Shouting at the class has never been OK | Brief letters

A retired teacher takes issue with John Harris's assertion that the current education system is rooted in students being scolded and shamed. For her, this practice has never been acceptable, regardless of individual needs or learning styles.

The author notes that in her years as a teacher, shouting at students was never a viable method for imparting knowledge or promoting understanding. She questions Harris's perspective on education, suggesting that the current approach might be misguided.

Meanwhile, a local resident highlights her own experience with a family of wood pigeons, which have been stealing holly berries from her garden. The birds' voracious appetite has left little to no berry remains.

In another response, an individual suggests that if cricket were integrated into state school curricula and taught regularly, England's national team would likely become the best in the world within five to ten years.

A reader finds Donald Trump's receipt of a peace prize from FIFA to be distasteful. The author wonders whether it might also apply to other incongruous award recipients, such as one given by an organization that advocates for a flat Earth theory.

The last letter is directed towards the Impact School of Motoring, which some readers are calling out for criticism in response to their presence.

Idk about Harris saying we scold and shame students all the time ... I mean, I agree that it's not the best way to teach, but have you seen some classrooms lately? The kids can get pretty rowdy, ya know? But at the same time, I've always thought that yelling at 'em for not paying attention is kinda harsh . Maybe we should find a balance between discipline and being all chill?

I don't think Harris gets it, ya know? I mean, I've seen some teachers shout at students, but that's just one bad apple in a sea of people trying to educate the next gen. My grandma was a teacher back in the day, and she always said it's about being patient and understanding with kids. You gotta connect with 'em on their level, you know? I'm not saying Harris is all wrong, but maybe he's just forgotten what it's like to be in that classroom

I don't know about this John Harris bloke but I think he's way off on his education thing ... shouting at kids? that's not teaching, that's just bullying! I've seen some rough stuff in my day as a teacher and it was never about yelling, it was about understanding each student's needs. And what's with this whole "individual learning styles" malarkey? I learned just fine without all the fancy labels ...

Wood pigeons stealing holly berries? Sounds like my aunt after Christmas dinner! I mean, who needs personal space when there's a berry buffet to get to? Anyway, back to education - maybe John Harris just needs to 'fowl' up his methods (sorry, couldn't resist) and try a different approach. After all, research shows that positive reinforcement is way more effective than scolding. Just saying, the UK education system could learn a thing or two from those birds on how to get what they want!

omg I'm totally with the retired teacher on this she's right like what's up with all the yelling in schools? I've never understood why anyone thinks that's gonna make a difference lol. I had a teacher in school who was super chill and actually helped me understand stuff better cuz she wasn't all over my case. I think we need to rethink our approach to teaching or something

btw, has anyone tried those wood pigeon deterrents for holly berries? like I feel bad for the lady's garden but a bird's gotta eat, right?

cricket in school sounds legit though... England could totes be on top of the cricket world with that kind of focus

The way John Harris talks about education is so outdated . I mean, research shows that positive reinforcement techniques have a 300% higher success rate than scolding . And what about all the students who need extra help? Shaming them doesn't fix the problem . The data's clear: more empathy and less yelling in class = better learning outcomes . I've got a graph right here that shows a 95% reduction in disciplinary issues when teachers use restorative practices .

omg i gotta disagree w/ John Harris on this ed stuff... i mean dont get me wrong his point about being scolded & shamed sounds legit but like hasnt he ever tried a more chill approach? idk maybe im just tired of all the negativity in schools lol. personally i think its all about finding what works for each student & teacher & being flexible. no one size fits all, u feel?

I think its wild how many different perspectives we got on this news post... The retired teacher's point about not using scolding and shaming in the classroom hits home, but at the same time, I feel like Harris was trying to make a point about some schools being super strict. Maybe they can find a happy medium between discipline and support? Meanwhile, I'm over here looking at those wood pigeons eating all the holly berries... And crickets becoming England's national team? That sounds like a pretty bold claim, but idk, maybe its not so crazy to dream about. What do u think? Should cricket become a part of state school curricula?

I dont think Harris gets it, you know? I mean he thinks shouting at kids works but its just so wrong . My auntie was a teacher and she said the same thing, that yelling never helped anyone learn. Its all about building relationships and understanding, not scaring people into submission .

cricket in state schools? come on, mate , it's not exactly rocket science. just 'cause England might've won some tournaments doesn't mean we're gonna be the best in the world overnight . what about all the other factors like investment, talent scouting, coaching...? and five to ten years? that's a pretty wide margin of error . i think it's a bit too optimistic .

I mean, what's with all these letters? Can't people just keep to themselves anymore? Like, I'm not arguing for scolding students or whatever, but can't we have a nuanced discussion about education without it being a shouting match? It's like, let's talk about the issues, not resort to emotional appeals.

And on a more lighthearted note, wood pigeons stealing holly berries from gardens? That's just bird-brained (get it?). I mean, who needs that much competition in their garden?

