Incandescent with rage!

[Dawndonnaagain]

Just got dds school report, it's good, in the main, which we expected, but she is a worker. Now, some of you know that dd is an intelligent, hardworking, articulate woman, so please take note, those that don't!
She has had difficulty with her German lessons all the way through AS level. Not so much the lessons as the lack of tuition, she has two hours teacher contact time per week, for AS level! The teacher continually tells her that she won't make it. She leaves her ridiculous amounts of work to do in the scheduled lesson times, as well as homework. I have had enough and hired a private tutor. Said tutor has pointed out that a) not enough contact time, b) her pupils finished the book that dd is on (chapter three) before christmas, c) The school teacher's corrections needed correcting, d) with enough tuition dd can achieve a c this year and a b next. I know the woman tutoring, she taught ds for four years at a different school.
Now, despite the fact that dd is doing everything asked of her and more, fucking bitch has given her a satisfactory for effort and a bit of a slagging off. I am writing to the governors about the lack of teacher contact time, the fact that the report is grossly unfair, and the fact that it's not even written properly. Any suggestions welcome.

[LyingWitchInTheWardrobe2726]

Make and appointment to see this teacher, making it plain that if you are not satisfied, you'll see the next level up. Your daughter shouldn't be told 'she won't make it' if it is possible that she could do so.

I would find out, from the teacher, exactly what the problem is and take it from there once you've had a chance to assimilate and determine what your next steps will be.

[TillyTellTale]

TWO HOURS!!!!

Day-time college students here get five hours. Evening class adults doing it in their spare time get three hours, unless class numbers are too low to support it.

My tried and tested books for getting through AS-level German on two hours contact time a week here:

www.amazon.co.uk/Living-German/dp/1444153919/ref=sr_1_1/275-5082294-1772224?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1395058408&sr=1-1&keywords=living%20german&tag=mumsnet&ascsubtag=mnforum-21

www.whsmith.co.uk/products/german-grammar-drills-2nd-revised-edition/product/9780071789455

Once she's beyond those, this is lovely: www.whsmith.co.uk/products/using-german-a-guide-to-contemporary-usage-2nd-revised-edition/product/9780521530002

[Dawndonnaagain]

Appointment made. The problem is the teacher prefers to teach french and has a bit of a reputation for this. I won't be talking to the teacher, I will be talking to the head of sixth form and the governors.

[Dawndonnaagain]

Thank you Tilly I have ordered that first one and will get the rest, too.

[TillyTellTale]

I don't know what board she's using, but I actually bought myself some Zeitgeist OUP books, in addition to the ones my class used because I thought they were nice. They have different editions for each exam board.

[Parliamo]

It will not be the teacher's idea to only have two hours a week! I'm guessing it's a really small class and it's all they can afford. Definitely see head of sixth form and write to governors, this shouldn't be acceptable.

The thing is, the alternative is to not offer the subject at all.

[MerryMarigold]

I assume it is not her choice to just have 2 hours contact time, but it seems really ridiculous. She is also covering herself in the event of a bad grade in terms of the lack of effort etc. Yes, you need to speak to head of 6th form and head of modern languages.

[Dawndonnaagain]

She's doing OCR and we have the Zeitgeist books. She had her first lesson with the tutor last week, she did more in two hours than she'd done all term, learning wise. Dd has AS so needs clear explanations, her school teacher gets frustrated and tells her to use a dictionary when she doesn't understand it and explains in German. Tutor explains in English, with a picture. Both teachers have taught Ds, so have experience of AS. Oh, and school teacher spends part of the one lesson per week marking. Just had a call from dd telling me that an hour of the lesson this morning, was individual learning. What's the fucking point of the teacher being there! Grrrrrrrr!

[Dawndonnaagain]

She is the only one doing German, but ffs, if as a school you are offering it, then offer it properly or not at all. We would have gone with other options.

[NigellasDealer]

don't you think 'incandescent with rage' is a slight over-reaction (as well as cliche) and anyway how is it the teacher's fault about the 2 hours?
also why are you calling her a 'fucking bitch'?

