Standing children in the corner in class for minor issues?

KellyWelly

Well good, that makes it simpler.

Tell me why you think it is inappropriate.

Valli

ah....
now I know why you were being defensive!
so this is something you saw happening to another child (not yours?)
well - main thing is child was in class, in sight of teacher and therefore safe.
As Kelly said you don't know what other issues other children have...
Were you in the class ALL day? So you KNOW it was the first 'silly' behaviour? It might have been that the child has been warned about this on previous occasions and teacher trying to nip it in the bud.
I went into help when DS was 7. There were two children seated in isolation. One did have problems and a TA (I guess for behaviour as much as anything else but I don't know) the other (hangs head in shame) was mine. Who could NOT shut up. Until I walked in I had no idea that he was separated from others...mind you I did tell her she had no chance of shutting him up as he was (and is) an incessant talker - apparently he was getting on with HIS work but stopping everyone else...
A friend of mine had done supply in the class and said nothing...nor had any other parent helpers!

phunkles

Id say it would depend on that particular schools Behaviour for Learning policy - which should be available for parents to read either on request or on the schools website.
Ive worked in several different schools and each school has different ways of handling 'unacceptable' behaviour
- In one school it was 2 warnings, removal from the room for 5mins, then sent to another classroom - plus a 15minute after school stay behind
- In another - 2 warnings and then sent to the exclusion room for the rest of the day
- Another - 3 warnings and then it was marked on the register and the pupil would be dealt with by senior management at the end of the week
- Another one warning, pupil made to stand up for 5minutes,

Just depends on the BfL policy to how I deal with pupils - if the school has a uniform stance on punishing for 'unacceptable' behaviour its easier as a teacher to just fall into the schools stance.

louise540056

I would say this sounds very acceptable to me- it is very difficult to keep a whole class under control- believe me!!

You have no way of knowing whether this was a complete one off "hum" or whether this child uses this particular distraction technique regularly to annoy the teacher or other children.

I think it can be quite a dangerous thing to make judgements over how somebody else runs a class to be honest- unless you are there every minute of every lesson of course!

It is becoming increasingly difficult to be a teacher with the increasing number of parents who are in the mindset off "I can't believe you punished my little darling- you must have done something wrong not him", etc. These parents are effectively ruining their child's education as the child has no interest in school discipline.

milliebear00001

Seems fine to me. I have used this myself on occasion for kids who are distracting others, although I usually give a warning. If one was not given on this occasion, it might be because the whole class understand that behaviour is not tolerated and that a brief spell 'at the wall' will automatically be given as a 'time out' opportunity!

Did you say it was for humming though? What I'd do depends totally on the child/age of child/background of child/mitigating factors etc etc - all of which the teacher knows, and you (as an observer) do not. Some kids find it impossible to stop humming - it's completely unconscious - others do it to wind up the teacher. Ideally we want to deal with these children in a manner appropriate to their individual circumstances, but without being seen as inconsistent. It aint always easy!

Neeny82

I tell you what, I 'teach' or facilitate offenders on rehabilitation orders and I'm telling you now that I would rather deal with a bunch of hardened criminals than put up with what some school teachers have to deal with! You have my utmost respect!

PolishBigSpender

Being made to stand in the corner can make a child feel like an outcast. If it's for something trivial, then it's even worse.

It all depends on how and when it's used - but making a child stand in the corner for talking or humming seems to be a drastic overreaction in my eyes.

poet123

This is common practice, the child is safe, he is still in sight, and the rest of the class get a lesson in consequences.

It would not concern me if my child was dealt with in this manner. I would assume this was done at a time when quiet was needed, and it would surprise me if a prior warning had not been given, if not on that day then to the class as a whole on previous occasions.

With regard to the seeming diffferences in punishment for different offences. Those children who hit out or swear are maybe on the SEN register or have other issues of concern, and will have strategies in place to deal with these behaviours. These usually include the softly softly approach,or at least begin with with that kind of approach.

milliebear00001

PolishBigSpender wrote: »

Being made to stand in the corner can make a child feel like an outcast. If it's for something trivial, then it's even worse.

It all depends on how and when it's used - but making a child stand in the corner for talking or humming seems to be a drastic overreaction in my eyes.

Totally depends on the child/class. Repetitive humming/talking can be incredibly disruptive to the learning of the other children in the classroom. It is then THEY who are being deprived of their right to learn - not at all trivial in my view.

Sirbendy

I think they should bring it back in secondaries. I work in one as support, and I applaud one staff member I know of that actually made some kids do lines. I've never seen such a lot of whining. "Ow, my arm" etc. Bring it all back, it never did me any harm.

"Softly, softly" only works if you have kids who give a toss..bring back some of the old school corrective systems, they work just as well in "modern" classrooms.

We've had kids come from primaries that are worse than we've had in year 9, the historically hormonal "change point" where they're usually up in the air.

I think making them stand in a corner is a good idea. Lines are a good idea. Missing breaks, also good. Sending out of class is a joke - it just means they're free to disrupt other classes/wander off. Trust me, I know whereof I speak. Often, it's me that gets disrupted, which isn't ideal when I'm up to my eyes in work and wiring.

As and when my sprog goes to school, I won't be taking any messing..I have expectations of the teachers (especially as I work very closely with a lot), but I'll have expectations for the sprog too..and if something happens and it's the sprog at fault, then I won't be doing any excusing. Teachers have a damn hard job to do, sometimes in VERY trying circumstances, with downright unpleasant/uncooperative kids.

Some of the parents are less than supportive, and that's me being charitable. That's where CCTV of the lesson works well.