Parents to pay for their children’s misbehaviour

A THREE-YEAR British government study into classroom behaviour will call for greater use of parenting contracts for parents failing to keep children in line and £50 ($111.90) penalties for those condoning truancy.

More schools will also be encouraged to use traditional methods such as detentions, suspensions, isolation rooms and lunchtime curfews to punish badly-behaved pupils.

The study came as teachers warned that existing methods were failing as a “reward culture” seen in banks was spreading to schools.

Ms Jules Donaldson, from United Kingdom’s largest teachers’ union, claimed some teachers were fuelling the problem by handing out prizes like plasma screen TVs, Ipods and Nintendo Wii games consoles if children promise to behave.

Schools can apply to courts for a “parenting contract” requiring parents of wayward pupils to take parenting classes — with fines of up to £1,000 if they fail to attend.

Under laws, parents can also be hit with penalties of £50 if their children are found in a public place without justification in the first five days of an exclusion.

- THE DAILY TELEGRAPH

From TODAY, World – Thursday, 16-April-2009

Parents to pay for their children’s misbehaviour

A THREE-YEAR British government study into classroom behaviour will call for greater use of parenting contracts for parents failing to keep children in line and £50 ($111.90) penalties for those condoning truancy.

More schools will also be encouraged to use traditional methods such as detentions, suspensions, isolation rooms and lunchtime curfews to punish badly-behaved pupils.

The study came as teachers warned that existing methods were failing as a “reward culture” seen in banks was spreading to schools.

Ms Jules Donaldson, from United Kingdom’s largest teachers’ union, claimed some teachers were fuelling the problem by handing out prizes like plasma screen TVs, Ipods and Nintendo Wii games consoles if children promise to behave.

Schools can apply to courts for a “parenting contract” requiring parents of wayward pupils to take parenting classes — with fines of up to £1,000 if they fail to attend.

Under laws, parents can also be hit with penalties of £50 if their children are found in a public place without justification in the first five days of an exclusion.

- THE DAILY TELEGRAPH

From TODAY, World – Thursday, 16-April-2009

Cacophony at the symphony

Letter from Joseph Au

I WAS surprised to see a full house for a recent Singapore Symphony Orchestra concert at the Esplanade Concert Hall. However, I noticed that the balcony seats were mostly filled by youngsters whose tickets may have been sponsored by the concert organisers or schools.

I was initially glad students had the chance to attend such an event.

But halfway through, trouble started. Coughs rose from all over the balcony and continued without pause. The annoying, distracting coughs went on non-stop for the remaining 80 minutes of the concert.

If it was a deliberate attempt to cough as having fun at a “boring” concert, then I would suggest teachers should teach the students the proper etiquette at concerts. I also hope the students were not forced to attend such concerts just to gain extra-curricular credits.

From TODAY, Voices- Tuesday, 14-April-2009

Cacophony at the symphony

Letter from Joseph Au

I WAS surprised to see a full house for a recent Singapore Symphony Orchestra concert at the Esplanade Concert Hall. However, I noticed that the balcony seats were mostly filled by youngsters whose tickets may have been sponsored by the concert organisers or schools.

I was initially glad students had the chance to attend such an event.

But halfway through, trouble started. Coughs rose from all over the balcony and continued without pause. The annoying, distracting coughs went on non-stop for the remaining 80 minutes of the concert.

If it was a deliberate attempt to cough as having fun at a “boring” concert, then I would suggest teachers should teach the students the proper etiquette at concerts. I also hope the students were not forced to attend such concerts just to gain extra-curricular credits.

From TODAY, Voices- Tuesday, 14-April-2009

Bouncers join classroom

LONDON — Bouncers, ex-soldiers and former police officers are being brought into schools to provide “crowd control” and cover absent teachers’ lessons.

One school, thought to be in London, employed two permanent cover teachers through an agency for professional doormen, the National Union of Teachers annual conference in Cardiff heard yesterday.

Bouncers, who more usually work night s keeping order in pubs and clubs, are being employed in schools because they are “stern and loud”, said Mr Andrew Baisley, a teacher at Haverstock school in Camden, north London.

Recruitment agencies are advertising for people with “ex-marine, prison officer, bouncer, policeman, fireman” backgrounds to become supervisors, who do not need to have any teaching qualifications to oversee lessons.

It comes as ministers prepare to unveil the final part of a major review of children’s behaviour this week which will call on governors, head-teachers and parents to support teachers when they discipline pupils.

From September, new rules will limit the amount of cover that teachers can provide for one another, meaning schools could become more reliant on non-qualified staff, the union said.

The union today voted to oppose the use of unqualified staff to cover lessons. Members also agreed to campaign for a reduction in class sizes to 20 and a guarantee of time out of the classroom for teachers to prepare lessons.

A spokesman for the Department for Children, Schools and Families said: “Heads should ensure that the people they employ have the relevant experience and training — and that all the proper checks -are carried out on anyone working with children."

- THE GUARDIAN

From TODAY, World - Tuesday, 14-April-2009

Bouncers join classroom

LONDON — Bouncers, ex-soldiers and former police officers are being brought into schools to provide “crowd control” and cover absent teachers’ lessons.

One school, thought to be in London, employed two permanent cover teachers through an agency for professional doormen, the National Union of Teachers annual conference in Cardiff heard yesterday.

Bouncers, who more usually work night s keeping order in pubs and clubs, are being employed in schools because they are “stern and loud”, said Mr Andrew Baisley, a teacher at Haverstock school in Camden, north London.

Recruitment agencies are advertising for people with “ex-marine, prison officer, bouncer, policeman, fireman” backgrounds to become supervisors, who do not need to have any teaching qualifications to oversee lessons.

It comes as ministers prepare to unveil the final part of a major review of children’s behaviour this week which will call on governors, head-teachers and parents to support teachers when they discipline pupils.

From September, new rules will limit the amount of cover that teachers can provide for one another, meaning schools could become more reliant on non-qualified staff, the union said.

The union today voted to oppose the use of unqualified staff to cover lessons. Members also agreed to campaign for a reduction in class sizes to 20 and a guarantee of time out of the classroom for teachers to prepare lessons.

A spokesman for the Department for Children, Schools and Families said: “Heads should ensure that the people they employ have the relevant experience and training — and that all the proper checks -are carried out on anyone working with children."

- THE GUARDIAN

From TODAY, World - Tuesday, 14-April-2009