Your thoughts please.

paulineb_2

mumps wrote: »

But how will the OP find out if they don't raise the issue?

They might not find out exactly what happened even if they raise it.
Its absolutely their choice, but as I said before, it doesnt matter whether the OP says they dont want any action taken against the teacher, that decision could be out of their hands.

mumps

paulineb wrote: »

They might not find out exactly what happened even if they raise it.
Its absolutely their choice, but as I said before, it doesnt matter whether the OP says they dont want any action taken against the teacher, that decision could be out of their hands.

They might not find out but surely it needs looking at? If another nine year old is making up stories like this they might need some sort of help, does it suggest something is wrong so she is attention seeking or something. If papers are left lying on the gym floor that must be worth a reminder to teachers. If the OPs child has a problem, e.g. dyslexia, I think the parents have a right to know.

Re action taken against the teacher it is right that the decision isn't the OPs. The Head, the Governors or Education Authority will make whatever decision is appropriate. What do you think is wrong with that?

fluffnutter

dktreesea wrote: »

While you may be right, we are way too precious about our teachers in Britain, putting them on pedestals and not daring to criticise them in case they take it out on our sons and daughters. It's about time we all held teachers to account a bit more than we do. Their behaviour at times is diabolical.

Leaving notes like that out for 9 year olds to read is beyond the pale. They shouldn't have been kept in the classroom - a staff room would have been more secure - much less out and about where kids can have access to them. What gives the teacher the right to claim a child has "too many operations", much less leave her opinion lying around on paper for others to see? Or to say someone is dyslexic if he/she doesn't have adequate training to be able to make that diagnosis?

OP, I wouldn't put up with this. I would bypass the school and have a word about your concerns with the council.

What should the council do? Particularly as their first question (if indeed they get involved at all) will be 'What did the school say when you raised this with them?'.

Talk about an over-reaction. Plus I'm intrigued as to these 'diabolical' acts you speak of. Can you provide examples please? And I don't mean some scurrilous tale of paedophilia, I mean genuine, common examples of how teachers (all of them it would seem) behave diabolically.

I hate profession-bashing. The 'all teachers are rubbish' and 'doctors - what do they know?' and 'nurses are evil'. It's always these key professions, these public servants if you like, and it's invariably trotted out by someone who doesn't bother to formulate opinions based on experience and rationality. Nah, they just open the DM and regurgitate the bile they find inside.

maman

gunsandbanjos wrote: »

Ok, I interrogated the tiny human on our walk to school.

It appears these notes were lying on the gym hall floor.

She didn't read them, so I totally agree I'm getting third hand info from a 9 year old.

I do intend to have a word with the head (whether this marks my card or not)
I do not intend to name the teacher to him unless asked, I'm not interested in teachers being disciplined. I only want to know what was actually written and have his assurance that staff will be more diligent in future.

:wave:just read your thread!!

Sadly it's flushed out the usual OTT advice, the teacher and/or parent bashers (Thank god I don't know people like that in RL).

I think your approach is fine. I'm sure you'll couch your conversation with the fact that it's hearsay from a child. It's possible the paper was dropped from a file or maybe the child did go snooping. Who knows? Whatever the circumstances, it does sound as if these notes do exist.

They sound like the sort of shorthand notes a teacher might make perhaps prior to discussion with Head or next class teacher. Schools are required to identify 'gifted and talented' to ensure that bright pupils are challenged and not lost amongst the support given to others. I agree with the poster who said the dyslexia note may be just a 'be aware' note and very probably linked to your daughter's eye problem. Same thing with the 'too many operations'. I'd bet the teacher didn't mean it in a derogatory way just that her progress might be hampered by missing school a lot.

I'd like to think that the head will apologise profusely for the distress caused by this breach of security and explain these were rough, 'aide-memoire' notes that the teacher should have taken more care with. I doubt it'll be a disciplinary offence. I'd suggest you say you don't want that (or the child concerned disciplined either) but perhaps a 'word in the ear' to the teacher from the Head (I'm sure this will happen) and an honest discussion with yourself about how your child's medical condition is affecting her learning and what you and the school can do for her.

Then you can put it behind you and focus on supporting her.:)

meer53

Mountain and molehills springs to mind for me. Chinese whispers too.

Don't mention the notes, make an appointment with the teacher and ask them how the child is doing and are there any concerns. Or wait for parents evening and ask the questions then.

9 year old girls can be drama queens, mine certainly was (and at 13 still is)

balletshoes

paulineb wrote: »

I agree with this. My mum is a teacher and I cant ever recall her making notes about any child unless its been on jotters or a report card situation.

Also, how would you feel if the teacher ended up disciplined? Not saying that means writing the notes was correct, but be prepared that if you do make an issue of this, the teacher could be in the worst case scenario suspended.

Id make a decision when you have cooled off somewhat.

i think this needs to made an issue of - if there are notes being made about each pupil, the head teacher should know about it (maybe they already do, maybe its a way of passing communications on from one teacher to another etc). However, these notes should not be anywhere where the children can read them, and as they apparently have been, the head teacher needs to know.

i'm not a hothead at all, i have not yet gone in all guns blazing to any of my daughter's schools, but i'd be requesting a meeting with the head over this - especially concerning my own child and the notes being made about her, which I haven't been made privy to.

The gifted and talented thing - i don't think theres anything untoward about that to be honest, the teachers do make notes of anyone on their register who is on the gifted and talented roll, and the child and their parents know it (or should have been informed). So its no big secret.

gunsandbanjos

paulineb wrote: »

If someone was disciplined that decision might be out of your hands. Im also sure the school would be able to work out who the teacher was.

Also, notes lying on a gym hall floor? Thats stretching the boundaries of credibility in my view, these notes could have been anywhere, and you are getting the information of where they read the notes third hand as well.

In fact, you dont actually know that there were any notes at all, because you werent there. Id tread very carefully.

If it is a disciplinary matter then so be it. I would expect to be disciplined in my job if I didn't do something properly so why not the same case here?

I'll ignore your thinly veiled calling of my child a liar.

I intend to tread carefully, I said on the first page of this thread that I would have a quiet word, I most certainly won't go in and start shouting as that would be ridiculous frankly.

I think i've come across as a reasoned human being on this thread and my time on MSE generally, why anyone would think otherwise is beyond me.

lavandergirl_2

Guns, how well do you know your child's friend? Do you think she is a good or bad influence on your child .

Thread carefully on this one. How likely it is that confidential notes are lying around the gym hall floor? Try and see all the other sides of the situation.

what is your child's reading ability? Any concerns that you would like to be addressed?

The teachers are there to support your child or any other. They mean well.

gunsandbanjos

My child's friend is lovely but I know children of this age aren't wildly reliable.

My daughters reading is very good, her maths on the other hand is terrible!!

I know the teachers mean well, at no point have I said otherwise.

itsanne

If the notes were on the gym floor, I wonder if they have simply fallen out of the teacher's bag. It's surprising that the children were unaccompanied in a gym in the first place.

Gunsandbanjos, I don't think you are reacting in any way inappropriately. You do come across as a measured poster, both in this thread and others. Don't let yourself be upset by some of the reactions on here.