The Burlington Junior School in East Yorkshire, England is now known as the school that bans hand-raising. Instead, if they want a teacher′s attention, school children must give ′The Fonz′, a thumbs-up, to be called upon. Parents when asked about the new policy think it is ′just daft′ that pupils may no longer raise their hands. But teachers say the hand raising ban will lead to calmer classrooms. In a similar scenario, a teacher in America banned his students from saying ′God Bless You′ when somebody sneezes. The argument being that it was becoming too disruptive. Have schools and teachers gone off the deep end of reason and sanity?
The answer to that is a big affirmative! The state of education has become so pathetic that it seems teachers and school administrators are grasping at straws looking for any excuse to cover up their own incompetence. This is yet another example of why home schooling has become more popular. Do we seriously think that children will learn more by raising their thumbs like The Fonz from ′Happy Days′? That such will instill more discipline and order in a classroom? Of course not! Children see this as much as a joke as their parents do, which will only lead to further disregard for the teaching profession and school in general.
But if your child goes to Burlington Junior School in East Yorkshire, England, be prepared as the school bans hand-raising in their classrooms. School children will do The Fonz instead to get a teacher′s attention, because the school thinks a hand-raising ban makes a calmer classroom. Like sticking a thumbs up is any better? Even the parents see through this, saying the plan is just daft, pupils will not be better off with this ban. This reminds me of the old Frank Zappa song, ″Show Me Your Thumb If You′re Dumb.″
October 6th, 2011 at 7:35 am
Such rules do seem a little a little outrageous but I beg to differ as to the reason. It’s not because of teacher incompetence. It’s far more parental incompetence if you ask me. I am involved in education but I’m not a teacher so I do have a quasi-objective view point. Such rules are instituted because the students are not being taught polite behavior at home. If one student says “God bless you”, then 30 will say it but they won’t do it all at once. They’ll say it individually one after another. Then the more hyper of the students find this process ammusing and laugh and make comments which then gets the entire class to react. Gone are the days when one student politely issued the salutation and all others refrained. Gone are the days when one student would be the behavior problem in a classroom. Now there are 5 or 6. Perhaps the raising of hands in the British school was instituted because the more raucus individuals have turned the simple raising of hands into a fray. Perhaps this would not happen as much if parents would instruct their children on impulse control. Unless you’ve been in schools on a daily basis you know not of what you speak.
October 6th, 2011 at 8:49 am
“Gone are the days when one student politely issued the salutation and all others refrained. Gone are the days when one student would be the behavior problem in a classroom. ”
Gone are the days when you got the “BOARD” of education or teacher issued a slap upside the head to the instigators and culprits of anarchy.
No doubt, parenting must always play a role but hardly can be when the parents are not present.
I’m not crazy about todays overpaid victimized union teachers but do remember the day when teachers were allowed to take the ass holes into their hands need the occasion arise.
Teachers these days cant so much as give a glimpse to student for fear of some silly lawsuit.
October 6th, 2011 at 8:56 am
It is mostly because of teacher incompetence. You are incorrect. I do support your claim that we have a bunch of parents who mlack the good values and morals as some of us, and therefore, the kids act the same as the parents, but lets not ignore the ever so diminishing skills that are required for a teacher to actually have their own class. These new generation younger teachers, are acting like the typical clueless college grad taking a job from a person with actual field experience. There is nothing better than actual work experience, and degrees are overrated. These new teachers are the ones who are assisting and agreeing with new ideas, like religous plays, or holidays at school. Probably, because their parents didnt give a crap about it either. These new teachers are morans and fake “Yes” men and women, and most of them are being paid accordingly.
October 6th, 2011 at 9:20 am
Nice try, playing the political/philosophical card here. Live in reality there tinkerbelles. 30 young kids in a classroom are going to act like board members at Exxon?
Back in the 60’s the teach said “NO HANDS! She didn’t want to see who knew the answer because everyone was supposed to know, period. It was no rightwing/leftwing ideology battle, it was called “reality” folks. Try living in it once.
October 6th, 2011 at 10:28 am
“Nice try, playing the political/philosophical card here. ”
bullsht, any fool can find bountiful examples of left wing influences and indoctrination practices going on within our schools, starting with “green” courses to whether or not even two words suggesting religion can be uttered or a score can be kept in a soccer game without offending someone.
