Classroom shaming?

[sangtarah]

Scenario: Students in 4th grade complete a pamphlet assignment. The teacher chooses 3 to hold up to class wide scrutiny as what NOT to do, but does not identify authors. Class discusses mistakes and how bad it was. 
Is that normal? 

I think this is horrible. My view is admittedly colored by the fact that my anxious, sensitive kid with LDs was one of those examples. She worked really hard, double checked, etc. Handwriting is difficult and she has vision issues which make copying errors common. She was a mess tonight. 
Maybe I should have it written in her IEP that there should be no public shaming? 
How would you word an email to the teacher? Or would you?

 
 

[SereneHome]

I can't see how it was shaming if she kept it confidential. I would think that identifying errors in practice vs just in theory is a great way to learn. I could be wrong, I've been wrong before.

May be I would email teacher and explain your child's situation and may be ask not to use her sample work as a "teaching tool'.  Shouldn't teachers know which kids have disabilities and such??

[happi duck]

Former public school teacher here.  I think that's horrible and unnecessary.  Even without naming the authors kids always know. 

The teacher can make her *own* examples of what not to do and besides, shouldn't that teaching come before the assignment is finished?  

Sorry this happened to your dd

Eta: I don't like this approach for any kid

 

Edited January 29, 2020 by happi duck

[sangtarah]

Well, it felt shameful to her, so that’s why I chose the word. She has distinctive handwriting, so I can’t imagine that no one else knew it was hers. She endured the discussion of why her work appeared rushed, sloppy, bad, etc. The teacher pointed out and commented on the errors, but the other students discussed them. Anyway, it was torture for my child.

Agreed, happiduck. I think teachers should encourage students!

[LMD]

That's just nasty and lazy teaching. I would ask the teacher how exactly your dd was supposed to feel, having her best efforts publicly torn down by her peers? Poor kid. 

Edited January 29, 2020 by LMD

[gaillardia]

It doesn't matter if the student wasn't identified. Your daughter knew it was her work that was being critiqued. I can't imagine how that would help anyone to learn and grow, but especially when so young. It seems rather damaging to her psyche, IMO. I want to say that the teacher will most likely be backed up by the administration or that the teacher will not back down. I cannot envision the teacher even admitting it was wrong, or apologizing. 

[mathnerd]

I have seen in higher grades, all the writing work being subjected to "peer review" where a kid holds up another kid's work and critiques it and the whole class takes turns with another kid's work. I have witnessed an incident where kids circled certain phrases using red pens and wrote comments like "Loser" and "Fail" when a boy wrote a reflective and insightful essay on his feelings about economic inequalities in society. This writing class also had the teacher putting up both good and bad examples on the projector to show the class what to model and what to avoid. The teacher explained that this is done because modern management philosophies in the work place ask for periodic peer reviews and critiques in addition to boss reviews and these exercises are to prepare kids for the real world. Good teachers do try to moderate the commentary from peers so that negativity is minimized and constructive criticism is the desired outcome of such an exercise. All this to say that it is not unusual for a child's writing work to be held out in front of a class and criticized for a lot of reasons including poor grammar, poor spelling, bad phrasing, run-on sentences and "Nasty No-No's" (which includes using slang in essays amongst other things).

That being said, since your daughter has an IEP and has difficulties with her vision etc., the teacher should already be aware of them and accommodate her in the best way that she can: which means that the teacher should not have held out this student's work as an example to other kids who don't have her disadvantages. This teacher is either clueless or is insensitive. You should email the Principal or the IEP co-ordinator or the School Counselor to lodge a complaint about what happened.

[Chris in VA]

That is terrible and unprofessional practice. It absolutely is shaming--kids know their own work! And as OP said, her dd's handwriting is distinctive so others know it was hers. 

Honestly, I would be livid. I am not a confrontational person, but you bet I would be going to that teacher and calling her out on this. If it ever happened again, I would go to admin and possibly take my kid out of that class. 

It really is terrible practice. Any teacher should know this. 

ETA I do think peer review at the high school level may be ok, but there are/should be parameters put into place to teach kids how to give constrctive feedback to each other.  

Edited January 29, 2020 by Chris in VA

[SKL]

Sounds wrong to me.

