I need some advice please

That's appalling kasha. I would be asking whether, seeing as she said this in front of the whole class, the apology will be forthcoming in front of the whole class as well? I don't think she should get away with a private apology to your son. I'd also be asking for written confirmation from the head that the matter had been dealt with officially.

Thats really bad - I would be asking her to explain her actions and explain how it made your son feel and that if she has concerns for him then she should address it with you as parents.

What if the kids in the class start picking on him because of what she said ????

That is unacceptable, having been at the receiving end of it it can do far more than just amount to bullying and embarassment.

My maths teacher did the exact same to me. It was the 'top' maths class, I had got +95% in the ograde, and Maths was my best subject. Until I got into this maths teachers class. In one term, I went from +95% to 24% in the Higher Prelim, due to the teacher doing the very same thing. She used to say to the class 'lets have a laugh, Smiley, YOU tell us the answer'. Or 'You will amount to nothing, it is a waste of time you being here'. She used to mark my work wrong even though it was correct (checked against other people in the class). I ended up having panic attacks with anything to do with Maths, and flunked the Higher. It took me a year of stepping back, and a very good maths teacher at evening classes to get me over the fear. I knew the work, I just panicked in an exam situation remembering what the teacher said.

She got away with it with me, and did it the following year to another pupil, however, the year after that she picked on the wrong pupil. The mother of the girl she picked on was actually a head of Mathematics at the University, so had far more knowledge of maths than the teacher. Her daughter had the same dramatic drop in result, but her mother managed to get her confidence back, and at the same time managed to get the teacher reprimanded. I believe said teacher is no longer teaching maths, but is teaching IT somewhere (ironically I ended up doing a degree in Computer Science with a large Maths element). The girl she picked on 2 years later is now a maths teacher.

Anyway, that all aside, teachers cant go about saying things like that to children, either in private or in front of a class. If she thought he was struggling then there are different ways to deal with it. That is just pure nasty.

I would go and hear what she has to say first of all, and take it from there. But dont let her away with it, your son is brave telling you about it, I was too scared to tell my parents, even when the deputy head called us all up to find out what was going on. Teachers to me were always right, so I believed her views.

If was to see her today ....... grrr.

Thankyou all for your replies I got there thisd morning to be told that she did not want to attend the meeting so it was just the head myself and Chrissy. I was very calm and didn't really have to say anything anyway as the head was well aware of what had gone on. We have had a written apology and according to the head the matter is being taken further. The teacher has been told that she must apologise in front of the class and the bizarre thing is that when they pulled Chrissys's math portfolio he is ahead of the class. I mentioned that I would have thought she would have been pleased with him especially given the fact that he has missed so much school over the past 12 months because of his treatment. The head agreed with this and said she would bring it up with the teacher. I am a bit peed off that she felt she could not attend and that she was not forced to as I would have thought she would have and I have made it clear that if this happens again I will not be as calm and will take matters further. Chrissy seemed a lot happier he did say when I left that maybe she feels threatened by him as he is so far ahead lol.

I d still be mad that the teacher wasnt forced to attend the meeting. sounds like the head is a pussy.

and the head should sit in when she makes this apology too, i think.

I am mad about that Nick and I also agree with the fact that the head must be there when she does her thing. I also suggested that the head pull Chrissy's portfolio again for that time just so the teacher can big him up a little lol. I am just glad that Mr K is working away as he was going mad when I told him and still has not calmed down. Chrissy has math again tomorrow so if no apology has been forthcoming I am going to go into class and see said teacher myself.

As a teacher I am horrified that she would say that to him. God, we are all human and kids can be immensely frustrating at times but ultimately you are a professional and have been trained to keep your feelings to yourself.

She should have been there - a bit of public humiliation for her in the same way she tried to do to your son. glad he seems to be taking it so well.