Son's Maths teacher openly discussed his exam results with the classroom

In spirit with other posters here, tell him to man the EF up. Before you know it that lad will be sitting down when he pees. Then my friend, you have real problems.
 
Would you have started this thread if he was in the smarter class, and the teacher told the students in the lower class he got moved up because he got a 2? No you would not.
 
...some of his friends met up with him and told him that his maths teacher told the credit class that he only got a 3/4 which was why he wasn't in that credit class now.

Everyone knows that credit is 1/2 and general is 3/4. The fact that he's not in the credit class and is in a general class means is blatantly obvious he got a 3 or a 4 and from what you've written the teacher seems to have only made a general statement about it when asked by his peers.

In any case you could arrange to visit the school and request that he's placed in the credit class regardless of that result. The class they go in is discretionary and not set in stone but the school will be looking for assurances from you that your son will work to achieve the required grades in the future.
 
Exam results, when I was in school and on my undergrad course, were pasted to the wall. Don't see the issue.

This......

when I was at Bradford Uni results were posted on departmental notice board. One exam (I think it was Human Nutrition) I scored 11% (that eleven) and everyone saw it. It just motivated me to pull my thumb out so I wouldn't be at the bottom again. Taking out some grievance against the lecturer / department head did not enter my mind and I didn't feel I was being harassed or persecuted. That results are what they are, so if you get a crap one its your own fault.

I go with the man up camp on this one. Puting in a complaint about the teacher serves zero purpose other than that of petty vengeance and oneupship........
 
I started this thread because my son was upset by a teacher and i wanted to know if the teacher had the right to do what they did.

I dare say that he would not have been so upset if the embarrassment was less.

On another note, he has seen the light of day this morning, after sleeping on it and will not be pushing it any further.

I have re-iterated to him that he needs to work harder to ensure that slip ups like this are not given the opportunity to happen and, although he does not know it yet, he will be starting a revision regime this weekend which is going to eat into his online gaming time.


Would you have started this thread if he was in the smarter class, and the teacher told the students in the lower class he got moved up because he got a 2? No you would not.
 
People only tend to get moved down a set for poor results. If the teacher was to say "personal reasons" or just not comment at all then it would only fuel rumour. If he had said, "What a thicko! He only got a 3!" then I would object, but if it was merely a statement of fact then I don't see a problem. It also serves as a reminder to kids who are in a similar situation, but perhaps scraped through, that they can't be lax.

It's a valuable life lesson that your son has learned. Doing worse than you expected happens to all of us every now and again. I did worse than I expected in my first set of A Level maths exams. I was devastated at the time but it was probably the best thing that could happen to me as I'd never really screwed up anything before. I sorted myself out, got an A in Maths, an A in Further Maths, an A in Physics and I went on to get a first at university reading Maths. He can turn it around if he wants to and it's better to get a kick in the backside while there's time to do something about it.
 
Reminds me of my English teacher, Mr Lawrence embarrassing me infront of the class by reading an essay I wrote on Patriotism, the case against it, pointing out factual errors and such. No problems sir.

He drove a little Mini that 6 of us carefully tipped upside down NOT to cause any damage and flattened all the tires. This was a few days later. He came to me and said he knew I had something to do with it but couldn't prove it. I just smiled.
 
Indeed - very well put - I am hoping his reaction wil be as admirable as yours was.

thank you for that


People only tend to get moved down a set for poor results. If the teacher was to say "personal reasons" or just not comment at all then it would only fuel rumour. If he had said, "What a thicko! He only got a 3!" then I would object, but if it was merely a statement of fact then I don't see a problem. It also serves as a reminder to kids who are in a similar situation, but perhaps scraped through, that they can't be lax.

It's a valuable life lesson that your son has learned. Doing worse than you expected happens to all of us every now and again. I did worse than I expected in my first set of A Level maths exams. I was devastated at the time but it was probably the best thing that could happen to me as I'd never really screwed up anything before. I sorted myself out, got an A in Maths, an A in Further Maths, an A in Physics and I went on to get a first at university reading Maths. He can turn it around if he wants to and it's better to get a kick in the backside while there's time to do something about it.
 
Its so minor, just forget it.

It would be stupid to push it any further, what would you want out of it? An apology that wont mean anything or money which is just obscene.

Your sons future friends/peers/colleagues are going to find out far worse things about him then a maths result which means nothing...
 
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Should have tried harder if he wanted to hang with the smart kids.

