teachers, what would your punishment be

[fortheluvofpooh]

for 2, 13 yr old boys burping very loudly in class, while you were in the hallway? DS and his friend got in trouble for doing so, and got a 500 word essay assigned to them.

DS was looking for sympathy. I gave him none. I believe you do the crime you do the time. Just curious if this is the norm.

 

[daisyduck123]

Hi! 1st grade teacher here.
Sounds good to me! Punishments have to be harsh enough so that the student will NOT want to exhibit the behavior again.

I would tell your son, "I bet you won't disrupt the class again when your teacher steps out into the hall". I'm sure he'll agree.

 

[Mama to Three]

Hi! 1st grade teacher here.
Sounds good to me! Punishments have to be harsh enough so that the student will NOT want to exhibit the behavior again.

I would tell your son, "I bet you won't disrupt the class again when your teacher steps out into the hall". I'm sure he'll agree.

Former 5th grade teacher here and I'm going to agree with the PP. It needs to be something he doesn't like and has to put some (not fun) effort into so that he doesn't do it again.

That being said, if you feel it is unfair, contact the teacher and see if the two of you can come up with a consequence that you are both comfortable with.

 

[nessz79]

I'm a high school teacher and most of us at my school pick our battles. I don't know very many teachers that would give the boys more than a hard look or a word of reprimand.

However, since they were given that assignment as punishment, I would certainly tell them the same that you did. Better to be a united front unless it's something grossly unfair. I think it's a little strange to punish something like that, but not totally unfair. I think you dealt with it well.

 

[nessz79]

However, after re-reading the post I think it depends. Were they burping loudly to distract the class during a quiet activity? Burping in class makes a difference. I thought they were in the hallway.

 

[LittleMissMagic]

All teachers differ in forms of punishment. The "cool" teachers let things slide and the OCD teachers give writing assignments.

500 words isn't that bad. I don't think it's worth fighting.

 

[momofrrr]

I am not a teacher but I work in an elementary school so here are my two cents! I am a parent that tends to support the teacher so I would do the same thing you did. I would guess that it is not the first time she has had to address this with them if she is punishing them for it now. My DS would not ever own up to what would have happened leading up to the crime that was being punished so we only got part of the story.....he is 21 now and is still living to tell the stroy so it really does go away and they do become somewhat human.

 

[Happy Mami]

I'm glad you gave him no sympathy and I think the punishment fit the crime. As the PP said, it has to be something that will make them not do it again.

 

[stacy6552]

It could go either way. If the class is perpetually disrespectful, well then look for the hammer to fall. Of course the teacher could just be a hard a**.

 

[2disneyboys]

I think it was an excellent punishment and an execllent response on your part. everyone tells me that I am too hard on my son's (6 and 8) blah blah blah, but IMO half the problem w/ kids nowdays is most are not taught basic respect. I'm also willing to bet, this was not the first offense. Who knows, this may solve the belching problem this the two children punished, as well as the rest of the class, and in the long run, a lesson learned just makes you a stronger better individual.

 

[Tiger926]

I'm a highschool teacher, and so we learn to pick our battles, and this is not a battle that I would fight. Also, as a Special Education English teacher, it bothers me that teachers still use archaic writing assignments, such as essays or lines as punishment. All this does is have the kids hate English and this is not good at all. I'm sorry, but most of the responses here show a lack of understanding of kids of this age - kids lack respect for many reasons, many of which is that they learn it from the adults around them. Let us not forget that, and so writing out an essay about it is an isolatory punishment. Kids of that age are clowns and attention seekers in many situations, and having them write lines or an essay is not going to stop that behaviour at all as many adults burp in public too.

I would have just spoken to the kids in private and let it go. Burping is the least of our issues these days, believe me...

Tiger

 

[daisyduck123]

I'm a highschool teacher, and so we learn to pick our battles, and this is not a battle that I would fight. Also, as a Special Education English teacher, it bothers me that teachers still use archaic writing assignments, such as essays or lines as punishment. All this does is have the kids hate English and this is not good at all. I'm sorry, but most of the responses here show a lack of understanding of kids of this age - kids lack respect for many reasons, many of which is that they learn it from the adults around them. Let us not forget that, and so writing out an essay about it is an isolatory punishment. Kids of that age are clowns and attention seekers in many situations, and having them write lines or an essay is not going to stop that behaviour at all as many adults burp in public too.

I would have just spoken to the kids in private and let it go. Burping is the least of our issues these days, believe me...

Tiger

I'm sure though that the teachers objective for the writing assignment will prove positive though, & those boys (at least the OP's) will not do that again....at least in her class.

 

[fortheluvofpooh]

thanks for the replies. I think the punishment for a nonsense thing like burping out loud while the teacher was in the hall way , is just that nonsense, but I also believe that the punishment was fair for disruptive behavior in class and think if I send a note in to the teacher complaining than that would be undermining his (the teacher) authority. My son now understands that you need to control your bodily functions a little bit better. He (son) was a little bit surprised that I said to him that if he does the crime he does the time. I also told my ds that if it were a more severe punishment then I would have gone and sent in a note, but he needs to learn right from wrong and I can not point it out for him all the time. DS and I have hugged and he knows that I feel he was being a goof and that his punishment from the teacher is the punishment he will recieve along with an extra dose of doing the laundry for a day.

 

[Tiger926]

I'm sure though that the teachers objective for the writing assignment will prove positive though, & those boys (at least the OP's) will not do that again....at least in her class.

