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Secondary education

good school, rubbish teacher - wwyd?

25 replies

Slambang · 08/01/2010 17:12

Ds (in yr 8) is good at maths - best subject, high achieving, wants to 'do maths' as a career, blardy blar. Unfortunately this year he loathes his maths teacher. He complains that she 'just can't teach', makes it boring, tells them all off for ridiculous things (e.g. for 'pretending' not to know something she had actually never taught them.) Ds tells me the other children feel the same way about her and other parents have complained in the past. (Realise this may all be 13 year old's exaggeration/hearsay.)

Apart from maths we are happy with the school, ds is happy and doing well.

Ds now says he wants to go down a maths set and is going to do deliberately badly in his next assessment. He says he would prefer to learn something slowly with a better teacher than nothing at all in the top set. We have a parents evening next week and dh and I were planning to have a chat with the teacher, see for ourselves what we think and possibly broach that ds is not happy.

However today she told ds that she can't see us at the parents evening because all her time slots are booked up . As an x teacher myself I am well aware of the workload pressures and stresses she is under and I want to work with the school not be a grumbler. Plus I'm aware that next year ds will probably have a different teacher. So I'm a bit stuck. Wwyd?
Options are:

  • ring school, ask for an out of hours appointment with the teacher and tackle the problem head on? (but clearly she wont become a good teacher overnight just because we tell her that ds doesn't rate her) OR
  • just accept that ds has a not so inspiring teacher this year and hope he gets someone better next year. AND
  • ask for ds to go down a set or not?


Any secondary teachers out there? How would you want this to be resolved if it was a child in your class?
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Hassled · 08/01/2010 17:15

I would make an appointment to see the Year Head or the Head of Maths in the first instance. But if the teacher can't see you at the Parents Evening she should be receptive to meeting with you at another time/date.

If you're otherwise happy with the school, I would just sit it out.

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mvemjsunp · 08/01/2010 17:18

I think you should make an appt to see the teacher another time. If her time slots are filled, there's not much you can do other than hope you spot a slot that should have been taken by a 'no show'. You could also speak to the form tutor.

You need to keep it all polite and information gathering. You could say that DS doesn't seem as excited about maths this year, and see if she offers anything. Then ask her to come up with a plan to re-energise DS - basically put her on the spot but don't accuse her of being a bad teacher. If she is a bad teacher, she probably already knows it and doesn't need you to knock her self-esteem further.

If you are still concerned, see the head of department and then you can be more frank.

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Slambang · 08/01/2010 17:19

Thanks hassled - but wouldn't seeing HoY or head of maths before discussing with the teacher be seen as a bit going over her head-ish?

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Batteryhuman · 08/01/2010 17:21

This happened with my DS in year 8 too. I think the curriculum for years 7 and 8 is pretty uninspiring in maths though am happy for any maths teachers to correct me. We ended up using a tutor once a week outside school for a couple of months just to remind him why he liked maths in the first place. The teacher, who was newly qualified, eventually got better at teaching and DS is now doing maths AS.

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Slambang · 08/01/2010 17:21

mvem - yes I would defnitely not go in all guns blazing and was planning exactly the sort of coded chat about ds not being so enthusiastic that you suggest. I suppose that's why I'm not sure if I should make a 'special' separate appointment seeing as she can't fit us in.

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Slambang · 08/01/2010 17:23

by the way mvem - surely your name should no longer have a p on the end?

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Slambang · 08/01/2010 17:24

battery - good that your ds had a happy (ongoing) outcome

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mvemjsunp · 08/01/2010 17:26

Controversial, slambag.

Gold star to you though - first one to mention anything.

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JaneiteIsAWimpyTeacher · 08/01/2010 17:27

You sound so thoughtful about how best to approach this. As an English teacher, I have, in the past, agonised about questioning my daughters' teachers (books unmarked, inaccurate levels given etc) but occasionally it has to be done - and this is one of those occasions.

I would suggest contacting the teacher in the first instance, saying that ds seems to have 'lost his sparkle' about Maths and you're hoping that together you can reignite his enthusiasm - could she suggest some extension activities / are there any opportunities for more group/research work in class etc / does she have concerns about ds / has she noticed a change in his attitude?

If things don't move on from there, I'd contact the head of dept.

Good luck.

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Slambang · 08/01/2010 17:27
Smile
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mvemjsunp · 08/01/2010 17:29

She should be able to see you at another time. It's not your fault that there aren't enough parents' evening slots to go around, and maths is a core subject.

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BendyBob · 08/01/2010 17:29

Not a teacher myself, but I'd def make an appointment to get my own opinion of the teacher. (All time slots booked? She doen't have enough time slots for the qty of pupils on oarents evening? Not a good impression imo) If I came away v concerned I'd see the head with no qualms.

Probably though I'd end up sitting tight if the school is good overall and hope for better next year.

But I'd pull out all the stops to keep my child interested in the subject poss with extra tuition outside school if I could stretch to it.

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Slambang · 08/01/2010 17:31

Thanks Janeite - bet you're not wimpy

It sounds as though majority opinion is talk to teacher in a softly softly way rather than avoiding the issue altogether...