I think it can be useful to show actual examples of problems excerpted and re-written/typed to mask identity.  The teacher could say "some people have used this sentence structure.  What would be a better way to write this and why?"  I think it's OK for a student to recognize that s/he is one of the people making that mistake/needing to fix it.

Not sure exactly where the line is drawn as far as the class knowing who made what mistakes.  My kids' teachers regularly have students "grade" each other's work.  I suppose it can be embarrassing for some kids to have others see their mistakes.  I am sure it is also difficult for some kids to ask questions about things that are apparently clear to their classmates.

[geodob]

Such public humiliation, in front of her classmates.  Can be a trauma that she carries throughout life?
This could effect her education from now on, where she may scared to do any work?  As it could be used to humiliate her again?

It could also be reported, to US Dept of Educations: 'Office for Civil Rights'.
Who will come and speak with this teacher.
https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/aboutocr.html

[RootAnn]

I am not a fan of the "workshop" model in writing classes (at any level) where a student's work is examined and critiqued by the class as a whole. I know many people are.

I would be livid if my kid had this happen to them. Since the OP's dd has an IEP, I'd have the teacher & the disability coordinator in a meeting tomorrow on what happened. I'd likely give the impression that the teacher must have made a mistake picking my child's work for this exercise and try to get her to realize how wrong it was to do this type of shaming at all. (Would pointing out good examples be more helpful?)

[Storygirl]

I have two children with IEPs, and I would absolutely be contacting the teacher about this. Do it via email, so that you have a written record of the conversation with the teacher, and copy the IEP case manager or intervention teacher or an administrator. Since she has an IEP, it's appropriate for another member of the IEP team to be included in the conversation. Be polite but firm that this felt like shaming to your daughter, which is an unacceptable way for the school to address LDs in the classroom.

You can call for an IEP meeting, even if it is not time for the annual review. My daughter with dyslexia has accommodations for not being penalized for misspellings; for teachers to ask her orally to explain written answers, if they cannot read what she has written; and for her to not be required to read aloud, unless she has advanced notice and a chance to prepare. These kind of things can be included, and if they are included, I think it would prevent teachers from using her work as examples in this way again.

I'm sorry this happened. Try to be clear and firm in your email without sounding angry or accusing.

[Harriet Vane]

Absolutely, totally unacceptable. For any kid, and that goes quadruple for a kid with documented challenges and an IEP. What a terrible experience!!! First of all, as you know all too well, the experience of sitting through a public critique (without warning!) is horrifying. I am almost fifty years old and I would find that a difficult situation to sit through. Second, there's nothing truly anonymous about what happened--saying it was anonymous is a laughable fiction.

I would definitely go not just to the teacher, but go above her to her boss. That should never happen to any child.

I am sorry your dear daughter had to suffer through that. Many hugs for her.

[Hadley]

Another former teacher here chiming in to say that this is absolutely unacceptable.  My heart hurts for your little girl.

The teacher also ignored basic good teaching techniques.  She should have modeled the assignments for the kids with a correct example.

I would contact the teacher and request that she meets with you and your daughter as well. Teachers, just like the rest of us, make huge mistakes.  She owes your daughter a sincere apology.  She also needs to make your daughter feel safe in her classroom by assuring her her this will never happen again.

Big hugs 

[SereneHome]

Oh wow, I would have never thought it was such a big problem.  I am not nor ever have been a teacher and I didn't go through K-12 in US, but I wouldn't think for a second that this was such horrible practice. I mean, how is it different from a kid being called to answer questions out loud and being told that his answers are wrong and explained why. Or is it not done in schools here?

And yes,peer review was done in college and at various companies my husband and I worked. "360 review" has become very popular.

ETA: I do think that how it's done is very important. If the teacher does it with tact and explains that the process is to help everyone to learn better and that everyone makes mistakes and the rotates the samples from various students, I think it could be a helpful tool.

 

Edited January 29, 2020 by SereneHome

[KungFuPanda]

I can see and argument for learning to give and accept constructive criticism. Learning to use a critique to improve your work without taking it as an insult to your entire being is a skill some people would benefit from acquiring. Even then, I’d prefer a “glow and grow” approach where you include what went well in the discussion. 