[TillyTellTale]

In that case, your daughter will love the books I have recommended. I am also an Aspie, and those books are the clearest ones i've found on the market, suitable for home-learners who cannot stand vagueness, and need answers. Very few books meet my standards. (Cambridge Latin Course, I'm looking at you. )

I would write a short message in German for you to pass on to your daughter, congratulating her on picking the most beautiful language in Europe, but I'm trying to write a French essay at the moment, and I don't switch languages well on the fly yet.

[NurseyWursey]

It's the teachers fault she's not using the 2 hours adequately
It's the teachers fault she's marking in lesson
It's the teachers fault she's wrote a scathing report when the pupil doesn't have chance to improve

[Dawndonnaagain]

Because I feel like it Nigella, because I am also aware that there is an agenda here, and because on the few occasions I have met the teacher she has been smug, arrogant and rude. However, I'm here, I have a dd with a physical disability and AS. My role as a mother is to ensure she not bullied and not abandoned. Being told in every single lesson that she won't make it, is bullying. As for my cliche, sod off.

[Dawndonnaagain]

Bless you Tilly thank you. (if you read some of the wheelchair on buses threads and blue badge parking threads, you will see some clear examples of her writing)!

[TillyTellTale]

I'll try not to overwhelm you with stuff, but languages and how to efficiently learn them with little access to tuition is my current obsession, and ich liebe Deutsch ueber alles

She might find this forum useful, but I would recommend she never steps outside of the specific subject sub-sections, because other than that, TSR is over-run by misogynist trolls. It's rage inducing, and terribly distracting if you have actual proper stuff to do with your day. The linguist bit is okay though.

www.thestudentroom.co.uk/forumdisplay.php?f=98

She may also find memrise suits her; it's dominated by AQA vocab lists, but there are general A-level essay phrase lists. She could always create her own OCR-specific vocab list, if it's very different.

www.memrise.com/courses/english/?q=as+german

[TillyTellTale]

And now I will stop hypocritically advising others and actually do my own bloody work before I have to do the shopping.

[teacher123]

What agenda do you think the teacher has? (Genuine question, it's not made clear from your posts). Why would she want your daughter to fail?

[Dawndonnaagain]

Tilly I luffs you! Good luck with your work!

teacher Means that the german can be abandoned next year. Same was done two years ago with Spanish when ds did it. He wasn't given the contact time, no extra help and was pushed into giving it up after AS.

[MerryMarigold]

The agenda (I think) is that the teacher is covering her backside in the event of OP's daughter failing. So that it is not down to dire teaching but OP's dd's fault.

[thinking101]

Find out from DD if the teacher is timetables to have contact with her but doenst actually use it and sets independant work OR if there is insufficient time on the timetable. As these are two different issues.

If it is the former then the teacher needs hauling over the coals, though being negative is having a 'detrimental affect on DD motivtion and therefore her achievment'

If it is the latter then I would find the syllabbus and find out how much teaching time is recommended, it usually states and quote that.

Either way you need to at least see the head of depatment or find out who the line manager is (it will be one of the assistant heads) and speak to them, firmly. This is not acceptable.

Stress the support you have had to give re tutor, which you sholdnt have, and that it is disgrace your DD will never get that time back. Say how one grade can have a kncok on affect onto other grades if your DD thinks she is not on track to get the grades she needs for uni there is the possibility she could 'relax' pursuit of others (even is this is not the case) they wont want to 'lose' grades they care about results above everything.

[thinking101]

I would also ohotocopy examples of corrections and present this and say you are happy to have this checked,

[teacher123]

It won't have been the teacher's choice to only have two hours contact time per week. I am amazed they ran the course with only one student on it, that's very unusual. Sounds to me like the teacher is panicking about covering all the required syllabus which is why she is setting so much work.

I think that asking to see the HOD and Head of Sixth Form is the way to go, to clarify what her predicted grades are and also make the point that you've had to provide tuition outside the classroom for her.

[WorrySighWorrySigh]

We had similar with a German teacher though in our case at GCSE level. Teacher didnt want to be there and would set work for my DD to explain to the rest of the class then sit and do her PSHE marking (she preferred teaching PSHE).

I totally sympathise with your rage. I wish we had realised what was going on sooner.

I think you are totally right going straight to head of 6th. If you had gone to the teacher herself she would just prevaricate and try to brush you off.

Good luck with the meeting.

[natwebb79]

2 hours?! I teach AS German and we are allocated 8 hours a fortnight for a class of 3 students!