Punishing the entire class for the poor behavior of a few

[Anonymous]

Is this the new norm or has my child just been unlucky with his classes?

I do not understand it. A few kids misbehave but the entire class stays inside during recess or is otherwise punished (elementary school). How can one child be expected to control the behavior of other children and why should they be held accountable for other kid's misbehavior?

I think this would lead to bullying. If a few kids disrupt the whole class, then send those few kids out to the principal.

Or is this how it is done and we deal with the consequences later in high school with bullying and I need to accept it as a part of school?

I ask this honestly (new to school system as a parent and it wasn't done this way when I was a kid), so please don't tear me apart.

Thanks!

[Anonymous]

You need to start connecting with the other parents in the class.

[Anonymous]

Not normal. Talk to the teacher.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not normal. Talk to the teacher.

+1000

--a teacher

[Anonymous]

This drives me crazy. I've seen it in a few classrooms over the years. It's awful, because the couple of kids either don't care or can't control themselves. The rest of the kids would get in more trouble if they say anything. Time off lunch, time off recess, etcetera etc. all for a couple of kids talking when they weren't supposed to. I have talked to teachers about it before--saying my kid felt like he was getting punished a lot for no reason. That teacher said it was impossible to isolate the ones doing it, so the whole class had to face the punishment. We've seen privileges taken away, heads down on desks, and overhaul of classroom rules to accommodate a few, at the expense of the others. I really wish there was a better way.

[Anonymous]

missing recess just leads to more misbehavior.

[Anonymous]

I remember teachers doing this from time to time when I was a child. I taught school. I may have done this when most of the class was noisy or disruptive--but it was rare. Maybe the teacher just doesn't want to take the kids outside.

[Anonymous]

The teacher is probably trying to invoke peer pressure. I don't really think that is a good idea.

[Anonymous]

Once in a blue moon, as a last resort, this is in the realm of acceptable. In a non-classroom situation (lunch, assembly, etc.), a little more acceptable, as the teacher has less control. But if this is a regular occurence, then talk to the teacher, and if that doesn't get results, talk to the principal. There are better forms of behavior control, starting with setting up the environment to prevent misbehavior and working up from there.

[Anonymous]

What grade?

If it is fourth or older I seriously doubt it was just a few kids...more like the majority of the class.

They were also likely given several warnings.

Reach out to the teacher and get more information.

[Anonymous]

1st grade (op)

[Anonymous]

DS comes home complaining that his teacher does this all the time. He's in 6th grade and the teacher is awful--for a number of reasons. He says there are 2 or 3 kids who act up a lot and she constantly threatens the entire class with in-school suspension. Do they even have that?

He's a good kid, toes the line, etc. and these threats freak him out. I told him not to worry about it. But seriously, sounds like she just can't control her class. She's new this year and hoping she doesn't return. The other parents I know share similar concerns and we are trying to meet with principal to discuss--something I've never felt compelled to do before.

[Anonymous]

I'm surprised people are not screaming about this. Punishing my child would violate his IEP and I suspect he is not alone.

[Anonymous]

I talked to the teacher and then principal when it was happening to DD. She's a high-energy kid who REALLLLLLY tamps down on her urges to be bouncing all over the classroom because she knows it's not appropriate. So to have her teacher punishing the whole class and keeping them from recess means DD wound up in trouble in the afternoons.

Parents talk all the time about setting their kids up for success and not taking them somewhere they have to have good behavior if they're hungry/tired/whatever. Well, teachers need to do the same thing.

Talking to the teacher was useless so I went to the principal and before I even finished my explanation he was agreeing, saying he'd heard similar complaints from other parents, and would speak with the teacher again.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm surprised people are not screaming about this. Punishing my child would violate his IEP and I suspect he is not alone.

Your child's IEP prohibits punishment? Always?