It sounds like this teacher just facilitated a pile-on. I’m not sure that’s remotely helpful. Was this even a first draft situation where they have a chance to work on THAT assignment? It doesn’t sound like it. I’m a person who values peer critique, but I can’t even see the benefits here.  In this situation. it just seems mean. 

[Garga]

My son who has learning challenges would be devastated.  

I would have been devastated as a kid if that happened to me, and I don’t have learning challenges.

Before I had a kid with learning challenges, I never knew just how stinkin’ HARD they can work to produce so-so results.  A lot of blood, sweat, and tears can go into a “sloppy” project and sometimes it’s the BEST these kids can do.

That teacher needs the feedback.  She honestly doesn’t get learning challenges.

[Emba]

I would be talking to the teacher, in person. Too many subtleties get lost in email, and I hate the lack of facial expression in phone calls.

 I have learned a lot through peer workshop writing classes. I feel that they’re valuable and I’ve led a co-op class of teenagers in a peer critique writing workshop. I spent a lot of time teaching how to constructively critique first.

That is not what you’re describing, and especially if these were the final projects, I can’t see how it would be helpful.  The choice to use your DD’s work also seems particularly insensitive. 

If you do talk to the teacher, though, try not to go down there all raging mama bear, as tempting as it is. You’ll get further by staying calm. Most teachers do care about their students, even if in a classroom full of them, they can’t give each one the attention we as mothers might feel they deserve. Let her know, factually and calmly, how your daughter was affected. Put forth any logical reasons you might have for your disagreement with that method of teaching. But honestly, the emotional effects on your daughter are going to probably be more convincing to her. I’ve never had any luck convincing teachers to agree with my pedagogical opinions.

[Valley Girl]

Do teachers really think this kind of thing is "anonymous"? Aside from the fact that the kids know their work has been held up, often OTHER students know whose work is being displayed. This kind of thing was unpleasant when I encountered it in the corporate world as an adult. I can only imagine how hard it is for a kid. For an especially sensitive one, it can make him/her anxious about the next time the teacher decides to use student work as an example. If the teacher has used this lesson before, it might have been more helpful to review common mistakes BEFORE students began work. Or she could have noted what went wrong and simply given reminders based on it before the next assignment. No need to embarrass young ones.

[Soror]

I think it is lazy and mean teaching too. Especially horrible considering that she used students with IEPs, shame on her.

Students will see when those are returned who they belong to, even if they don't they will know it the whole time.

A better way to do this would be to take things from the work that needed to be improved and for her to make her own examples to show how to fix these mistakes, that would have accomplished the goal without humiliating anyone.

I would have to calm down before I talked to her because my gut reaction would be to shame her for her horrible teaching the way she shamed my child!

[Library Momma]

That is completely unacceptable.  If an elementary level teacher did that here there would be severe consequences.  I have seen teachers use positive examples in classrooms but it is never the work of a current student.  Usually it is a student from prior years and names are never apparent.

They also do use peer review here in middle and high school but if a student wasn't taking it seriously and wrote "fail" or something similar on another students work they would get a zero on their own assignment.  I've actually seen that happen.

I am however referring to experiences with public and private prep schools.  Other private schools like parochial schools are a whole different story in my area.  I've heard some crazy stories as they do not require teaching certifications of any kind.  Not that it is necessarily a problem but it can be more difficult to hold teachers accountable.  

 

 

[J-rap]

I'm sorry for your dd.  I remember teachers holding up actual assignments as good examples, but not bad examples.  😞 

[SquirrellyMama]

4 minutes ago, Library Momma said:

I am however referring to experiences with public and private prep schools.  Other private schools like parochial schools are a whole different story in my area.  I've heard some crazy stories as they do not require teaching certifications of any kind.  Not that it is necessarily a problem but it can be more difficult to hold teachers accountable.  

 

 

I went to Catholic school until 6th grade. Our priest would come to each class to hand out report cards. He would absolutely rip people apart. It was horrifying!

[Mbelle]

I think that is just lazy and igrnorant teaching at the expense of the students.  I'm sorry your child had to endure that.  

Some people believe shaming is the way to motivate and manipulate people and unfortunatly these people are not astute enough to realize the serious harm it does.  

I would definitely make sure someone knows about this. 

