this. Sounds like your son did misbehave in class but no need for the teacher to say this. Have you spoken to the headteacher. Have you asked your son why he was messing around and not working? It must be very disheartening to prepare a lesson and then have a few kids mess about and ruin it. There's a famous study I learned at uni for psychology (self fulfilling prophercy). All teachers know this so you can quote it. If you tell a child theyre not smart, ie you put them in orange group with the slow ones, they turn out thick. If you re-arrange groups and tell the less able kids that they're really good they improve..all in the mind! This is why you never tell a child they're thick.
2006-07-18 12:45:42 · answer #3 · answered by Jackie 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
i would contact the head explain your concern at the use of word 'thick' by the teacher and question the teachers ethics, though there is no excuse for the teachers response to the situation. I would bear in mind that a teachers job is a difficult one, she may have snapped after a long day at the wrong person.
I think you will definitely get an apology from the head and the teacher and your son will too.
2006-07-18 12:50:32 · answer #4 · answered by rizzah 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
First of all, stay calm. If I were in your shoes, I would want to batter the teacher! However, this will not be the answer - you are just stooping to their level. I left complaining about schooling to my husband as he says I am like a lioness with her cubs! It was also pointed out to me that if I lost my temper, I would be the one in court, not the teacher!
Now what to do!
In the first instance, go and see the school head. If you are not satisfied, write to the chair of the governors of the school.
If you are unable to stay calm, write to the head (rather than visit them) and cc the letter to the chair of the governors, outlining what happened, when and where. If you can, give the name of any witnesses - but make sure they are willing, by having a word with their parents. Perhaps you could make your point and keep your son off school until the end of term, until the case is resolved! Luckily it is the end of the school year, so at least your son will not be with the same teacher next year!
If you are still not satisfied with what the head and the chair say, contact OFSTED to complain. You can find details of how to contact them on this website: http://www.ofsted.gov.uk
Good luck - and stay calm!
2006-07-18 12:29:31 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
This is unacceptable. Teachers demand respect from their pupils so the same courtesy should be given back. Go and consult the head teacher. I am three quarters of the Way through a teacher training course and would be severely disciplined if i had made a comment like this to a child.
2006-07-18 12:13:31 · answer #6 · answered by Becka R 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
This is a disgraceful thing for anyone to say to a child. Of course you should complain to the Principal.
However, be prepared for your son's version of events to possibly have left something out. Teachers are only human, and sometimes things get out of hand. From an outsider's point of view it sounds like this teacher lost control of him/herself for a minute - understandably perhaps at the end of a long school year, with a group that in fairness do not sound like angels. How often do they 'fool around'? How many are in the class? Perhaps this teacher has 30 people 'fooling around' at the one time?
It sounds like a bizarre thing to say in relation to some pushing and shoving.
2006-07-18 11:35:22 · answer #7 · answered by Trish D 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I have a pupil who has accused another teacher in my school of this very 'retort', (apparently with witnesses), and I could understand the parent being upset and taking it further.
However... a few months later, when I was teaching him, I paid him a complement. (he has incredbly low self esteem, the mother blames it on the afore mentioned 'incident'). When he didn't respond I asked him to repeat what I had said and he said that I had called him thick! Thankfully I had many witnesses who could dispute this immediately.
It has made me think twice about the initial accusation.
Tread carefully, make sure of your facts. If it is 100% true then it is unacceptable.
2006-07-19 12:14:41 · answer #8 · answered by ragingredhead5 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
[devil's advocate mode]
As we don't know whether or not your son is illiterate and lacking in common sense I cannot condem the teacher straight away as it may be an accurate statement.
Of course it's NEVER your son's fault, you're the doting parent. And every word he says is the truth, and we should all start believing 10 year olds.
If this really was such a big deal - you'd be on the phone to the principal, not faffing about on Yahoo!
2006-07-18 11:44:29 · answer #9 · answered by creviazuk 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
diddums, calling a child 'thick'. Maybe you read about an Edinburgh teacher being beaten up and having his leg broken by a group of former pupils?
This is the kind of society we are creating where children are allowed to run riot but teachers get jumped upon for the slightest misdemenour.
2006-07-18 11:39:11 · answer #10 · answered by richy 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