that is awful for your son. i think some teachers/heads get too bossy. they become dictators they forget they were young once. he sounds a nasty piece of work and maybe someday he will realise how pathetically he behaved. how can you gain respect by treating someone like that. my son also has had problems with a teacher at school who basically says if i set work you will do it because i want it done even if it is not going to be used towards his final mark in coursework. the teacher tried very hard to intimidate us both because i got called in to school. i ended up raising my voice because she was tearing strips off my lad in front of me i was disgusted. my son wont let me complain to the school for fear that his work will be marked down by this teacher ( it happened before ) i will complain when he has finished this term because i dont want another child going through this humiliation. it has taken my sons self esteem and he will never continue with this subject again either because he says its ruined for him.( ironically his prevoius teacher in this subject used to inspire him and helped him to gain a really good mark in gcse level hence he carried the subject on into a level, now he hates it and unfortunatley the other teacher retired, but was kind enough to write to my son at home to congratulate him on his gcse mark and told him pleased he was that he had done so well.) if all teachers were as good as the former teacher we would have a lot of well learned kids happy at school its a shame the bad ones ruin it. i truly hope your son can put this behind him but i think things like this stay with you for life at the back of you mind.i know my son has been deeply hurt by this and just hope he does well in his exams to rebuild his self esteem. take care luv sue xx

I WAS HOPING GRMNCHCK MAY HAVE SEEN THIS I WOULD APPRECIATE OTHERS THOUGHTS ON THIS ?? LUV SUE XX

I seen it Sue. Grmnchk Sorry to hear about what happened to your son. it does not suprise me. How about this as a solution. It seems that those cults that people talk about are really more fundamental than the apathy based relationshsips we trust when dealing with issues like education. Believe it or not people are actually claiming sets. Like colors or gang territory. Teachers being shipped in from other areas frown down or oppose the area where they teach and therefore predisposed to teaching correctly, why? Because of personal and human bias. Love does not work here. The cults as people call them are segregated ? no they are isolated. Teaching their own. inspiring their own. Every instance of wrong doing or contact with parents is approached form a level or understanding that is immediately recognized - all people concerned are moving towards the same collective goal. Aside from that fact public and private schools are frocked with their faults of non-inclusion where prohibition seeks to isolate some while groom others. Favoritism. Politics ( I seen this in a email recently (poli - latin for many, tic a blood sucking insect)) This is what kids are learning. In other cultures there is a community that is built around a church. that being the life function and support of the people. The schools are off and away from main accesses usually some distance after you get into the neighborhood with restricted accesses in and out. Why, cause the children are important and need to be protected. This insures their place in a productive society. Nowadays it is if I teach your kids less and my child (because of my income has a greater chance of success (by my holding your kids back) then by financial provincial right they are entitled betterment) Your kids will be dumb. The teachers kids will succeed and be greater earners when they grow up. Why? cause your kids were undermined successfully and for one complete year made to incorporate and inhabit all the lesser features. The features that exist when love is withheld. They outlash and have distresses, say things or become unruly. Seperate themselves from the society which needs them and attempts to war against the greater good since they are kept outside of the mainstream of it. Having been made so non functional they seek to destroy what they cannot be apart of. retribution for the destruction of their very lives. inclusion is the solution. That is why the teachings have to have a real world application not just theory. Not just books and a chalk board.

GRMNCHK your educators are teaching your child to put up walls and become lost to those who would have say so into his life. by those whose duty it is to guide him. A negative attraction occurs. By teachers who are already negative they reppel and send the weaker or smaller ( your child) outwardly (who knows where that is or where that will be). We all seek to be aprt of something much greater then themselves. Many will accet the first thing that accepts them. Fall into the first set of arms that will hold them. Our identity lies in our being held, in our being hugged, and cherished. That is the school you want. One that will hug your child where teachers will also hug you. Even Knowing you are coming to handle your childs bad report. That is community.

Sorry, I reread and remembered you said your child is 17 now. Never to late to start the hugging at home.

Sue, as people we learn to emmulate and become through procedure. Not many people are teachers or really educators. Alot of people just have jobs. Inwardly we reflect upon ourselves who we are and how we got here. Sounds like the teacher is looking for some self affirmation from the children and attenuation of their skill sets. If the children clap and cheer - then that is saying the teacher is generally accepted. If the entire class does this then again we learn through continuity and consistency. Say for example your child among several others do not feel the teacher is administering to their educational needs correctly. Explanations are not being understood the lessons are patchy at best and not imposing the awe effect of instilling knowledge quickly and precisely. Then resentment will occur. For both the child and for the teacher. But the child can forgive as it is their nature to. The teacher on the other hand will have to say the child is the problem. Cause the teacher will not say, "I am a bad teacher". It is in our nature to feel good about ourselves. Plus the teacher is in a position of power, strike 2 against your child ( until the teacher acually learns how to be a teacher and less judgemental) * sometimes they never learn**. If the leassons were absorbed by a previous instructor more easily then the current one then a challneg exists to obtain the confidence of the child. Therein lies your delima. My only suggestion is to speak to the child about how to handle their stresses and calmly speak to this teacher often. Asking questions and giving feedback. Persistence will reduce their level of fear over time. Also will encourage them to acquire the skills necessary to be able to express their feelings under durress. There is little to no success to come from this except gaining future life tools for comunication.

G.

Gareth thank you so much your words make so much sense i really appreciate your reply. luv sue xx will take these on board.

gareth i have spoken to my son and husband since reading your post and they were pleased to hear your comments and so i will continue to keep in touch with the school and i have talked to my son a fair bit when he feels happy to discuss it. i think he is gettin a little bit of his self belief back and im just hoping he will do well in his exams.thanks again luv sue xx

Your Welcome Sue

Take care.

G.

take care too luv sue xx

"Eventually, the more affluent who can move will. Those who cannot have to stay and be taught under the banner of education which promotes a freedom through encarceration [where schools become semi-jails] waiting to institutionalize youing children to a systematic practice of falsehood and good enough education that lacks both inspiration and understanding."

I am afraid Gareth maybe right...

~

California the nations 2nd largest school district tops the list.

This bureaucratic dragon head will be hard to sever.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/05/...ate.study/index.html