[MysteryJen]

Lazy and mean-sprited teaching. Using an example from a child with an LD is so far from acceptable, that I would be emailing, calling, and meeting with teacher and principal in person.

Peer-review is also lazy teaching for the most part and was never useful for me.  Creative writing, maybe, but actual essays- nope. If teachers assign writing- they should be grading it. Isn't that their job?

Peer-review also exposed my dd2's dsylexia for the class to see- without her consent and although she is pretty tough- it was a rough day in class her sophomore year in high school. Her teacher apologized to her and she was able to confront the worst of the comments in private meetings with a couple of classmates.

[MercyA]

That is all kinds of wrong. Shame on her. 😡

Edited January 29, 2020 by MercyA

[prairiewindmomma]

Not ok. I would be calling my child’s IEP case manager. In my particular circumstances, I would also be emailing the school principal because that is where power lies in my kid’s school. My kid has significant dysgraphia (bad handwriting) but is a top student. If bad handwriting was pointed out, everyone in that classroom knew it was my kid because their handwriting is distinctive. He 100% cannot “choose” this disability and has significant accommodations available to him through his IEP including being judged on content not “messiness”. I am generally a pretty chill mom but this would be a hill for me to die on, iykwim. 

[sassenach]

I am fuming on your behalf. I would go full mama bear on that. And, yes, I would email the whole IEP team, describe the incident and demand that “no public shaming” be put into her IEP. That will make a damn fine point. 

[Tanaqui]

That is very much not okay.

As for peer review, that's a skill that has to be taught BEFORE you inflict it upon your hapless students... and if you can't 100% guarantee that you will be on top of making sure all criticism is constructive and nobody is sneaking in bullying, then you shouldn't do it. (Relatedly, do not have kids read their creative writing aloud unless you've at least glanced at the material beforehand. No, there's no possible way that asking students to riff off Sonnet 130 could possibly end in tears, right? Golly, nobody would possibly use the form of a sonnet to attack their classmates! Years later I still can't believe my teacher was so incompetent that he didn't see that coming, and yet...!)

[barnwife]

My heart dropped reading this...and I have been a public school 4th grade teacher! First, the "what to do" and "what not to do" examples should be given before a project is done (and in fact, may have been). Also, my examples for those would have come from previous years and/or things I made up just for that situation.

If there is going to be class editing, I'd have pulled the samples back out and then asked students to check for specific things in their own work. I just don't think most 4th graders are mature enough to do peer editing of projects well. 

I hope you do address this with the teacher and IEP team. 
 

[Guest]

My DD makes her own "what not to do" and "how this can be done" examples for her Online class-and she's a teen who has not had any formal teaching training. No teacher should be using recognizable student work as an example of what not to do. Using something from a past class, with no identifying details, maybe. And yes, you do that before the kids even start the project, not afterwards. 

 

[Storygirl]

1 hour ago, emba56 said:

I would be talking to the teacher, in person. Too many subtleties get lost in email, and I hate the lack of facial expression in phone calls.

 I have learned a lot through peer workshop writing classes. I feel that they’re valuable and I’ve led a co-op class of teenagers in a peer critique writing workshop. I spent a lot of time teaching how to constructively critique first.

That is not what you’re describing, and especially if these were the final projects, I can’t see how it would be helpful.  The choice to use your DD’s work also seems particularly insensitive. 

If you do talk to the teacher, though, try not to go down there all raging mama bear, as tempting as it is. You’ll get further by staying calm. Most teachers do care about their students, even if in a classroom full of them, they can’t give each one the attention we as mothers might feel they deserve. Let her know, factually and calmly, how your daughter was affected. Put forth any logical reasons you might have for your disagreement with that method of teaching. But honestly, the emotional effects on your daughter are going to probably be more convincing to her. I’ve never had any luck convincing teachers to agree with my pedagogical opinions.

I suggested email for a paper trail. Which is actually important when IEPs are involved. But I agree that I would ask in that email for an in-person meeting. And I would make sure that, since an IEP is involved, that an intervention specialist or administrator would be at the meeting.

[May]

If it would have been my daughter, at that age, she would have been devastated😢Doing this to a child with an IEP, I’m speechless over that. I would contact the teacher, principal and any others to set up a meeting. I would make clear, this will never happen again.

