Oh dear, what a horrible time you've had... I think teachers fall prey a bit to the social services syndrome - if they're ever found not to have flagged someone who needs help then they're absolutely damned, but if they flag someone and it turns out that they're okay (actually good news!) then they're double-y damned... And unless teaching's changed alot, they're very rarely trained in any kind of depth for diagnosing physical and behavioural issues and yet it's expected that they can differentiate... If she's read a single book about ADHD, for example, and gathered that children (usually boys) with such issues can't sit still, then she may be hyper aware of it - especially since it's one of the maladies of the moment - and apply it very conscienciously, but potentially wrongly to her classes... She might have been thinking that the not-crossing-legs-neatly enough is symptomatic of a motor neuron problem, especially if she'd been told he'd seemed somewhat "clumsy" earlier... Of course anyone trained in SEN etc would laugh at that sort of diagnosis, in the same way we roll our eyes at people who "find a lump" and immediately think they have cancer, but when you don't have that training then people often feel it's better to be safe than sorry, even if it is worrying in the meantime...
I mean, she might just be a really horrible person with a huge power kick over the five year olds she teaches (erk!), but... she might just be trying too hard for the kids' sake, rather than Ofsted boxes... Though aren't even the Ofsted boxes well-intended - so it can be shown that teachers etc are aware of individual issues with individual pupils? These days that is considered to be a part of their job...
Sorry, I probably sound like I'm going for devil's advocate here, but I'm just really aware of alot of teachers who do struggle with the damned-if-the-do-damned-if-they-don't thing...
Mostly I'm just happy that GF is okay, and I hope the rest of his school year is lovely!
You're quite right to put a teacher's view across, and I really do understand and sympathise with the many pressures that teachers are under these days. I have a fair few teacher friends and I work with schools myself, so I know how much bureaucratic meddling makes everyone's life a misery.
However it's not so much the over-zealousness (or even conscientiousness) of this particular teacher that gets to me; it's her sheer bad attitude and rudeness. There's no excuse for that, no matter how much pressure you might be under. If you can't treat pupils and parents with some degree of sensitivity and respect, and are incapable of applying any tact, then you should just get out of the profession and do something you enjoy or find less stressful.
GF's preschool teachers were flagging up the same issues, but they managed to be supportive, encouraging and duly sensitive throughout. I just can't figure out why certain teachers set out to demoralise parents rather than getting them on side. As with all "people" professions, it's all about bedside manner - which costs nothing!
That sounds awful! How dare she make you feel like that?? I do wonder what the world is coming too, when the schooling system treats childres like that from such a young age. Good luck with the pareent teacher evening, I hope it goes well.
I mean, she might just be a really horrible person with a huge power kick over the five year olds she teaches (erk!), but... she might just be trying too hard for the kids' sake, rather than Ofsted boxes... Though aren't even the Ofsted boxes well-intended - so it can be shown that teachers etc are aware of individual issues with individual pupils? These days that is considered to be a part of their job...
Sorry, I probably sound like I'm going for devil's advocate here, but I'm just really aware of alot of teachers who do struggle with the damned-if-the-do-damned-if-they-don't thing...
Mostly I'm just happy that GF is okay, and I hope the rest of his school year is lovely!
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You're quite right to put a teacher's view across, and I really do understand and sympathise with the many pressures that teachers are under these days. I have a fair few teacher friends and I work with schools myself, so I know how much bureaucratic meddling makes everyone's life a misery.
However it's not so much the over-zealousness (or even conscientiousness) of this particular teacher that gets to me; it's her sheer bad attitude and rudeness. There's no excuse for that, no matter how much pressure you might be under. If you can't treat pupils and parents with some degree of sensitivity and respect, and are incapable of applying any tact, then you should just get out of the profession and do something you enjoy or find less stressful.
GF's preschool teachers were flagging up the same issues, but they managed to be supportive, encouraging and duly sensitive throughout. I just can't figure out why certain teachers set out to demoralise parents rather than getting them on side. As with all "people" professions, it's all about bedside manner - which costs nothing!
Lx
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Good luck with the pareent teacher evening, I hope it goes well.
*hugs*
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