Is it appropriate for 4th grade kids to be put in charge of telling on their peers in class ?

Question

When the teacher leaves the room she picks out certain kids to tell on the other kids if they talk or missbehave?

Answer 1

I do the same thing. It lets the students know that just because I'm not in the room doesn't mean they're not going to be held to the same standards. I don't do this every time I need to leave the room, but I do if I know I'm going to be gone "long enough." The way you're wording it makes it sound like the teacher is assigning a narc. In reality, the teacher is just assigning ONE student to be the "authority." It keeps the students in check. I personally try to pick different students each time, especially students I know will misbehave on their own. Giving that student the power means he/she will behave, and the others will follow suit. Besides, if the students know they're still held accountable for their behavior, they're not going to act up. It almost seems unfair to leave them alone without letting them know- it's like entrapment, which is way worse than narcing.

Answer 2

First of all, a teacher shouldn't be leaving the room for any extended period of time. Sometimes it is nessessary to be just outside the door, to deal with an issue with a student.

I think the problem here is that you are seeing children put in charge of "telling" on other children. This is a huge problem. Students are very found of telling on each other but they need to learn the difference between telling because they want to get someone in trouble, and telling because they are concerned for that person. Children are learning these bad habit form their parents. Adults are all too quick to blame someone for something.

A well managed classroom has students responsible for every aspect, including behaviour. Students should be accountable to their peers for their behaviour, not just to the teacher. In one classroom I have visited there were 2 appointed students (these positions would change each week) who would walk at the front of the line and the back of the line when the class moved through the school (to gym, music, french etc). The students would then honestly report if they felt the class deserved points. The class worked together to get points for special rewards.

Really all students should be responsible for monitoring the behaviour of their classmates. Telling on specific students isn't nessessary, but reporting on the overall behaviour of the class is. If one student is constantly holding the class back from getting points, they are going to start to feel the pressure from their peers to behave.

Answer 3

I teach first grade and have even seen some 2nd grade teachers at my school doing the same thing. I think it's very wrong. Kids will often tell on others that they don't like but never breathe a word about their best buddies. Sometimes I have no choice but to leave the room because we teachers also hear nature calling. I always tell my students I'm leaving for a minute and ask them to please stay in their seats. I let them know I trust them and I very seldom have any problems.

S

Answer 4

I don't think any student in any grade should be put in charge when the teacher leaves the room. Teachers should ask the teacher in class closest to them to "watch out" for her/his class too.

Answer 5

One day the teacher put my daughter in charge of taking names of other kids in the class that were misbehaving while she ran a game. Some boy had been picking on her previously and one of them pushed her down into a desk... she proceeded to get up and tear into him. In the scuffle his glasses got broken. All I knew was I got a message that she broke some kids glasses and I was going to have to pay for them. When I got the whole story out of her, I was livid. Partly with her for losing her temper and getting into a physical fight, but mainly with the teacher for putting her in that position in the first place. When I got finished discussing it with the PRINCIPLE, he agreed with me that it never should have happened and my daughter didn't get in trouble or have to do the ISS (In School Suspension) that had been assigned to her as punishment. What I expressed to him was, if the teacher needs assistance of ANY KIND, students are not trained, mature enough, nor paid to do this. The teacher needs to be able to request a teacher's aide from the office, even temporarily. For 20 minutes to leave the room... for any amount of time that they are not able to pay attention fully to the students under their care.

Answer 6

Its just there so the teacher will know who to ask since she asked them to keep an eye.

Plus the kids will know who to take out lol :-p.

Answer 7

LOL ROFLMAO properly she knew what became occurring even tho the words have been mis reported. could have enjoyed to have seen and heard her tell that one.you're one great instructor for letting her tell in her very own words of her brothers birthday. many applauds to you.

Answer 8

Probably not the best idea. Probably not the best idea for a 4th grade class to be left on their own - ether.