[prairiewindmomma]

9 minutes ago, Storygirl said:

I suggested email for a paper trail. Which is actually important when IEPs are involved. But I agree that I would ask in that email for an in-person meeting. And I would make sure that, since an IEP is involved, that an intervention specialist or administrator would be at the meeting.

Yes, very much this. You get a date and time stamp on the email and it goes into the IEP file. Odds are the case manager will call you to avoid the paper trail on their end, but you should take careful phone notes.

You can call an IEP meeting at any time, and this would be my plan B option. I would be following Sassenach’s plan above.

Plan C is that you call the school district special needs advocate/administrator.

I have no problems making everyone dang uncomfortable on the school end on this one. It had better be a training point for all teachers in the building at the next inservice, if not a disciplinary issue.

 

Edited January 29, 2020 by prairiewindmomma

[SereneHome]

57 minutes ago, Arctic Mama said:

The thing is, 360s are almost always anonymous and private.  The criticism is given the the individual, but they don’t know who has given it, and there are guidelines for what is appropriate.  It’s also an adult at a job they can choose and leave, which is a bit different than a student still being taught and not necessarily at their level or to their strengths.

I know and I get it. I was just truly surprised  by the unanimous opinion that what this teacher did was wrong.  I just don't see it. I mean, isn't it typical in US schools for kids to stand up and read their poems or stories and other kids comment?  Or kid being called out to answer questions and  if he is wrong, teacher or other classmate explains why it's wrong. It's been a few decades since I went to school or even college, so may be things changed....

[Garga]

16 minutes ago, SereneHome said:

I know and I get it. I was just truly surprised  by the unanimous opinion that what this teacher did was wrong.  I just don't see it. I mean, isn't it typical in US schools for kids to stand up and read their poems or stories and other kids comment?  Or kid being called out to answer questions and  if he is wrong, teacher or other classmate explains why it's wrong. It's been a few decades since I went to school or even college, so may be things changed....

I can barely remember school for myself, so I don’t remember whether or not the kids critiqued each other after an oral report, etc.  I think the part people don’t like is that this kid has an IEP, did her best work with difficulty, and still got shot down publicly.  It’s one thing if a kid was being a lazy-butt and had the capabilities to do stellar work and chose not to, but it’s different when a child does her best in good faith and the teacher chooses to display that child’s work as “what not to do.”  That’s just totally tone deaf and mean on the teacher’s part..

Also...perhaps this relates back to that “how to others view Americans” thread.  It looks like there could be a cultural different going on here.  

[MercyA]

nm 🙂 

Edited January 29, 2020 by MercyA

[Tanaqui]

31 minutes ago, SereneHome said:

I know and I get it. I was just truly surprised  by the unanimous opinion that what this teacher did was wrong.  I just don't see it. I mean, isn't it typical in US schools for kids to stand up and read their poems or stories and other kids comment?  Or kid being called out to answer questions and  if he is wrong, teacher or other classmate explains why it's wrong. It's been a few decades since I went to school or even college, so may be things changed....

 

There's a big difference between calling on a student who has raised their hand to answer a question or read aloud and pre-emptively taking an assignment and showing it off as an example of What Not To Do.

[MysteryJen]

26 minutes ago, SereneHome said:

I know and I get it. I was just truly surprised  by the unanimous opinion that what this teacher did was wrong.  I just don't see it. I mean, isn't it typical in US schools for kids to stand up and read their poems or stories and other kids comment?  Or kid being called out to answer questions and  if he is wrong, teacher or other classmate explains why it's wrong. It's been a few decades since I went to school or even college, so may be things changed....

I went to elementary school in the 70s (pretty progressive, open concept, etc) and teachers asked for volunteers to share or read outloud answers to homework. The only teacher who practiced a shame-based classroom with pointing out of what not to do was the art teacher- who left after I was in 3rd grade already having poisoned most of the students against art. It has taken decades to regain some confidence there.

If we passed homework to be graded by classmates, we were allowed to turn it in with corrections (worked out at our "team" tables) and we were just marked as having turned it in. 

It was not a perfect elementary school, but it did its best to avoid shaming children as a pretext of educating them.

