A harsh punishment or fair enough?

poet123

I find it worrying that some posters thought child C was a sneak, or worse, responsible for what happened after she had spoken to the teacher. How can bullying be eradicated in schools if kids who try to do the right thing are looked at askance?

If child C was mine I would be proud that they had looked at something and decided to let a teacher decide if it needed action rather than just stay silent to be in with the crowd.

gingin_2

Lunar_Eclipse wrote: »

My main gripe with this scenario is that the kids are in an environment with a traffic light system. I've experienced it with 2 teachers & sadly, it didn't help raise overall behaviour, it just emotionally upset the very well behaved ones if they had an uncharacteristic 'bad moment'

Couldn't agree more. It sounds like quite a negative system that I cannot see can be implemented fairly.

Lunar_Eclipse

gingin wrote: »

Couldn't agree more. It sounds like quite a negative system that I cannot see can be implemented fairly.

Those were my thoughts at the time.

(Just deleted my post, before seeing this or I would have left it, because I then read the posts about the kids playing etc and decided it wasn't very fitting.)

Saturnalia

poet123 wrote: »

I find it worrying that some posters thought child C was a sneak, or worse, responsible for what happened after she had spoken to the teacher. How can bullying be eradicated in schools if kids who try to do the right thing are looked at askance?

If child C was mine I would be proud that they had looked at something and decided to let a teacher decide if it needed action rather than just stay silent to be in with the crowd.

Yes there are kids who try to do the right things for the right reasons - but there are also nasty little teacher's pets who love nothing more than snitching to get everyone else told off. Great way to get the drama they crave while looking whiter than white themselves.

And we have no idea whereabouts in that picture Child C fits, do we?

Cat501

Saturnalia wrote: »

Yes there are kids who try to do the right things for the right reasons - but there are also nasty little teacher's pets who love nothing more than snitching to get everyone else told off. Great way to get the drama they crave while looking whiter than white themselves.

And we have no idea whereabouts in that picture Child C fits, do we?

No, we don't - so on the basis of what we DO know, I'm very much inclined to give Child C the benefit of the doubt.

poet123

Saturnalia wrote: »

Yes there are kids who try to do the right things for the right reasons - but there are also nasty little teacher's pets who love nothing more than snitching to get everyone else told off. Great way to get the drama they crave while looking whiter than white themselves.

And we have no idea whereabouts in that picture Child C fits, do we?

So, we tar them all with the same brush?

It really is no wonder bullies thrive if that is how adults view kids who take information to a teacher and so allow an adult to look at a situation rather than do nothing.

indigo739X

These children were 9 for goodness sake! They love making stuff up and play-acting with each other. I see nothing wrong in what went on - kids will be kids and that is how they LEARN!

The teacher was wrong to get involved directly with something she had not witnessed and was relying on hearsay to punish a child. This kind of ill-informed punishment constrains the ability of children to use their imagination and have fun.

On the other hand! It is not an easy job teaching kids and I don't think the issue is big enough to make a fuss of. The danger is if you attach too much attention - it blows the whole thing out of proportion.

robpw2

what was the punishment , i stern talking too is not harsh ! perhaps they should have given them the cane for lying- that would be harsh !!

mikey72

poet123 wrote: »

So, we tar them all with the same brush?

It really is no wonder bullies thrive if that is how adults view kids who take information to a teacher and so allow an adult to look at a situation rather than do nothing.

I agree entirely. It's a good teacher that knows the difference, and has the courage to act on it. But to encourage turning a blind eye, and branding anyone that defends others a snitch is a sad reflection on adults that ultimately encourage bullying.
What happened here seems fair, and the teacher seems to be making the right call.

Dunroamin

indigo739X wrote: »

These children were 9 for goodness sake! They love making stuff up and play-acting with each other. I see nothing wrong in what went on - kids will be kids and that is how they LEARN!
.

And child B will now have learned not to do this sort of thing again!