Bad behaviour?

[Gemchloe]

My daughter's teacher has had a chat with me a few times now about her behaviour during work time and I am unsure what to do about this as at home I have difficulty getting her to stop reading and writing. The teacher says she is 'silly' and that she will not work for her. The last time she said this my daughter had been sent to sit outside the headteacher's room to finish her work. She is in reception and has just turned 5 I can't help thinking this is a bit of an odd punishment for a young child? I'm unsure what to do as I don't want to offend the teacher but I also don't want my child to continue this way as I feel it will lead to her hating school? Is it reasonable to ask to sit in or watch the class at some point?

[Trinny]

Hi Gemchloe, yes this does seem a bit extreem for your daughter, and only in reception class too. She is just getting used to school, and probably getting distracted during lessons. Could you ask that she be moved to another table, as I know, from my sons "chatty" behaviour at school, that it worked when he was moved.

You shouldnt have to worry about offending the teacher, its her job to teach. And if she is unable to cope with 5 year olds, then she cant be much of a teacher.

You do the best for your daughter. You could ask if you could sit in class, but it may make your daughter feel awkward, and you may not achieve much. But if you want to see how lessons are taught, then I think you should be able to do this.

Sometimes children act silly in class, as its their way of being accepted by other children. Again, my son did that too. And I had a word with his teacher, and him, and said to keep the chatting to playtimes.

Tell your daughter how bright and clever she is, and that she should show her teacher that too (kids love praise)

Being a parent is not easy huh! Good luck

[Le Chat]

Gemchloe. I was shocked when I read your post. Up until the part when you mentioned her age, I assumed that you were talking about a teenager.
Your daughter's teacher is an ass. Your daughter is 5! She has every right in this world to be silly. I am disgusted at her being sent to finish work outside the headteacher's room and I certainly would have told the incompetent fool of a teacher that in no uncertain terms!!
Yes, she will start to hate school if she is singled out like this.
The teacher is offending both you and your daughter and the reasonable thing to do would be to address this head on..........firstly with the teacher concerned and then the head.
I really am quite appalled after reading this and am not normally given to such high emotion!

[Aunty Lou]

Hi
I am appauled and astounded at what I have read ,Children learn through exploration and play I can't believe how this so called teacher has treated your child I agree with both the above posts see the teacher and be assertive! Children will not learn if they are not happy and I cannot believe for one minute that your child enjoys being sat outside the head teachers room!
Maybe her "teacher" needs to take a different tack with your daughter and make her learning fun them maybe she will want to work!
good luck with this and dont forget what Trinny said tell her how clever she is and make sure she knows you are proud of her whatever she does(your daughter not the teacher!)
Poor little mite
Any teacher should not be afraid to have a parent sitting in to observe and join in ,as long as they bring biscuits! I insist on them in my class!!!!!!!

[Fairie]

Silly... 5 years old....let me think.... is that teacher on the same planet as us!! i am studying eduaction at the moment and realise the best way to get children to do what we want is praise and encouragement, she sounds liek a bright young girl, most children dont get to be called silly till they are 10 !! lol tell the teacher you dont think its acceptable to sent her outside the head's office and see if she has any better ways of dealing with her.

[smiley07]

That is appauling.a teacher treating a 5 year old like that children are so innocent they can be silly etc.........you need to say what you think in nicest poss way maybe speak to headteacher..shes 5 years old...........................

[curiosity]

I agree with everyone this is terrible behaviour on the teachers part! Most people think teachers are experts in children, but my sister who is an early years co ordinator & teacher was astounded this week when one school she went to were giving a brief at a meeting about standards of handwriting for nursery kids! These people have NOT done child development courses, children need to be physically developed enough to learn a skill, once the physical ability has developed then yes practice will develop it further, but not until then. Your daughter is 5 this is not bad behaviour on her part, and can be moulded with a far more positive response than punishment. Just a note though, when my daughter was in reception (she's 16 now) the teacher never mentioned anything to me all year, but on her report it said "silly and doesn't listen in group work" I saw the teacher and said "does she not listen or not hear?" the teacher looked awkward and clearly hadn't thought of that. My daughter had glue ear and needed gromits. I'd check your daughters hearing at the GP just in case, the specialist said it's a terrible experience for kids with lower hearing in a noisy classroom, it's like being at the swimming baths all the time. She was fine after the gromits, A* student! Good Luck.