[SereneHome]

14 minutes ago, Garga said:

I can barely remember school for myself, so I don’t remember whether or not the kids critiqued each other after an oral report, etc.  I think the part people don’t like is that this kid has an IEP, did her best work with difficulty, and still got shot down publicly.  It’s one thing if a kid was being a lazy-butt and had the capabilities to do stellar work and chose not to, but it’s different when a child does her best in good faith and the teacher chooses to display that child’s work as “what not to do.”  That’s just totally tone deaf and mean on the teacher’s part..

Also...perhaps this relates back to that “how to others view Americans” thread.  It looks like there could be a cultural different going on here.  

Yes, that I would agree with 100%. Although I can't imagine a teacher doing that knowingly that's why I suggested that OP email teacher and informed them.

 I don't know if it's a cultural thing...I asked my trainer this morning this question bc I was so surprised by responses on this thread and she pretty much had the same opinion as mine. And one of her kids does have LD - language related.

[Annie G]

3 hours ago, SereneHome said:

Oh wow, I would have never thought it was such a big problem.  I am not nor ever have been a teacher and I didn't go through K-12 in US, but I wouldn't think for a second that this was such horrible practice. I mean, how is it different from a kid being called to answer questions out loud and being told that his answers are wrong and explained why. Or is it not done in schools here?

 

 

When I was in school and when our kids were in school, the teacher would ask a question and kids would raise a hand to be called on to answer. Rarely did a teacher call on someone to answer without seeing a raised hand- generally it was only done if a kid was clearly not paying attention. 
We did go in groups of two or three to the board to solve math problems, but the first one to finish correctly ended it, so if a kid was slow or was approaching it wrong, it wasn’t discussed.  And If the first one was wrong, the teacher just told the others to keep going. It’s all in how you handle it.  Like a spelling bee- if you’re incorrect there’s no shaming or anything, just a no, that’s incorrect, the word is spelled....

A way better way for the teacher to have handled the exercise was to use middle of the road examples. And point out an instance where the student did something well, then point out a way to improve.  This student was very neat and has good ideas. One place to improve is right here, where there is an incomplete sentence. Students, I noticed several of you had incomplete sentences in your work.  Be sure to proofread your work or ask a friend to proofread for you.  Sometimes it helps to exchange papers and help each other catch mistakes before you turn it in for grading.   No shaming needed. 

[SereneHome]

10 minutes ago, Tanaqui said:

 

There's a big difference between calling on a student who has raised their hand to answer a question or read aloud and pre-emptively taking an assignment and showing it off as an example of What Not To Do.

I don't remember anyone ever raising their hands - teachers would just call on students randomly.  And by reading OP it seems that teacher picked kids randomly as well.

My kids have never gone to school here, we've always HSed and as I said, I didn't go to school in US either except for 1 yr of HS when we first came to US and i didn't speak English so had no clue what was happening.

I also don't have any knowledge when it comes to special needs kids who are in regular classrooms - like are they treated and graded like the rest of the class or they get different assignments?

In any case - this case / event just didn't seem horrible to me at all, based on my experience and my own perception.

 

[Katy]

6 hours ago, geodob said:

Such public humiliation, in front of her classmates.  Can be a trauma that she carries throughout life?
This could effect her education from now on, where she may scared to do any work?  As it could be used to humiliate her again?

It could also be reported, to US Dept of Educations: 'Office for Civil Rights'.
Who will come and speak with this teacher.
https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/aboutocr.html

 

Using shame and humiliation as a parent is considered emotional abuse.  I can't imagine that it isn't the same for a teacher, child named or not.  I would absolutely make a huge stink about this, with the school principal, with the IEP person, with the school board if necessary, and the office above as well.

In fact I'd probably start by calling the school board and asking how they handle abuse complaints regarding teachers and students, because you have one.

Then if it weren't taken extremely seriously, and a public apology made to the classroom for "teaching" that way, and a private apology made to your daughter  I would make sure everyone knows exactly what this teacher did.  Not because of humiliating her in the same way, but because I'm betting that anyone who treats a child with such little consideration has done it before, and probably in worse ways.

