Has anyone else come across the strange practice being used at a my local (UK) Primary School?

Question

Apparently the children in the class were asked to write down the name of someone who they thought was a bully or was distruptive in class.

This has led to certain children being told by their peers that they are not popular.

Personally I think this idea shows a stunning lack insight by a group of people (teachers) who should know better.

We have talked to the headteacher, who for once did not have an answer. They are going to talk with the teacher involved and get back to us.

bwrae: you miss my point its not the aim I have the problem with it's the method employed.

cyndi71mo: The pieces of paper may have been kept private, but the children are old enough to discuss amongst themselves and arrive at there own conclusions (2+2=5 style).

Just like to thanks to everyone who answered. Also to let you know the situation has been resolved for the child concerened. The question of the methods used however have not.

Answer 1

This is not a practice usually used in primary schools . Children who use negative behaviour in the classroom are already known to the other children.The teacher should be encouraging the children to make the right choices as all the children in a class have rights and responsibilities. They should not be labelling these children. I'm shocked that a teacher would ask such a question.

Answer 2

Well I can't believe that teachers would think this is a good idea!

Children do not play fair. There is usually one in the class who is picked on by all, 'the runt' as it were. The main bully would put it about to name the runt and because everyone is scared of the bully getting them they would do as they say. They'd all point the finger at the runt who would then be victimised by the teachers and the bully and their cronies would get off scott free.

Kids will always label the most unpopular kid all the negative terms - loner, unkind, unfriendly, nasty, naughty, crybaby, bully because they know these names are hurtful and wouldn't want them used on themselves. Yet funnily enough when a whole group of kids points the finger at one and says that this one person is bullying them all then you know it's the other way around. How could one person, often obviously very quiet and sensitive get the better of a whole gang of kids? How could one child seriously upset a group of 2, 3 or more other children?

There is strength in numbers and bullies use this to their advantage. They don't work alone (at least, not in primary school) they have their gang of cronies, so they are always protected. When there is a genuine case of a single child being nasty to a group, by swearing or hitting one of them etc. you can be sure that they have been majorly provoked into doing it. The thing is, when the single child reports the group they are told to "just ignore them" and when the group reports it the teacher assumes it must be true and serious because so many children reported the incident, so the kid gets told off.

How stupid of the teacher to even try this. Teacher training seriously needs to involve more child psychology because in the real world it's not that easy to get the truth by asking children to point the finger.

Answer 3

That's a disgrace. How old are these children? Surely if there was a bullying culture in the school the teachers/headmaster would already be aware of the person/people behind it, and should deal with it accordingly & in a professional manner. The way they've gone about this could mean that some children are targeted as bullies just because another child doesn't like them, and not because they actually are. I doubt very much that any of the child scared of another would name them in this way, in case it made their situation worse. If this were my child, I would want to discuss who's decision it was to do it, and what the outcome of the exercise was with the headteacher.

Answer 4

Using a comments box to tell an adult you are being bullied is a good way for children to get it off their chest and get the support they need.

However in this case it sounds as though the teacher has not empowered the children but turned them into a vigilante group.

The teacher does need speaking to, s/he may just have gone a bit too far in this case, we've all been there saying something that as it comes out of our mouths it's different to how we had wanted to say it.

Children do get over things quickly, and as soon as proper order is restored to the class then they'll start to move on.

Answer 5

On the basis of the information you present, I would agree.

Obviously, it is good that the subject of bullying is tackled in schools and given prominence in the curriculum. However, it must be done in a sensitive way. A similar excercise could have been given but by asking what ACTIONS were thought by the pupils to be unacceptable behaviour. If answers revealed any particular names from pupils the teacher should later privately talk to the answering pupil to gain more information. If it was felt that further action needed to be taken, again the teacher or head could talk privately with the pupil accused of bullying.

There is a good source of information at the website below

Answer 6

Wow - I don't think this is a great idea and what would they possibly have to gain from this?? Very strange practice.
Was it done in a class where there was a lot of bullying going on and they were trying to determine the culprit? Was it an isolated incident? Hopefully it was done anonymously and the goal was to find the child/children who were causing a problem without any of the other children having to 'tattle'...

Answer 7

This is definately a bad idea, as if a child does not like another, then thwy'd put that childs name instead..

This is very poor, and I would ask the Head Teacher, if y ou cannot get an answer contact the Local Autority, (the address for whom is normally www.-----.gov.uk) replace ----- with the name of your council, or try a Yahoo or Google seach for it.

Answer 8

This is not the way to tackle bullying for either the victims or the bullies. I would ask to speak to the Headteacher and ask for an explanation.

Answer 9

It's putting a black mark against a child. The Nazis did the same thing with the Jews making them wear the yellow star so everyone would know who they were. It's an unbelievably stupid thing to do.

Answer 10

This is amazing - surely the teacher would know without putting kids on the spot. My son has had trouble in the past with so-called disruptive kids. He would be terrified to write their names down in case they found out.