11 Plus Exams Forum

My DC's class has a continuing rowdy behaviour issue which is disrupting learning for everyone. The latest approach to controlling the behavior is whole class detentions. This strategy appears to have been introduced this week and today, Thursday, my DC has class detention at both break and lunch So after just three days, two detentions.

I understand the reasoning behind the whole class approach but, given my DC still hasn't settled into Y7, I am anxious that it's yet another reason (or, in fact, two) to hate school.

Does it work? Are there better methods that could be tactfully suggested? Any ideas gratefully received.

Thanks in advance

P.S. I hasten to add that I'm not dissing the school; I realise they are trying to do their best, I'm just worried about my DC's particular situation and response.

a difficult choice to make from a school's perspective is this in a particular subject or the form in general?

Sometimes a short, sharp shock works although stopping the boisterous fidgety ones from running off the energy can be counter productive.

The whole class approach relies on peer pressure, it can be turned the other way and be a whole class reward system reliant on good behaviour, the disruptive ones are then keeping the others from the reward. My son;s year 9 class did this and the rewrd was day out at a theme park.

His primary school also used this (I am sensing a trend here ) in year 5 they got a 'piece of pie' at the end of each day if teacher felt it was warranted, they got to vote for a treat and if they got 5 whole pies the class got the reward.

As with any reward scheme, rewards should not be removed once given there should be separate sanctions. otherwise what is the point of behaving if it is just going to be taken away again.

It has worked for DS1's school, they have moved onto whole year group detentions in Year 9 . Which take the form of a lecture from the head master!

I think it works if there is a small number of disruptive pupils as they become isolated and alienated and get lent on by the rest of he class to behave.

My DS1 used to take it personally, he was proud of his detention free record, so I explained it was not his fault and if pupils were messing around not to get involved, don't even laugh at stupid stunts in class.

It is part of the transition to a bigger school environment where things if not stamped on can get out of control so unfair as it seems I support it.


steve

I would not put up with this for a moment.
It is the last refuge of either the useless teacher who genuinely does not know who is wrecking his classes (but certainly should) or of the politically correct teacher who does not want to punish particular pupils for one reason or another.
At my DD's school they were once vaguely threatened with this (in year 6) and she would have had no hesitation whatsoever in dobbing in the culprits.

I’m broadly in agreement with Magwich here. I think whole class detentions are a bad idea because:

a) they smack of a teacher who is either unable or unwilling to single out those really responsible
b) they run the risk of sending out the wrong message to the children (ie if everyone is going to be punished anyway, what’s the incentive to behave?)
c) any punishment which deprives children of time to run around and blow off steam during the day is likely to be self-defeating in that it will result in more bad behaviour in the periods between break and lunch and in the afternoon

They may work, I suppose, but I’m sure there are better solutions as yoyo has suggested.

I'm not in favour of this on an ongoing basis. Maybe once, but the threat in itself should usually be enough. If I was doing this I would expect it to be resolved prior to having to activate the collective punishment. I don't think it can be used on an ongoing basis as it obviously isn't working and the teacher is not able to control the class, or single out the troublemakers. I also agree that this policy is very tough on the students- and staff- for the following lessons as they need a chance to run around and let off steam (the pupils, that is).

I was debating whether to post on this thread.....
but have decided I won't!

Sorry can't delete my earlier post that was here.

Many thanks for your replies and suggestions so far. To clarify:

• the detentions are different subject areas and teachers.
  since I wrote the original post, I discovered they will only last five minutes each!

Maybe the idea is that the prospect of actually losing all break and lunch time will stick in the culprits' minds over Easter so there'll be no necessity for any punishments at all next term

Red

trouble is, that this isn't that sort of school, is it Red?? It's a superselective which my boy's going to next year and I find this a bit worrying. At the school my other son is at, there is one class (not in his year) which is apparently notorious, and always has been since y7 and i do really wonder why these schools keep the same 27-30 children together in the same class for all the same lessons for THREE YEARS. Since there's no setting, I wish they'd mix them up each year. It seems utterly unfair to penalise the good for the sake of the disruptive at this sort of school. Once, maybe, as a shock tactic but this smacks of failing policy. I'd complain if I were you. I think. Although I'm very good at being brave on other people's behalf. Please let me know how this situation resolves itself!

EDIT: my post now looks a bit mad because it was referring to a post which is no longer there where someone had taught in a much "rougher" school (I know the one Red is talking about) and where they had to resort, on occasion, to class punishments with a wider thinking in mind. It was a good post, shame it went

I really do not know why these schools do not get rid of these bl**dy children who cannot behave themselves!