 

[ktgrok]

10 hours ago, mathnerd said:

I have seen in higher grades, all the writing work being subjected to "peer review" where a kid holds up another kid's work and critiques it and the whole class takes turns with another kid's work. I have witnessed an incident where kids circled certain phrases using red pens and wrote comments like "Loser" and "Fail" when a boy wrote a reflective and insightful essay on his feelings about economic inequalities in society. This writing class also had the teacher putting up both good and bad examples on the projector to show the class what to model and what to avoid. The teacher explained that this is done because modern management philosophies in the work place ask for periodic peer reviews and critiques in addition to boss reviews and these exercises are to prepare kids for the real world. Good teachers do try to moderate the commentary from peers so that negativity is minimized and constructive criticism is the desired outcome of such an exercise. All this to say that it is not unusual for a child's writing work to be held out in front of a class and criticized for a lot of reasons including poor grammar, poor spelling, bad phrasing, run-on sentences and "Nasty No-No's" (which includes using slang in essays amongst other things).

That being said, since your daughter has an IEP and has difficulties with her vision etc., the teacher should already be aware of them and accommodate her in the best way that she can: which means that the teacher should not have held out this student's work as an example to other kids who don't have her disadvantages. This teacher is either clueless or is insensitive. You should email the Principal or the IEP co-ordinator or the School Counselor to lodge a complaint about what happened.

It is one thing to review by saying, here is what you did well, here is what you could improve. It is another to hold up a paper chosen specifically as an example of what is bad. 

Also, because something is appropriate for an adult or near adult does not mean it is appropriate for a 9 or 10 yr old child. Otherwise we'd let 4th graders vote, drink alcohol, and drive cars. 

8 hours ago, Chris in VA said:

That is terrible and unprofessional practice. It absolutely is shaming--kids know their own work! And as OP said, her dd's handwriting is distinctive so others know it was hers. 

Honestly, I would be livid. I am not a confrontational person, but you bet I would be going to that teacher and calling her out on this. If it ever happened again, I would go to admin and possibly take my kid out of that class. 

It really is terrible practice. Any teacher should know this. 

ETA I do think peer review at the high school level may be ok, but there are/should be parameters put into place to teach kids how to give constrctive feedback to each other.  

I'd be very close to asking for another teacher. If this is what I know about, what don't I know about?

4 hours ago, SereneHome said:

Oh wow, I would have never thought it was such a big problem.  I am not nor ever have been a teacher and I didn't go through K-12 in US, but I wouldn't think for a second that this was such horrible practice. I mean, how is it different from a kid being called to answer questions out loud and being told that his answers are wrong and explained why. Or is it not done in schools here?

And yes,peer review was done in college and at various companies my husband and I worked. "360 review" has become very popular.

ETA: I do think that how it's done is very important. If the teacher does it with tact and explains that the process is to help everyone to learn better and that everyone makes mistakes and the rotates the samples from various students, I think it could be a helpful tool.

 

Again, what is good for an adult is not always good for a 4th grader. And critique generally means talking about what is good and what needs work in a particular paper, not holding up the paper as a wholesale example of what not to do. 

2 hours ago, Arctic Mama said:

The thing is, 360s are almost always anonymous and private.  The criticism is given the the individual, but they don’t know who has given it, and there are guidelines for what is appropriate.  It’s also an adult at a job they can choose and leave, which is a bit different than a student still being taught and not necessarily at their level or to their strengths.

Truth

1 hour ago, SereneHome said:

I know and I get it. I was just truly surprised  by the unanimous opinion that what this teacher did was wrong.  I just don't see it. I mean, isn't it typical in US schools for kids to stand up and read their poems or stories and other kids comment?  Or kid being called out to answer questions and  if he is wrong, teacher or other classmate explains why it's wrong. It's been a few decades since I went to school or even college, so may be things changed....

No, it is not typical to have a student's work torn apart by the class. If an answer is wrong they are told, "no, not quite" and another child called on or the answer given.

17 minutes ago, SereneHome said:

I don't remember anyone ever raising their hands - teachers would just call on students randomly.  And by reading OP it seems that teacher picked kids randomly as well.

 

 

No, the teacher chose which were the worst of the worst and held them up as examples of what not to do, then explained why they were so terrible. 

[EKS]

That is horrible--I'm so sorry your daughter had to endure that.

