New recruit teacher is inadequate

If you haven't read the other replies, how do you know there were people doubting her judgement?

Not read other replies. I think the phrase you are looking for us 'have serious concerns about this teacher' and ask to discuss it.

Ignore people doubting your judgement. I will always remember the story of my friend's sister theory years ago taught 'French' for a term until in assembly they demonstrated their knowledge in French for it to become immediately apparent they'd been taught gibberish. Haha. Maybe an urban myth...

If it's blak for black and grean for green and other equally poor examples, then two weeks is certainly enough to be saying something.

I can't see anything other than the evidence and a supporting letter (like the example on here given this morning) is necessary. No jargon. No euphemisms. Blindingly obvious needs no elaboration or drama. Nor does it, particularly, need more time.

As MelanieCheeks pointed out, in what language do you need the jargon? Because any jargon or euphemisms in English might be difficult to translate if you are speaking to the head in French, and generally jargon is used between people working in a specific field and not immediately understandable by the general public.

My rule of thumb is usually to run past concerns with other parents, especially those who have older DC who have been through the school as they can often allay concerns or tell you that you need to keep an eye...

And other parents have asked me my opinions too.

Where does it say the group as a whole has declared the teacher inadequate and a moron? And, if he is inadequate, why should they not say so? I don't know about you, but if my child had a teacher who was consistently doing the equivalent of an English teacher writing "blak" and "grean" and marking pupils down for giving the correct answers, I might think he was a tad inadequate.

All this talk of lynch mobs rather ignores the fact that OP is specifically asking for help in phrasing her concerns in a manner that is as little likely to hurt egos as possible; and that she has pointed out that she has talked to others because "no-one wants to make an unfounded complaint or raise a false issue."

I really don't understand this insistence that, if parents have concerns, it is somehow bad form to talk to each other about it. Yes, sometimes the playground mafia can be a menace and can whip each other up into a frenzy. However, the other side of the coin can be perfectly reasonable and worried parents who don't want to make unfair accusations and who therefore check with others whether they have seen similar cause for concern. There is simply no reason to assume automatically that any parent who shares such concerns with others must be a bully and setting up a lynch mob.

Because Jeeves a group of parents acting in concert, a couple of weeks into year 7, declaring a teacher inadequate and a moron, sounds like a lynch-mob to me!

If two or more parents happen to have the same concerns and raise that with the school, does that automatically make them a lynch mob? Why?

Re the black/white/green analogy. I wonder does this refer to academic terms, rather than just words? I spell some words in my subject area differently to another teacher, this is due to how we were trained and the difficulties of translating these words into English. Neither of us are "wrong".

Do you want the euphemisms and jargon to be in English, French, or Latin?

So, you're able to critique and correct this teacher's work but you don't have the intellect or nouse to come up with the appropriate wording for a complaint?
Are you sure the problem is with the teacher?

Couldn't agree more.

OP you come across as an aggressive, unreasonable bully. If you have an issue with the school raise it in plain English. You don't need jargon. You don't need to refer to teaching staff as "morons".

What a terrible example to set to your children. Gang up and bully, instead of dealing with an issue in an appropriate manner.

Who'd be a teacher? The teacher may be rubbish. That is yet to be determined - and don't flatter yourself, it won't be decided by you or the rest of your lynch-mob. It will determined by the SLT at the school in a fair and properly evidenced way hopefully.

I worked as support in a practical subject for several years.
Sounds like they didn't have many applicants and with no HOD someone in senior management picked the best of a bad bunch. Ether it was a very bad bunch and this is the best or was badly picked. With no HOD it may not have been picked up on yet, depends if the whole school is in a state or just the department. So your meeting should be focusing on firstly are they aware of how bad this teacher is and then secondly what is the long term plan to get the department fully staffed to an adequate level. Can you take in your DCs work books to give direct examples?
Sometimes we couldn't find good teachers with subject knowledge so would employ a good teacher and I would join in and lead the practical lessons, but that wouldn't be an answer for this subject obviously, just an example.

OP, surely you know there is absolutely no way that you can say someone is not up to their job without upsetting them and making them defensive? Hiding behind a euphemism does not make the pill any easier to swallow. It is also not necessarily an accurate judgement.

Completely agree with this.

Also calling someone a 'moron' is pretty disgraceful tbh.

Jeeves, there was no error, just made the point that the term has barely started there is a strong possibility that steaming in calling a teacher a moron, inadequate, questioning how he/she got the job, is a little early. At maximum the students have had 10 lessons, minimum they have had 6.

Raise the concern, but be diplomatic, and prepared to have the school put the other side. IF you dismiss them as "sensitive" you become one of "those" parents.

Also, don't expect to get a definite course of action from this meeting.

You will have the meeting.

The deputy head will - assuming you're reasonably polite - thank you for your time and the evidence you have put before him.