The boys might not do it again (and I highly doubt that as that is what boys of that age do) so as to avoid punishment. This is vastly different than teaching them what is and isn't appropriate social behaviour. You will not achieve that goal, which is the right goal, with lines or an essay.

I teach at-risk kids at an alternative school, so I've been there, done that so many times. My kids have been cast away from their home school highschools because they swear too much, come in late, struggle with social issues, etc. and guess what? After a couple of days in my class with me, their behaviours start to improve. Why? Because I treat them with respect - something that was missing in their other schools. My kids hardly swear in front of me. Why? Because I let them know right off the bat, that I don't care for it, and that it's probably not going to be cared for by the other people around them, and after a couple of times, it's all good. Do I send them to the office, make them write lines or detention? Absolutely not - those punishments wouldn't fit the crime.

The boys in this scenario are 13 years old and that is what many 13 year olds do - they act goofy and silly for attention. I'm pretty sure that they are going to burp again in public, maybe not in that teacher's class, but that's only because she has taught them to avoid punishment with writing the essay.

Like I said, we have way more serious issues to worry about than burping...

Tiger

 

[alexandria674]

Well, I am in college to learn how to be a High School teacher Was this burp on purpose or just to be funny? I mean, I once accidently burped in class and was mortified beyong belief.
Anyways, the essay idea is great. I would of thrown in some science and had the essay be about how burps are formed.

 

[nessz79]

The boys might not do it again (and I highly doubt that as that is what boys of that age do) so as to avoid punishment. This is vastly different than teaching them what is and isn't appropriate social behaviour. You will not achieve that goal, which is the right goal, with lines or an essay.

I teach at-risk kids at an alternative school, so I've been there, done that so many times. My kids have been cast away from their home school highschools because they swear too much, come in late, struggle with social issues, etc. and guess what? After a couple of days in my class with me, their behaviours start to improve. Why? Because I treat them with respect - something that was missing in their other schools. My kids hardly swear in front of me. Why? Because I let them know right off the bat, that I don't care for it, and after a couple of times, it's all good. Do I send them to the office, make them write lines or detention? Absolutely not - those punishments wouldn't fit the crime.

The boys in this scenario are 13 years old and that is what many 13 year olds do - they act goofy and silly for attention. I'm pretty sure that they are going to burp again in public, maybe not in that teacher's class, but that's only because she has taught them to avoid punishment with writing the essay.

Like I said, we have way more serious issues to worry about than burping...

Tiger

I have special education students mixed with regular students and much of what you say is true! I have a lot of boys, especially, who will get attention however they can. It sounds silly, but you kind of have to treat them like you would a young child- give praise to good attention-seeking behavior and either ignore or redirect negative attention-seeking behavior. It's so simple, but it works. Also, I agree that they have to be treated with respect. If the kids do not respect you, they will NOT behave for you. With some of my special education students they will not behave for you if they don't respect you even if that means they will be punished. They'll do it just to be defiant, no matter what the consequences. I keep talking about special ed, but "regular" students can often be the same way!

That all being said, I still think the OP did the right thing. She may not have agreed with the teacher, but she stuck to it and provided a united front. She talked to her son and is showed she is still "on his side." Good parenting

 

[KEMdisney]

Just wanted to add my two sense, as a first grade/second grade teacher. The kids in my class HATE TO WRITE. Hate it! Part of the reason is that they are special ed children and it is hard for them to write, so its easier just to hate it. But I wanted to agree with a PP, and say that I hate using writing as a punishment! We should encourage our students to express themselves on paper, not use it as a form of consequence!

 

[Tiger926]

Just wanted to add my two sense, as a first grade/second grade teacher. The kids in my class HATE TO WRITE. Hate it! Part of the reason is that they are special ed children and it is hard for them to write, so its easier just to hate it. But I wanted to agree with a PP, and say that I hate using writing as a punishment! We should encourage our students to express themselves on paper, not use it as a form of consequence!

This was me who mentioned this - you are a teacher who gets it, so I thank you! Writing should NEVER be used as a form of punishment, ever, as it sets up to foster a hatred for writing. The concept of speaking about social graces and manners is a good one, but this can be done in a conversation, and I promise you, it will more of a teachable moment for students than the writing will be.

Tiger

 

[adtillma1]

As a middle school teacher, I probably would have just taken the boys aside and spoken with them about how crude it is to burp in public and how "that's not the best way to get female attention". (I've found that the majority of the time middle school boys, even though they would never admit it and half of the times aren't really aware of it, are trying to get the attention of the girls in the room. Burping out loud seems to be something that ALL 13 year old boys do. I do think that it's good that the OP supported the teacher's form of punishment even if she didn't necessarily agree with it 100%. Teachers and parents need to be seen by students as unified.

 

[Steph9072]

Not trying to steal your thread but I have a ??? for you teachers out there too.

Not a teacher...a mom & step-Mom here. My dss (13) got a 3 hour after school detention the Friday before Valentine. The story we got was that a boy next to him said somthing in return another boy laughed, Austin says he was not lauhing. The teacher sent them him & the other two boys to the hall. While out there one of the other boys burped loudly many times. The burping was "blamed" on Austin and that is why he got the detention. However another teacher saw and heard Austin do it.

It seems like everytime he gets in trouble it "was not him none of us (his Mom, Dad or I) are stupid enough to belive he is just a victim of circumstance. My question is it normal for teenage boys to be such liar? Should punishment be handed out @ home or not. I say he should be punished for lying his Mom says no. Just wondering what everyone else thinks.