Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Secondary education

Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

See all MNHQ comments on this thread

Original poster

New recruit teacher is inadequate

459 replies

BoboChic · 15/09/2015 06:41

This, basically. DD in Y7 started secondary school 2 weeks ago. One - and only one - of her teachers is totally inadequate. He is a new recruit. Parents and pupils have noticed pretty quickly that he doesn't have the first inkling of the subject he is supposed to be teaching. One approach has already been made to the school to alert them. What are the best words to use to describe this situation? Inadequate? Lacking subject knowledge?

OP posts:
Original poster
BoboChic · 15/09/2015 21:47

Parents have 18 years of responsibility or more to see their DC through education. All the teachers I have known in RL are quite modest about their role and input and don't think that parents' opinions about their DC are systematically twaddle.

OP posts:
Lauren15 · 15/09/2015 21:44

Parents can see things from the children's perspectives better than the teachers. Have you ever been a teacher? I have been a teacher and a parent and a can assure you this is twaddle.

Original poster
BoboChic · 15/09/2015 21:39

TheFallenMadonna - sure, purchasing power of parents gives them the right to both have opinions on what they are buying and to make them known to the school. Schools aren't perfectly knowledgeable and - sometimes - parents can see things from the children's perspective better than teachers or heads can. Parents do generally have their children's interest at heart.

OP posts:
fastdaytears · 15/09/2015 21:34

HT has definitely gone on a fobbing off course! To be fair he seems to have benefitted from it.

Can't quite see how we went from "I don't know how to say this teacher is shit" to "I've fixed the curriculum for my kid's school again"...

ThenLaterWhenItGotDark · 15/09/2015 21:29

Xposted with a million others.

guineapigpie · 15/09/2015 21:28

I wonder whether this HT has political ambitions? Grin The political gameplaying, searching for euphemisms, avoiding getting to the point and general buck passing in this thread are like watching an episode of "Yes Minister."

ThenLaterWhenItGotDark · 15/09/2015 21:28

.??.which might take a leedle bit longer than this 'we need to act tout de suite because of the contract thingy' thingy. Grin

TheFallenMadonna · 15/09/2015 21:24

To be fair to the OP, it would be entirely standard to address an issue like subject knowledge with the line manager, and not the teacher directly.

anothernumberone · 15/09/2015 21:24

Super thread OP. If I were a troll hunter but I am definitely not this would be just the type of thread that would have me wondering

As it stands though I am enjoying learning more about the French education system and the power of great parenting.

I think the French angle is a fantastic touch

guineapigpie · 15/09/2015 21:22

Have you actually met the teacher, OP? Or have you just reacted to the homework and your child's comments? Cunning move on the part of the HT, to deflect all blame from themselves! I feel sorry for the teacher who, apparently, is not worthy of consultation and has been condemned by you for being incompetent generally, rather than for being an inappropriate person to teach that particular subject.

ilovesooty · 15/09/2015 21:13

I'm wondering if this teacher wanted to teach a subject outside his specialism in the first place, and what the consequences for him will be.

TheFallenMadonna · 15/09/2015 21:12

That sounds a bit arsey, sorry about that.
I have in my mind the purchasing power of parents outweighing the educational arguments of the professionals. I do realise you are arguing from an education PoV yourself, but is that how the MD sees it?

Shutthatdoor · 15/09/2015 21:11

*he or she

Grin at GlistensIs

Shutthatdoor · 15/09/2015 21:10

So if he is right in that, why would the MD be more likely to agree strategy with a parent than the Head?

I don't think he is. I think there is some placating going on Wink

BoneyBackJefferson · 15/09/2015 21:09

InimitableJeeves

That was an analogy given by the OP as a general point as to why she disliked the new teacher against the old ones.

AllThatGlistensIs · 15/09/2015 21:09

I'd say something eminently sensible and encouraging.. But I'm too busy being agog.

This is my current fave WTF thread Grin

Funinthesun15 · 15/09/2015 21:08

The meeting with the MD will take place on Monday at the latest. We're moving fast.

Good grief OP, is there enough room for yourself and your ego in your room Shock

TheFallenMadonna · 15/09/2015 21:07

But now you have, in an hour, changed his outlook to the point where he has completely changed his ideas about curriculum, he nonetheless feels the person who can take the decision is more likely to listen to a parent on a matter of education strategy than him, the Head?

So if he is right in that, why would the MD be more likely to agree strategy with a parent than the Head?

Shutthatdoor · 15/09/2015 21:07

The curriculum that we want exists and is an "official" French Education Nationale Curriculum. So not terrifically difficult to implement. It's the mindset that is hard to change (major issue).

The French education system is soooooooo lucky to have you Hmm

Lauren15 · 15/09/2015 21:05

You sound lovely Op. I challenge you to teach a class for a whole year seeing as how you are such an expert.

InimitableJeeves · 15/09/2015 21:03

I wouldn't be a teacher for a bloody gold clock with parents like this to contend with

You'd like parents to ignore teacher errors like "black" and "grean"? You'd better not become a teacher, then.

Kez100 · 15/09/2015 21:01

Cor blimey - the principal of 5 schools? If you are going to teach in France, don't get your spellings wrong! That'll learn him.

guineapigpie · 15/09/2015 21:01

So, HT recruited the worst person possible for the job in the hope of stirring parents with form into action? Grin It seems bizarre to me that a fundamental flaw in the entire curriculum only has an impact on one subject.

sanfairyanne · 15/09/2015 21:00

I love this thread

Original poster
BoboChic · 15/09/2015 21:00

TheFallenMadonna - the Head is not the strategy maker so he's not ineffectual. But he does buy in to the fundamentally flawed curriculum. Except today he began to see the light Wink. Fortunately he likes innovation and is able to take on new ideas - which I think is a quality in a head.

OP posts:
Swipe left for the next trending thread