AWhy the personal attack ?(tinkerbell), huh ?
If you must get personal so as to assign character assassination to claim, only a friggin idiot goes to define only his experiences as reality, but it only takes one mediocre intelect with eyes and ears to see that our schools are a bastion of liberology
October 6th, 2011 at 11:19 am
Heck, why not just use armpit farts to get the teacher’s attention. The Elementary School boys especially will love it!
On the other hand, instituting a subtle, single raised-eyebrow a la Star Trek’s Mr. Spock will be both a quieter attention-getting gesture (akin to auction attendees’ nods or other gentle gestures) and will require a certain amount of facial muscle coordination as well, which will come in handy later in life if any of these impressionable little souls succumb to current advertising and undergo the ever-popular Botox injections.
A final option would to mimic one of SciFi’s dystopic heros – Hemiac – and simply utter the word “Click.”
Drones should learn to be submissive, after all.
October 6th, 2011 at 11:21 am
How about telling kids to raise their hands if they DO NOT know the answer BECAUSE they will be tested on it later?
October 6th, 2011 at 11:43 am
Gone are the days when you got the “BOARD” of education or teacher issued a slap upside the head to the instigators and culprits of anarchy.
Any teacher, or parent, actually any adult, who can not disclipine a child without hitting is a moron. Period.
October 6th, 2011 at 12:38 pm
@ fred
Somehow I cannot see how doing ‘The Fonz’ thumbs up is any less disruptive than raising one’s hand. If anything, a stupid rule like this only encourages more disruptions, as the children know the authority structure is weak and confused.
Micky is quite right about the value of the ‘BOARD’ of education. Having been through Catholic schools, with nuns armed with ultra-thick yard sticks and paddles, discipline was instilled very early on and maintained throughout all grades.
October 6th, 2011 at 12:49 pm
“Any teacher, or parent, actually any adult, who can not disclipine a child without hitting is a moron. Period.”
Yeah, your methods have been working so well these days.
The more teachers methods are regulated, the more our students get shot..
…period
October 6th, 2011 at 5:35 pm
Yes, a mere two examples of craziness clearly means that the entire profession has gone off the rails. Sure. Two people are crazy so all education must be bad. Brilliant as usual, right wingers.
October 6th, 2011 at 5:38 pm
Nice try Brenda.
We spend 10 thousand a year on each student.
Does it show ?
October 6th, 2011 at 6:38 pm
Whoa!! this ought to be fun. Considering that England is soooo “multicultural” that they now have sharia enclaves in England. So the school uses a gesture that is the mid-east equivalent of “flipping the bird” as a means to get the teacher’s attention. ;-P He who laughs last…thinks slowest.
October 6th, 2011 at 6:53 pm
Hey Frankie !
Dont think I haven’t taught my kid how to flip off his teachers by now.
Who says cons dont teach their kids culture ?
October 6th, 2011 at 10:59 pm
I’m with GC, and I am a teacher! I do think this thumbs-up business is ridiculous, but GC’s reasoning for that school instituting that measure is sound. The “Bless you” business? Yup, I so could see my students doing that… and this is yet another example of children growing more and more immature as the years go by… and gee, who’s fault is that?
October 7th, 2011 at 12:30 am
in some cultures, the thumb up gesture means “up your a@#”
October 7th, 2011 at 5:29 am
“This is yet another example of why home schooling has become more popular.”
Agreed and there are plenty of other examples too.
October 7th, 2011 at 5:34 am
Aaaaaeeeeyyyyy!!!!!
October 7th, 2011 at 6:57 am
I am a 3rd grade teacher. FLAGBEE absolutely answers this debate…. and more!! Not only can hand raising be disruptive, but students stop processing in order to focus on getting the teacher’s attention & they quit working. But the “thumbs up” is NOT the answer either. The FLAGBEE is a perfect example of a signal that allows students to request assistance, while continuing to problem solve…. and perhaps even figure out the answer before the teacher gets there:
October 7th, 2011 at 7:37 am
“they now have sharia enclaves in England.”
Do we? Where? Plese educate this ignorant Englishman. You seem to know SO much more about Britain than I do…….
