Is my sons kindergarten teacher too strict?

Question

My son came home today with a green circle on his behavior folder for being a wiggle worm @ story time. She said she warned him 2 times. I feel the green circle was too extreme for that behavior. Here are her discipline rules.... A sticker means an excellent day, green circle means had a warning . Rewards will be given to child that has only had stickers for the whole week and the month. So his chance of a reward is shot for this week and this month. He was so sad today after only be @ school for less than a week in his life! Already his selfesteem is low . I understand kindergarten is prep for following rules and paying attention. My daughters kinder teacher was never that strict. Any advice?

Answer 1

well, i don't think its too strict. kids have to be disciplined at a young age. if his self esteem is low already try to encourage him to not worry and next time to remember to be nice.

Answer 2

I do not think that she is too strict with the warning, but maybe ruining the reward for the month. I understand the week, but a month is forever for a kid! I am sure that your child is well behavied, especially if it has only happened once. I think that you should encourage the good behavior at home. If the bad behavior continues, meet with the teacher, ask for her suggestions, and find out how you can support her at home as well. If your child knows that you are communicatiing and that you support their good behavior, then the child will be more apt to please you. Kindergarten teachers are very patient, and I am sure that a child has to move around a lot before they are given a warning. When you have so many at once, their attention span is very short and the teacher needs to keep them focused as long as she can. One child can disrupt an entire class.

Good luck!

Answer 3

Every teacher is different, but he has to learn to follow the rules of the classroom. It may seem extreme to you, but it doesn't take much to distract a whole class. If everyone was fidgety, nothing would get done. I'm not saying that fidgeting isn't normal, but he has to start learning to sit quietly and pay attention in school. His first grade teacher may end up having the same rule. If he comes home and is sad about the green circle, just cheer him up and tell him that it will be better next week because he will be more used to the classroom environment and will be able to sit better. If he thinks he's not expected to follow the rules, he will be a real handful when he gets older. Sympathise with him and encourage him to do better next time so he can get a sticker!

Answer 4

I would wait a month before you decide to speak to the teacher about her discipline rules.Once he notices that other kids have also been given green circles for their behavior.He will work hard at following the rules so he can be rewarded like everybody else.If you still feel strongly about her discipline rules you can arrange a meeting with the principle and the teacher and yourself to see if you can resolve the problem.Remember this is kindergarten and teachers have been known to bend the rules and toss out bad circles for excellent behavior.

Answer 5

I have a bigger problem with the reward system... say, for example, a child gets a green sticker on October 1... then there are 30 days that he has nothing to shoot for... it's a free ticket to be bad for 30 days (theoretically). The message she sends is -why be good the rest of the month, there is nothing to work for- (again theoretically). Because i'm sure that is not the only thing motivating him to do well in school.

But, it is not a good behavior plan... you see what i mean. They should stick with reinforcement, and use the punishment methods in more severe cases...

Answer 6

A week and a month certainly seems like a long time for punishment to go on. I think students need to be able to make up for the previous mistake or not make the period of "recognition for being a good student" such a long period of time. I think students need to see themselves as successful, especially in kindergarten. I really do not know the whole story though. Ask the teacher about the incidents and you will have a clearer picture.

Answer 7

I'd be curious about just exactly what your son did to get a wiggle worm violation. If the teacher is giving him a green circle for just being squirmy, that would seem too extreme. However, if she had to repeatedly ask him to be still and sit quietly, and he STILL didn't comply, then I think the teacher is spot-on.

Why don't you ask her the specific circumstances? Hear her side of the story?

As for you son being sad, well, actions have consequences. If he learns that now it's a lesson that will stand him in good stead in the future. If he knew that his behavior could get him a green circle, and understood that was a consequence of his behavior, then he needs to accept that he earned the consequence.

Answer 8

My child is mildy autistic and he is in kindergarden I have already been warned if he cannot be quit and participate in the 90 min of reading programs they have he will have to go to the special ed class for that time. He does not have a problem with loud outburst just attention redirection... They start being way too hard on these kids now.

Answer 9

Ask for a different teacher.
If that is not an option, tell the teacher you are displeased with the dicipline procedure and are going to take it up with the principal.
Low self esteem is not good for a child just entered into kindergarten. It will make him
shy and not like school and the next 12 years may be torture for him. Fix it now before anything lasting happens.

Answer 10

Your son's teacher isn't too strict - you are taking this too seriously. Help him set goals and achieve them. This is a great time to begin. Point out that yes, this week his chance of reward is shot, but next week, he can start all over again.

Answer 11

Mayb set up a meeting w/ the teacher a talk about her rules and discuss how u could make ur son a better student?