The deputy head will then, unless it is a very unusual school indeed, need time to discuss things with the subject teacher and probably also with the overall head of the school too.

Given how busy schools are, I would expect to wait several days before hearing anything back, if they promise to get back to you at all (which they might not).

Agree with Kez about avoiding sweeping statements, you risk appearing as 'That' parent if you start doing this. Please don't let your DD hear you call him a moron, that's just disrespectful. I would also recommend speaking to her head of year. The teacher may not be an NQT but he may have a mentor in the department. It's a difficult enough profession without parents gossiping and comparing notes. I would give him at least a month or so before complaining.

'Inadequate' is a very loaded term for teachers in England, I don't know if it would be in France or not.

Stick to the concrete evidence provided by your daughter's work and the poor quality written feedback from the teacher.

Avoid phrases like "....and all the other children agree" or generalisations as a whole. "The teacher is not up to the job" might come across as a blanket condemnation, but "His knowledge in [the particular subject] appears to be insufficient to teach children at this stage - look, for example at these spelling errors, here and here and here and here" sound much more evidence-based and less personal.

I feel a bit sorry for the teacher, tbh. I bet he knows his subject knowledge isn't great and he probably doesn't feel good about it.

I love this thread! Bonkers OP asks for help with witch hunt against new teacher at DC's school, PPs ask if that's wise/ necessary and OP says teachers are too sensitive and have egos.

If you don't need to be qualified to teach in France, have you considered taking on the task OP? It sounds like you could do a better job so why don't you step up? Then you can experience it when a gang group of parents approach your HT to discuss how competent you are at your job.

Jeeves, its September 15th, ok students have been back 11 school days, not a week and a half, its not that big a difference.

Indeed, but it's interesting that you make the error on the side of the calculation that reduces the possibility that OP might know what she's talking about.

The point, as I understand it, is that OP is saying they can't really leave it much longer due to application of French employment law. I know nothing about French law, but if it is the case that the school would find it far harder to dismiss the teacher for incompetence if it doesn't do something about it quickly, there possibly isn't much choice but to raise the matter now.

I think what everyone is struggling with is how best to advise you about how best to approach this without more clarity about what you specific concerns are, and particularly what subject

It seems clear that you think this teacher is a "moron" (pretty offensive btw) and is not up to the job and is not qualified. Other parents appear to agree with you. It does seem after only 2 weeks a huge opinion to have made. I respect that you may be right, and it does seem indicative of wider problems at the school as there is also no HOD.

I think you need to be honest with the Head, jargon is not going to sweeten the message. However you are now also saying that at this stage you don't want to go in too heavy handed. It is all a bit confusing.

BoboChic I need jargon and euphemisms at this stage to soften it up and not hurt egos. The use of jargon may have the opposite affect. It may be better to drop the jargon and just stick to focusing on the facts. Present the evidence you have and give them sufficient space to act on it.

Be careful about presenting the copy of the CV to back up what you are saying. Bear in mind that people do alter their CVs to emphasise their suitability for the role they are applying for. Unless you know it is up to date/the one they used to apply for the job and contains a definitive list of all their qualifications I would leave it out for now.

I do understand you wanting to raise your concerns early, I certainly would (admittedly not after two weeks but appreciate your frustration with the situation must be quite stressful for you).

To be honest, if the evidence you have is a compelling as you suggest, all you will need to do is present it and request written confirmation on how your concerns will be addressed.

Jeeves, unless you are the OP, how do you know the evidence isn't flimsy? Have you seen it?

I didn't say I did know, ThenLater and FunInTheSun. I queried why people were saying it was flimsy. It really is quite alarming the way people are making things up in their anxiety to criticise the OP and indeed anyone who dares not to agree with them.

I did say that evidence exists, on the basis of what actually has been said (which is all any of us can reasonably base comments on): OP isn't relying solely on what her child says, and has referred to evidence of the teacher's marking practice over a number of items of work, apparently both on her own child's work and that of a number of other pupils. She has also given an example of the type of error the teacher is making. So I query why others are jumping in saying so categorically that the evidence must be flimsy.

I would keep in very factual bobo.

Point out the errors in the work. At y 7 I'm assuming they're quite basic and speak for themselves.

I would also ask outright, if he is a specialist in this subject. 'I undertsnad that Mr X is a specialist in X and Y and not Z, is that correct?'

I can't see how they can fudge a direct question like that.

Then once the errors and lack of specialism are an accepted fact, you can leave it to the SLT to do what they need to do. And you can chase if their chosen action is to do nothing.

Or do you think that you are complaining behind the teacher's back if you complain to the deputy head that said teacher is inadequate?! You really think the teacher wouldn't find out that parents believed him to be inadequate???!!!

Who said you were having a meeting with the teacher?