I could see using examples from *previous classes* to show what to do and what not to do *before* the students completed the assignment, but using examples, either good or bad, from the current class--no way.

[happypamama]

12 hours ago, Arctic Mama said:

That’s not necessary at all.  Teacher could have made her own example using some of these techniques or approaches she saw kiddos do, and held up her own synthesized effort to demonstrate the critique without any child feeling individually attacked.

I would 100% be emailing and probably cc’ing the administration. If your child completed the assignment carefully and to the best of their ability, and was used as a teaching tool for the other kids to show them what NOT to do, especially without the teacher asking you or them privately if it was okay to use their work in that way?  That’s full stop inappropriate and an unacceptable way to single out a student.  
 

Making it anonymous doesn’t make it less damaging or upsetting to the child.  HECK. NO.

This completely!

[happypamama]

I think it is horrible for ANY kid, and especially a kid with learning challenges.  Kids always know whose work is being discussed, even if the teacher thinks they are being anonymous.  If nothing else, the child was sitting there in the classroom, listening to the teacher and other students pick at her work.  That's so damaging and hurtful to any kid!  If it is a student who struggles, then it denigrates all of their hard work and effort and may mean they don't want to try next time.  I certainly wouldn't want to, and neither would my children.  And for a child who normally does well and who has an off day or something, the other kids catch that and pick on that child.

 

I think it would have been much more beneficial for the teacher to talk about some general things she noticed.  "I want to review rules on capitalization today because it can be hard to remember all of them.  Let's focus on that for our next assignment."  Maybe choose one or two things that she wants them to keep in mind for the next time.

[sangtarah]

I sent an email to the teacher, IEP manager, school psych, and principal. Maybe overkill, but felt appropriate. 

The teacher returned the email saying she wants a meeting this afternoon after school. I agreed, but I’m not as good with face to face. I often forget my points and get flustered. So pray for me! I have no idea of the reaction/attitude I’m walking in to. 

[sweet2ndchance]

Omg, as a parent with kids who had IEPs in the past, I would be beyond livid. There would be emails going out to everyone from the teacher up to the district level and maybe even the state! You absolutely need a paper trail and documentation when there is an IEP. I may even have my child write or record her account of things to bring to the IEP meeting that I would be calling immediately. I find the teaching practice of using current student examples uncooth to begin with but to do it to a current student with an IEP?!? Oh heads would be rolling! I am angry on your behalf, OP! This child likely cannot help what was being criticized on her work because of her learning disability! That is the whole reason she has the IEP in the first place! 

I would insist that at the next in-service (and I would suggest that one be called immediately) that this teacher's teaching practices be critiqued by all the teachers in the building with her present. Not just this one incident, all of her teaching practices, no holds barred. Ok, maybe that's a little too "eye for an eye" just because this makes me angry and it wasn't even my kid, but I know what it is like to have a kid with an IEP. The only problem that I ever had to escalate was a teacher/coach (district rules that the coach also has to teach something so he was given a science class to teach, sigh) that didn't understand that ds's IEP applied to his class as well, regardless of whether or not he, as the teacher, personally thought he needed the help and extra supports. I talked to him once and then gave the emails back and forth to the principal and IEP team. It was never a problem after that to get him to provide the needed supports for ds.

Dh says make sure the local news knows about it too... not sure I would go that far but I would certainly have that in my back pocket if the school tried to sweep things under the rug.

[sweet2ndchance]

3 minutes ago, sangtarah said:

I sent an email to the teacher, IEP manager, school psych, and principal. Maybe overkill, but felt appropriate. 

The teacher returned the email saying she wants a meeting this afternoon after school. I agreed, but I’m not as good with face to face. I often forget my points and get flustered. So pray for me! I have no idea of the reaction/attitude I’m walking in to. 

Definitely not overkill. I think what you did is perfect!

Write out everything, all your points. Make several copies to bring with you and give copies to everyone so that they can all be addressed. Ask that it be put in the IEP file for documentation of the incident. I know it is hard but you are absolutely in the right in the situation and the teacher is in the wrong. Be confident and don't worry if the teacher or anyone else thinks you are over reacting. I promise, you are not overreacting and your daughter absolutely deserves an apology from the teacher at the very least! *hugs*