(secretly hoped you'd all say that I was being pfb-ish and ds can put up with it for a couple more terms )

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Slambang · 08/01/2010 17:37

thanks everyone for answering. I have to do some actual parenting now (virtual is so much easier!)but will check back later.

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gerontius · 08/01/2010 17:40

I think that you're probably going to have to accept that although it's a little frustrating, you're going to have to expect a couple of bad teachers in seven years of schooling.

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piscesmoon · 08/01/2010 17:41

I would first of all telephone her and make an appointment at another time-insist on it.If you are not happy from there make an appointment to see the Head of Maths-it is too important to leave.

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Haggisfish · 08/01/2010 17:49

i frequently don't have enough time slots on parent's evenings - three Year 8 groups = 80ish pupils and only 30 ish slots!

I agree with the trying to talk to her, but I would also wait to see which set he is put into next year and then try and wangle into the set with the better teacher, whether that is higher or lower. Very underhand, but it is usually the more insistent parents who get their children moved.

Maths is one of those subjects that really struggles to get good teachers - I'd rather my child was in a set 6 with a good teacher than a set 1 with a crap one. Often middle sets are targetted with the really good teachers as these are the borderline GCSE kids.

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piscesmoon · 08/01/2010 19:41

80 pupils and 30 slots is ridiculous! Surely all 80 insist on seeing you?! There is no way that I would miss out an important subject teacher!

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Wastwinsetandpearls · 08/01/2010 19:48

I often dont get to see all my students and as a consequence spend hours on the phone.

Last year for example I had five year eleven groups 120 pupils. there is no way I could fit them all in.

I would raise it with the teacher when you speak to her

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whiteflame · 08/01/2010 20:41

are you sure that your ds won't get this teacher again? (e.g. does she teach the top sets right through the school?)

i would be less concerned if it was certain that he wouldn't have her in later years.

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dixia · 08/01/2010 20:52

She should definitely see you at another time. She is required to do that. If she doesnt make that happen, then you should request to see the HOY. Unfortunately, maths teachers are hard to find (I used to be one), so your meeting with her may not actually throw up any solutions.

I think there are a few things you could do. You could speak to the Head of Maths about whether there are any maths clubs or plans for one. If you are proactive as a parent in things like this, then the teacher is more likely to put him/herself out for you.

You could also go down the tutor option, which is a good one. BTW there is a great new magazine called 'Buzz' for young mathematicians. My DS who is 7, has the younger version. I think it is publised by Oxford Uni, but I can find out if you are interested.

Whiteflame has a good point. In lots of schools, the same teacher follows one set through the school as they get older - this should provide better continuity. But if you get stuck with a rubbish teacher - it is harsh.

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Haggisfish · 08/01/2010 20:57

No, far from it -lots of the parents of lovely kids that you don't really need to see because their children are lovely, behave well and progressing well come to see you. The ones you realy need to see to discuss their appalling behaviour and progress very rarely come. I do always offer to phone/email parents of students I can't see on the night.

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bruffin · 09/01/2010 22:54

Hve had this situation twice. With DS I played on his SEN and got him moved down a class( he is dylexic and was top class for MFL), HIs teacher could not control the class at all and the children themselves were complaining to HOY.

DD yr7 maths teacher had no control at all. I complained straight to HOY who took everything really seriously and the teacher has regular help in class. I don't see the point of saying anything to the teacher himself when it is obvious he is the problem.

DCs school has continuity of teachers and thankfully most of the teachers are wonderful.

I have noticed this year when DD started the pupils don't have the young inexperienced teachers for every lesson. In english ,math and science once a week dd has an older more experienced teacher.

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BUnderTheBonnet · 10/01/2010 16:50

Hi,
I'm a maths teacher. I also mentor new teachers in my school, so I deal with a lot of complaints.
I hear a lot of "everyone in the class" say this or that....usually not the case after investigation, but that's teenagers all over
Any complaint made to the HoY or HoD will be immediately shared with the teacher in question, so little point in not communicating with them first.
Also, pupils often find it difficult to adjust to new teachers, especially if they had a really good relationship with their previous maths teacher. I feel sorry for anyone who takes my classes on after me . Things often settle down this term.
As for parents' eveings, I often teach two classes in the same year group. A parents' evening has 37 appointments, but I teach 60 or so pupils. Nothing can be done about this except prioritsing making appointments for those that really need them. I offer phone conversations or email updates instead. It is unreasonable to expect the teacher to make individual after school appointments for all the pupils she can't see. She may have childcare issues etc.

I would contact the class teacher with neutrally phrased concerns initially, but feel free to follow this up with a non-judgemental letter to HoD if nothing improves. Remain supportive of the teacher in front of your son. Agreeing that she's useless is entirely counter-productive, and I see that a lot.

Good luck - at least you care

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madamearcati · 11/01/2010 11:34

Email the school and say you particularly wanted tom see the maths teacher but no slot is available can she suggest another time.Normally at our school if there's someone you particularly want to see and you tell them , they will see you at the end.

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