Seriously, you shouldn't be encouraging his victim complex, it's his fault he didn't make the grade, what was he going to do, make up stories to his friends why he wasn't in that class anymore? Is lying to your friends better than accepting the truth?

Exactly!.

If he was my son, I'd tell him to man up and work harder if he wants to hang out with smart kids.

In the real world, once he is looking for work, he will have to compete for jobs. In the USA, the spirit of competition is actively encouraged and nurtured from a very young age. The best rise to the top and all children need to be taught this.

This is not a big deal and he should be told to work harder and apply himself better. I'm sure he can still improve and get himself into the "smart kids'" class.

And with regards to the teacher telling other students: the teacher probably told the other students that the reason why a child is not in the smart kids' class is because he didnt make the grade. Simple. There is no big secret to this...surely?
 
It's a valuable life lesson that your son has learned. Doing worse than you expected happens to all of us every now and again. I did worse than I expected in my first set of A Level maths exams. I was devastated at the time but it was probably the best thing that could happen to me as I'd never really screwed up anything before. I sorted myself out, got an A in Maths, an A in Further Maths, an A in Physics and I went on to get a first at university reading Maths. He can turn it around if he wants to and it's better to get a kick in the backside while there's time to do something about it.

Good on you!
I like to hear inspirational stories like this.

Perhaps the OP should show his son this post. Rather than getting himself down, he needs to work harder and get back into the "smart kids'" class.
 
Hmm, I find it strange that he would get dropped down a tier because of a single exam result. He essentially worked in the advanced class all year, I imagine his class work was up to standard? then he messed up the exam, so they drop him to a class where he'll be less challenged?? I would have expected the people in charge to weigh up his classwork before dropping him, rather than the results of a single examination
 
Hmm, I find it strange that he would get dropped down a tier because of a single exam result. He essentially worked in the advanced class all year, I imagine his class work was up to standard? then he messed up the exam, so they drop him to a class where he'll be less challenged?? I would have expected the people in charge to weigh up his classwork before dropping him, rather than the results of a single examination

It is automatic essentially, even if you have sustained credit level work throughout the year unless you appeal you will probably get moved down a level, harsh as it may be.

Someone said that parents can exert influence to change that decision, but I guess it doesn't happen that often most people should be content with the system as is.
 
OP, address my point on the previous page. The scenario as you've explained it isn't possible.

It is depending on the school and its size.

We had several math classes in our year, two credit two general one foundy. Same with History, I achieved a 1 for history but was actually in the Gen/Cred not the Cred/Gen class. When moving onto higher history for example I was in what would be considered the lower class, as the pupil composition did not change moving the two classes up into higher.

You get me? Same course, but still what could be considered two sets of 'credit' and 'credit/general' aptitudes. Even though I got a 1 for Standard Grade and an A for Higher.

Perhaps he just got confusesd with terminology if it is something like this.
 
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It is depending on the school and its size.

We had several math classes in our year, two credit two general one foundy. Same with History, I achieved a 1 for history but was actually in the Gen/Cred not the Cred/Gen class. When moving onto higher history for example I was in what would be considered the lower class, as the pupil composition did not change moving the two classes up into higher.

You get me? Same course, but still what could be considered two sets of 'credit' and 'credit/general' aptitudes.

Perhaps he just got confusesd with terminology if it is something like this.

But you don't have a credit/general paper in a Higher class. Everyone sits exactly the same exam and are taught the same thing so I don't understand why you would have a lower ability class for the same exam.
 
But you don't have a credit/general paper in a Higher class. Everyone sits exactly the same exam and are taught the same thing so I don't understand why you would have a lower ability class for the same exam.

I know, and I said as much. However the composition of higher classes matched exactly the standard grade numbers.

Might be trivial or irrelevent, but we did cover slightly different topics as well certainly at Standard Grade and the status quo of Cred/Gen and Gen/Credit was maintained even if in spirit alone. The other class done the Russian Revolution and we didn't do anything on that, although that was at Standard Grade not Higher. A while ago so memory is slightly hazy.

We must study more units than are tested though.
 
But you don't have a credit/general paper in a Higher class. Everyone sits exactly the same exam and are taught the same thing so I don't understand why you would have a lower ability class for the same exam.

Not everyone sits the same exam. You can take a lower level exam if you so wish to which is generally capped at a C grade. No point learning material B and above if your not going to take that exam.
 
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