Is it normal for a teacher to punish the whole class for one child's misbehavior?

[Anonymous]

My child is really well behaved at school (just at school, LOL) but has had so many opportunities taken away because there are one or two kids in her class that behave really poorly. The teacher took away snack time, hands on science activities, won't let them be reading buddies with younger grades, does not allow them free time when they have indoor recess (they have to do school work), and recently took away the classroom awards system. Is this normal?

[Anonymous]

The teacher is just struggling to maintain control, it’s not about collective punishment.

Obviously no, collective punishment is not normal and what the teacher is doing is not best practice for classroom management.

Instead of asking questions you know the answer to, talk to the teacher and/or the principal.

[Anonymous]

It's a method of discipline but usually used more in private schools. It tends to make some well behaved kids so mad they start targeting the rule breaker to keep them in line. The rule breaker presumably behaves better with social/peer pressure. I don't think it works that well.

[Anonymous]

Collective punishment is improper discipline. Its actually also against the Geneva convention.
https://ihl-databases.icrc.org/en/ihl-treaties/gciv-1949/article-33

[Anonymous]

As a classroom teacher, it’s not an effective strategy. Taking away snack time is absolutely not ok. Taking away recess isn’t allowed in some districts. The science activities and buddy reading I can sort of understand as it could create more issues and further distract from learning.
It sounds like this teacher needs someone to help with classroom management.

[Anonymous]

It stinks, and my 3rd grade DD is in a similar situation. All I can tell her is that teachers can manage their classrooms however they see fit and her teacher this year finds collective punishment effective. Between her and I, I tell her she is not responsible for any other student’s behavior and I think it’s lousy her teacher is neglecting to manage the troublemakers herself. I’m grateful the school year is 2/3 over.

[Anonymous]

yes

[Anonymous]

Geez. Never heard of this.

[Anonymous]

Yes. Public school. Teacher in 2nd and 3rd did this. They don't know how to manage classroom behaviors and the Principals are no help because they don't know what to do either.

[Anonymous]

Been this way for decades.

[Anonymous]

I’d agree to complain to teacher and principal. This is a cop out. Schools - including principals - need to hold the kids acting up accountable not punish all the kids.

[Anonymous]

No. Talk to the principal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The teacher is just struggling to maintain control, it’s not about collective punishment.

Obviously no, collective punishment is not normal and what the teacher is doing is not best practice for classroom management.

Instead of asking questions you know the answer to, talk to the teacher and/or the principal.

Agree that it sounds like teacher is struggling to control the class. Some of the activities you mention have the potential to be dangerous if the teacher can’t maintain control. One mechanism some use is structure. It’s easier to control a group who is sitting at desks working than it is when they are milling about a class getting snacks, doing a science project or reading in small groups.

If the teacher senses that a kid or two is going to lose it and there is no support to deal with the kid, it’s not surprising that the teacher would institute whatever measures are available to maintain that control. In an other words it might be the best option in bad situation.

One other point. Awards systems are positive for kids who can succeed and earn the awards. But the behavior they tend to target is the same behaviors that are manifestations of a disability. So for kids with disabilities they can be negative and can be the root of problems. For example if kids get points for raising their hand, a kid who has impulse control issues and calls out instead of raising their hand is never going to be successful.

[Anonymous]

It is frequently other kids who purposely push the reactive kids buttons. So, it isn’t just the kids who act up that need to change their ways. It is frequently a larger problem than that.

That said, global punishment doesn't work.

[Anonymous]

It happens at our school and my kids and I really hate it.

The school attempted to control the lunch room by assigning seats across entire grade levels, with the carrot that the kids would be allowed to pick their seats again if they stopped getting up to talk to their friends. It was just about one of the least effective things I can imagine.