Do you think that it is acceptable for a teacher to call a pupil names!

[cheryl.UK]

Well done, Smookhams, this is exactly the right approach to take. I'm sorry that I did not pick up on this thread earlier as I would have offered advice from the position of a deputy head of a large seconday school.

Issues like this often crop up. Sometimes it's down to poor professional conduct on the teacher's part, sometimes a genuine misjudgement of the relationship, sometimes because the child has a specific sensitiivity which the teacher was unaware of.

The BEST course of action for all parents is always to contact the teacher and calmly make you point. My experience is that 99% of the time you will get the response you were looking for. Too many parents jump straight to informing the head who MUST at that point take action. It usually involves 2 or 3 hours of investigations, often upsetting the child in the process. news of this kind of incident flies around the school like wildfire (staff and kids) causing more embarassment for the child and the end result is usually that the member of staff made a poor judgement call and is sorry for the distress caused. But at that point it's too late to nip it in the bud and avoid all the upset.

Always, always try to sort it out quietly and calmly with the teacher.

BTW I call all kids 'sweet pea' whether they are male, female, 4 foot or 6 foot. It's cos i can't remember 1297 names. They all smile.

 

[Netty]

Snookhams, glad its all sorted. but if i were you i would make a note of when and where it happened and log the time. if it happens again go straight to the top, dont tolerate any excuses.

 

[Netty]

As most of you know I work in a school and can confirm that calling pupils a name in reference to their appearence is not in the 'Teachers Handbook' I would have a word with the teacher (a phone call is best) if your son agrees. It may have been said in humour but unless that teacher knows your son was offended he wont know not to do it again!!

I am also having a problem with a teacher in my sons school...he is 13 and his geography teacher seems to dislike him. He is working well in all other classes and has no behaviour problems. This geography teacher has never put one positive remark in his book (not even a tick) and that includes the whole of last year....yesterday he said my son had the same brain cells as a Circus Monkey and said from now on he expected him to do his homework at lunchtime in the classroom....yep I have booked ANOTHER appointment to see the head!!

totally appalling behaviour from the geography teacher, hope you get it sorted.

 

[Englands Disney Gang]

Snookhams...You mention its a C of E school.....my son is a catholic school!!. I wouldnt mind but I feel I 'persuaded' hime to go there as he went from a non catholic primary school!! I hope you have come to a conclusion and your son will now be happy in his PE lessons

I was not going to mention it earlier but there is more to it than what I said earlier. The geography teacher my son is having problems with refuses my DS to bring his homework home since January last year. I have not seen an exercise or text book at all. On the report I got a few weeks ago it states..'cant be bothered. resentfull,effortless,no grade'. Thats his report!!. Nothing has been mentioned before so I was unaware of the problem apart from DS mentioning he does not like his geography teacher but I just took it with a pinch of salt (all of us did not like a teacher somewhere along the line??) No other teacher has voiced any type of concern...the exercise book has not one positive remark...just large red pen crosses and nasty comments

Head of year agrees with me...has even given me the text book my DS is working from so I can work from home (so basically I am teaching him geography!!) DS is petrified of him would not dare to put his hand up and state he does not understand the questions the teacher puts on the projector each lesson (then sits and eats a banana!!) He has also called him a Baffoon and told him his 'Boy Attitude is a disgrace' He has been at the school for 30 years and my DS told me tonight he does not even speak to other teachers or enter the staff room!!

Seems even the head of year is scared of him so thats why I have an appointment with the head in 2 weeks!!. II am going to put an official complaint in but so far I feel I am being 'fobbed' off by the school as they are dragging there heels...I even doubt they have spoken to the teacher in question!

Am I being an over proctective mum??

 

[urglewurgle]

like the others i'd say talk to the school... perhaps not to the exact teacher but to your sons form tutor or head of year or whatever...
keep it informal at first... if he keeps doing it, take it further...

this kind of thing really does annoy me... the child cannot even stand up for themselves.. teachers have "free-range" to do this kind of thing.. (i know most teachers wouldn't DREAM of insulting a child... most of them just want to teach, help and nuture children... but some... grrr....). Can you imagine what would happen if your child called the teacher "shorty" or something similar back? your kid would probably get in trouble... now what is THAT teaching him? yes, pupils shoudl respect their teachers, but not just because they're older/they're the teacher/we're told to.. but because we should all resepct each other.. the teacher, likewise, should respect the pupil.. and the pupils should respect each other...

hopefully the teacher meant this in a lighthearted way, and didn't realise it had caused offence... he probably just thinks him and your DS get on well, and that your son has a good sense of humour kwim?

urgh. sorry for the rant!

 

[urglewurgle]

Am I being an over proctective mum??

IMHO? no! that teacher sounds like a wierd man...

if your son has had that big of a problem (and i really don't mean your son *IS* that much of a problem at all!) the teacher should've spoken to him about it, if the problem is not resolved then you should've been made aware...

i feel for your son... i was too scared to ask for help from a specific one of my teachers... he was very rude, agressive and insulting... i was too scared to ever ask him anything or talk to him much... so i just progressively got worse in the subject, making ME get more and more frustrated, angry and upset and his behaviour towards me got worse... if he'd just once ASKED me, NICELY if i had a problem (and in private too) things could easily have been resolved...

i still hate that teacher now... if i see him i still feel absolute dread in my stomach! geez....

always always always tlak to the school! lol....

 

[wideeyes]

Snookhams...You mention its a C of E school.....my sons is a catholic school!!. I wouldnt mind but I feel I 'persuaded' hime to go there as he went from a non catholic primary school!!

I was not going to mention it earlier but there is more to it than what I said earlier. He refuses my DS to bring his homework home since January last year. I have not seen an exercise or text book at all. On the report I got a few weeks ago it states..'cant be bothered. resentfull,effortless,no grade'. Thats his report!!. Nothing has been mentioned before so I was unaware of the problem apart from DS mentioning he does not like his geography teacher but I just took it with a pinch of salt (all of us did not like a teacher somewhere along the line??) No other teacher has voiced any type of concern.

Head of year agrees with me...has even given me the text book he is working from so I can work from home (so basically I am teaching him geography!!) DS is petrified of him would not dare to put his hand up and state he does not understand the questions the teacher puts on the projector each lesson (then sits and eats a banana!!) He has also called him a Baffoon and told him his 'Boy Attitude is a disgrace' He has been at the school for 30 years and my DS told me tonight he does not even speak to other teachers or enter the staff room!!

Seems even the head of year is scared of him so thats why I have an appointment with the head in 2 weeks!!.

Am I being an over proctective mum??

That is appalling. If my daughter was ever treated like that i would be in tears. Something needs to be sorted out with this teacher. The head of year is also out of oder if they agree with you and the best they have done do is give you a text book, I am really shocked that teachers like this are responsible for our childrens future.