Discipline at school

puddy

meritaten wrote: »

has anyone here tried to hold their hands on their heads for 5 minutes? never mind 20 minutes!

before you have a go at welshsue then go try it! There is a reason for authority figures making people surrender with hands up or on thier heads.

This method of punishment went out with the ark - it was common during the fifties and sixties and I can assure you that it was painful in the shoulders, and when you brought your hands down the pins and needles in them were awful.

welshsue I can understand your concern and I would go talk to the teacher involved if they are there tomorow and get their version! then decide what to do.
oh and if your child is still complaining of shoulder pain in an hour or two dont hesitate to take them to A&E - there could be nerve damage.

as i say, i dont think this is a particularly effective or suitable punishment but my understanding of being surrendered with hands on heads was to ensure that the captor could keep an eye on where the hands were not specifically for humiliation

secondly, you say pain is caused, well pain is different to ache, i would expect the shoulders to ache a bit but not be in 'pain'

Spendless

Hands on head for punishment. I'd forgotten all about that. I was at Primary school in the 70s. Never had it at Secondary school either. I don't know I could sustain 20 mins though. :cool: Might give it a try. I think there might be a bit of teenage/adolescent exaggeration going on over time spent doing it. Say 'ok, I'll send a note saying 'DS has sustained an injury due to hand on hands, so in future can he be excluded and do an after school detention instead' see if he changes his story then.

Ok, going off to put hands on head and ask my kids (9 and 12) if they were ever given same as punishment. Totally expecting them to look like they do, when I tell them, I grew up in a house without central heating, landline phone and the tv only had 3 channels.

:rotfl::rotfl:

cottonhead

Im not calling your son a liar but 20 mins and for no reason ? The teachers would have to be insane. What a waste of their time and knwoing full well they could get in trouble. I dont think you have the full story.
Personally I would support the teacher in any punishment. Respect for authority and rules is sadly lacking and getting worse becauae parents do not suport the teachers but constantly try to challenge them as well ! If your son was personally innocent thats not nice but actually an important lesson too. Shows that whoever behaves badly impacts on the whole of the class and perhaps they wil think again and those thinking of causing trouble might not.
At secondary school kids know right from wrong. If they cant behave they deserve all they get.

mountainofdebt

for anyone who thinks the teacher was ott I wish they would realise that there are very few things a teacher can do to discipline unruly pupils and, unfortunately, pupils know this.

no doubt the OP would have had a fit, if she had been my mum and I came telling her that a teacher had thown a board rubber at a pupil but had missed.

aliasojo

mountainofdebt wrote: »

no doubt the OP would have had a fit, if she had been my mum and I came telling her that a teacher had thown a board rubber at a pupil but had missed.

I'd have had a fit at that one.

That's a different situation entirely to making kids sit with their hands on their heads.

daisiegg

aliasojo wrote: »

I'd have had a fit at that one.

That's a different situation entirely to making kids sit with their hands on their heads.

I had a teacher who used to jab us with drawing pins. This was only about 12 years ago...and she still teaches at the school...

POPPYOSCAR

What a waste of everyones time sitting with their hands on their heads. I bet most of them fell asleep!!

Not much of a punishment if you ask me. Make them do something constructive instead.

cottonhead

Also wanted to add - I would be praisig the teacher for making attempts to safegaurd my childs education. So much of my own time at school was runied by trouble makers in the class.

aliasojo

daisiegg wrote: »

I had a teacher who used to jab us with drawing pins. This was only about 12 years ago...and she still teaches at the school...

Oh my life, I'd have been on a mission for that one too!

balletshoes

mountainofdebt wrote: »

no doubt the OP would have had a fit, if she had been my mum and I came telling her that a teacher had thown a board rubber at a pupil but had missed.

I had a primary school teacher like that, she would throw whatever was closest to her at the time, chalk, daffodils, erasers, board erasers etc etc - she was on the PTA with my mum and loads of other village school parents, and they all loved her :rotfl:.