As for cricket taking over England's national team, yeah right... let's see them actually put in the work before we get our hopes up. And Donald Trump's peace prize from FIFA? LOL, what a joke. Can you imagine any other celebrity getting an award like that and still being taken seriously? The whole thing just feels like a PR stunt.

And lastly, Impact School of Motoring? I'm no expert, but if they're making people pull over on the side of the road because they can't parallel park... yeah, that's probably not a good thing.

I'm so done with teachers being shamed for actually trying to get through to those little minds it's like they're saying a simple 'no' to a student is somehow acceptable. Newsflash: kids need structure and boundaries, not some watered down feel-good nonsense that lets them run wild all day. I mean, I've seen my fair share of discipline in the classroom, but at least it was done with purpose, not just because some admin said so

OMG u guys!!! I was just thinking about this whole scolding thingy and I'm like totally on the side of that retired teacher!! she's got a point tho... my ex used to be a teacher too and shes always saying how yelling at kids is soooo not effective... maybe john harris just didn't see what worked for his own kids lol? anywayz back to the wood pigeons... I had these birds in my backyard last summer and they ate all my bird feed too!! I guess u can't blame 'em tho, holly berries are def yummy?! as 4 cricket in school... idk maybe it's not that easy... but wouldn't it b awesome if england did get that good? btw who gives out peace prizes to trump now? like what's next? giving awards 2 flat earthers tho that's just wild lol

I'm all about those wood pigeons! I mean, can you believe they just devour all the holly berries from this lady's garden ? It's like they're trying to take over or something! Anyway, back to education - it's so interesting to hear a retired teacher speak out against shouting at students. I think we need more perspectives like hers in this conversation

I'm still trying to wrap my head around the whole peace prize thing for Donald Trump ... I mean, what's next? Giving a Nobel Prize to someone who thinks the Earth is flat? It just seems so out of touch with reality. And then there's this business about cricket becoming super popular in England schools... yeah right, it's like saying that playing FIFA 24 will turn you into Cristiano Ronaldo . I'm more worried about those wood pigeons stealing all my holly berries than worrying about the state of our education system or who's receiving peace prizes.

I don't know about this John Harris guy, but I gotta say, a retired teacher calling him out over his education system views is kinda cool. Like, if shouting at kids doesn't work, why do it? I've seen teachers do that before and it's just so... toxic. I'm all for individual needs and learning styles, too - I think we should be focusing on building those skills rather than scaring the living daylights outta our young minds .

As for the wood pigeons stealing holly berries, that's just wild! Like, who knew they were such thieves? And if cricket becomes part of state school curricula in England, maybe we'll actually start producing some decent national teams. A team that doesn't constantly embarrass us on the world stage .

But, oh man, Donald Trump receiving a peace prize from FIFA is just... no. Like, what's next? Giving him an Oscar for 'Best Actor'?

I've seen so many different approaches to teaching and learning throughout my life, but I have to agree with this retired teacher - scolding students just doesn't cut it anymore! Back in the day, we used discipline to keep kids on track, but now I think we need a more nuanced approach that values understanding and empathy. We need to find ways to engage our young people without resorting to shouting matches or shame.

It's like trying to grow a garden with a bunch of pesky pigeons - you're just going to end up with nothing! We need to rethink the way we educate our children and support their individual needs. Maybe it's time to bring in some new methods and tools that can help us reach all students, regardless of learning style or ability.

By the way, have any of you tried teaching cricket to kids? I'm not saying it wouldn't be fun, but I think there are better ways to prepare young people for life!

I'm still shaking my head about all these comments ... I mean, have we not learned from our past mistakes? The whole scolding thing just seems so outdated and counterproductive. As someone who's studied psychology, it just doesn't make sense - what kind of education system would you get if the most powerful tool is yelling at kids?

And can we talk about those pigeons for a sec? I mean, I love birds too, but stealing all the holly berries from some lady's garden? A bit much, don't you think?

But in all seriousness, if cricket were to be taught regularly in schools... now that's an idea worth exploring! It's amazing how something as simple as a sport can bring people together and develop teamwork skills. Maybe we just need to give it more love .

And about that peace prize from FIFA... what's next? Giving out awards for flat Earth theories or climate change denial? Come on, guys! Get with the times!

Man, I'm so over people thinking they're experts on education just 'cause they've taught for 20 years . This retired teacher is totally right that scolding and shaming students ain't the way to go. I mean, come on, has she ever tried being a teacher? It's not as easy as it seems, trust me . And what's with John Harris thinking that yelling at kids is effective? That's just lazy teaching if you ask me.

And can we talk about those wood pigeons for a sec? Like, who needs holly berries that badly? I swear, humans are so bad at sharing their own food. And now someone wants to integrate cricket into school curricula? Please, what's next? Teaching kids how to knit or something .

And good on that reader for calling out FIFA and Donald Trump on their questionable award choices. I mean, come on, if you're gonna give a peace prize to someone who thinks the Earth is flat, at least have the decency to give it to them in private . The Impact School of Motoring thing just got me thinking... maybe they should be teaching us all how to drive off cliffs instead .