October 7th, 2011 at 8:40 am
Putting hands up to get attention is pointless unless you are going to pee yourself and they ignore that plea anyway. Idiotic rituals like sitting cross-legged on dirty floors, etc. should be banned in all schools. Lets look at all of the accepted but totally stupid behaviours and ban the lot. Teachers need to move on from the assine victorian model that they never question. Treat children with respect and you’ll get respect.
October 7th, 2011 at 8:47 am
I can spell asinine in case you pedants from victoriania happen to pick up on it but l prefer my version. It’s like putting hands up really; there’s no future in it and Burlington school are brave enough to challenge the practice. “Is it really 2011 colleagues?”! A big “yes” l’m afraid so get them off the filthy floor, tell them it’s fine to ask for things and that Queen Victoria is a character from the past.
October 7th, 2011 at 9:13 am
I’m not sure the difference is with students raising their hands or their thumbs. The issue is students “calling out” and disrupting the class. What’s next, snapping thier figures to get teacher’s attention. These behaviors are learned at home from ignorant people and from parents who are either too lazy, or too overworked to do ant real parenting. Any dumbass can be a parent. You don’t need a degree or a certification to be a parent , just be able to breed…
October 7th, 2011 at 3:28 pm
This is ridiculous. Being in a classroom, hand raising or thumbs up – both actually work well in my experience. It gets students (in class discussion)to answer one at a time & listen to one another better. It helps promote order instead of everyone trying to shout out an answer at once. It also helps students be more respectful to one another because they listen & wait their turn to answer. It also allows students throughout the room to answer, so that if behaviors are occuring (student who wants a lot of attention) you can use this energy in a positive way & prevent behaviors. People who say raising hands causes problems … what classrooms have you been teaching in lately? I sub. K-12 & it works beautifully no matter the age. I find this ridiculous that a signal cannot be used so that everyone knows who’s turn it is to talk or answer. It also clues me in who needs help while students are quietly working on an assignment. Otherwise, how am I to know if a student needs help or has a question? Alternatives would be students just getting up out of their seats whenever they need help – which promotes classroom traffic & along with it – a whole lot of behavior problems, particularly if 5 or more people need help at the same time. Looking at students face & just guessing isn’t exactly a proper solution either. So for everyone saying raising hands is a problem – you’d have to prove to me how raising hands actually causes problems. I’ve found in my 12 plus years of working with students that hand raising actually solves problems or prevents them & helps promote an orderly class where students can show each other respect & courtesty. I change it up & sometimes have students give me a thumbs up to know when they are done with an assignment or to keep them on their toes. But if no signals are used – I only see chaos & problems arising. This method works in all the classrooms I’ve been to so I’m not changing a thing until a better method is proven. Until then, I’ll stick with what works.
October 7th, 2011 at 3:36 pm
*courtesy I meant!* Sorry for any typos. At any rate, without signals – students may shout out answers all at the same time – shout out answers to each other rather than waiting for a teacher or staff to answer questions as signaled (leading to more cheating & noise & problems), etc. Signals are used for multiple reasons – particularly for identifying when a student needs help, has a question, has a problem, or in particular – to notate when a student is talking so that other students know to listen & wait their turn. It helps students learn patience when waiting to get help while others are helped. It’s benefits outweight any potential problems I can see as an educator. So for everyone commenting who’s never been in a classroom & is saying we shouldn’t be using this method: State a better solution that works better or don’t bother commenting. As for the school that outlawed raising hands, they are foolish for doing so & obviously do not understand how to properly use & teach students to use the hand raising signal. If they cannot properly handle hand raising, then thumb raising will be no different. It is essentially still a signal – only using a thumb instead of the entire hand.
October 7th, 2011 at 5:34 pm
These kids should be giving these idiots the middle finger since that’s what the teacher’s union is doing to the American public. This is another sign the unions need crushed and homeschooling more encouraged. I had teachers that are this stupid back in school and it’s why I had so many issues after thanks to crap education.
October 7th, 2011 at 6:20 pm
I’m afraid I must protest this direst change in the long standing art of hand raising. You see, I don’t have any thumbs, I was born with 10 fingers but none are thumbs. This is a terrible afront to the thumbily challenged. Life is already hard enough for us. Ever tried playing golf without thumbs, or bowling, hitch hiking, buttoning a shirt, or throwing a frisbee? Ha, I thought not.
October 7th, 2011 at 6:44 pm
Hang in there Dan, at least you can type