What to do about sarcastic teacher

Doesn't matter how interesting a teacher is if the class won't let them teach.
This. But I don't think orange gets that.

The more relaxed style of teaching and the more out the box comes AFTER the class behave, listen, work hard etc.

Likeability isn't what makes a good teacher. And it also isn't the same as respect. I can think of lovely teachers who students say are nice but they still misbehave, not listen etc.

The crux of the post is a child has a teacher who isn't gushing with sunshines and sparkles and they don't like it. That's just life.

It really depends how she does it. Some sarcasm is harmless while others are just mean and bullying. kids need to learn how to read sarcasm but I guess it is better to leave it to the child’s family

To be fair, being mean and sarcastic is unprofessional though, Eolian. Not least because among that inattentive or badly behaved class there are bound to be some shy and quietly behaved children who wish they were in a less disruptive class, but who are going to be just as upset (probably more so) by a mean teacher.

Not saying that is necessarily the case here.

according to some people on this thread all teachers are perfect

Who said or even implied that?! Teachers are human. Some of them might even not actually be hugely nice. Just like some doctors aren't. And some shopkeepers aren't. And some waiters aren't. If you're expecting all teachers to be likeable, then I'm afraid you're being a bit unrealistic. Some can be a bit mean or sarcastic, particularly when faced with repeatedly and frustratingly inattentive or poorly-behaved kids. Last time I looked, that wasn't a sackable or even disciplinable offence.

Orangeplastic

You post about the teacher but not about the class. It could well be that they were the worst year 9 class that she ever had.

you do need to be a good interesting teacher though!

Doesn't matter how interesting a teacher is if the class won't let them teach.

I tell my children that sometimes you get Miss Honey and sometimes you get Miss Truncheable. Just like in real life.

Ds has an English teacher who is very emotional tells them they were the worst Year 9 she has ever had - apparently they were rubbish! Ds put up with these pep talks for the whole of the first term - he's good at English and I told him he was lucky because she'd like him because he was keen but it would take her a while to figure him out - he spent 4 months hating that woman before he accepted she was almost human, was she inspiring? NO! His love of English survived her horrible moods! You don't need to be an asshole to get respect - you do need to be a good interesting teacher though!

Who are you responding to orange? No one has said there aren't awful teachers or no shit ones. Am utterly baffled.

No there are teachers who are awful to everyone and there are shit teachers who are shit to everyone and that is not ok either - as I said I had one but I stood up to her because she had blamed me for talking when I was almost to shit scared to breathe, she asked if I was going to apologise and I said NO - it was the first time I stood up for myself - of course she called me an impertinent little madam but that was all she had - she was weak and crap and I knew it! She never picked on me again because I saw through her - I had no fear - I was never badly behaved in her class but she had scared the shit out of me to extreme levels - she had dislike me because I had refused to eat on a school trip and she had issues about this because I was always well behaved and hard working in class...I don't think I could ever allow my child to experience something like this. Maybe I misunderstood her (unlikely) - in which case a parent who intervened and mediated would have been able to resolve a high stress situation.

orange I think you are massively projecting here.Saying 'weren't you listening' isn't bullying and I'd love to see how it manipulates children.
There are bullies in all professions and walks of life. This isn't one of them.

As another poster said nicey nicey doesn't always mean great teacher. Nicey nice can mean pushover and a laugh in y7-9 but you're stuffed at gcse. Equally, i know many teachers who are strict and have quite a dry sense of humour with the students who are well respected have students want to be taught by them.

The OP has said this teacher is awful yo everyone and that they are picking on her DD. It can't be both.

She would be right to raise a concern and speak to thr teacher. She would be wrong to accuse the teacher of being a bully.

Redsrule I think the OP has chosen a poor example - I can see how that comment could be used by a good teacher but I can also see how it can be used to manipulate and bully students.

.some teachers are pathetic bullies but according to some people on this thread all teachers are perfect, always respond appropriately and it's the parents and pupils who are at fault!

I agree - some teachers are 'bullies'. Some humans are 'bullies'. Some parents are 'bullies. Some children are 'bullies'.

And?

You are projecting your past experience specifically onto this scenario. Just as some teachers (including me) are projecting our experiences of similar situations in the classroom. Why is one more wrong than the other?

Ultimately, none of us know the full picture, not even the OP. However, plenty have said she is within her right to question the school. Some have just also given the advice that it may not be as cut and dried as the DD or other gossiping parents state and to be prepared for that.

Orange I don't think anyone in the world could think the OP's example of sarcasm was an example of a 'pathetic bully'. There are teachers who are mean, as there are in every profession, but this is the wrong thread to attach this to.

Then again I guess many of us had an absolutely horrible awful bullying teacher - the moment I stood up to mine and called her bluff was an incredible moment - I realised she was all bark and no bite and she never picked on me again....some teachers are pathetic bullies but according to some people on this thread all teachers are perfect, always respond appropriately and it's the parents and pupils who are at fault!

Teaching teens you really need a sense of humour. I wasn't there, either, but I can't help wonder if it isn't that kind of chivvying banter that some teens actually respond to quite well.

It's the same with bosses, the matey ones are the most use less/ unhelpful when it matters

Also, in secondary school, you mustn't get into the mindset of thinking there is something wrong if not all teachers think the same thing about your child- that way madness lies. Dd excels in everything except science, which bores her rigid. Does that mean her teacher is rubbish? Or that I should complain when she tells me dd lacks concentration in her classes? Of course not.

I must have missed a trick when dd whined about her maths teacher being a cow. The example she gave me was that when the kids told her they didn't understand something, her stock response was "what is there to understand?" Clearly I should have gone in guns a-blazing at the utter hatred this woman obviously had for her students.

Still waiting for the OP's examples, because "weren't you listening?" even said with dripping venom would still not make me rush to 'ave a word. (except with my daughter, to whom I might well say "well, and weren't you?")

Either she's like this with all the kids, or she's picking on your DD, can't be both so which is it?
Sounds like this teacher may be quite brusque but that's not necessarily a bad thing, maybe your dd is used to kid gloves and isn't used to a more serious approach.

I don't think it sounds like your dd is being specifically picked on. I think this teacher takes a stricter approach.

I would have a serious chat with D D about how nice teachers aren't necessarily good teachers, and in my experience at school and uni the opposite was usually true. So long as she's fair about it (i.e. strict with everyone which sounds like she is)

And I wouldn't give too much weight to talk about other kids dropping the subject because of her, yes some kids will drop the class where they're actually made to WORK in favour of teachers who can't be added and let's them since

And it also might be that they go into ICT thinking it'll be a lesson they won't have to work at and don't like that that's not the case

Your example is utterly trivial and doesn't even appear to be sarcastic. Do you honestly expect your dd to like all her teachers? Did you like all your teachers when you were at school? Some are all sweetness and light (god knows how, in the current climate). Some are a bit grumpy. Some have a dry or sarcastic sense of humour. They are people and they vary. By secondary school, kids should be beginning to get used to that.

We had so many sarcastic teachers at school, it's good to hear that teachers no longer think this is an appropriate way to communicate.

The TA at my dc's primary made a sarcastic comment to him at the age of 5!! I spoke to the class teacher about it who typically began by telling me my son had made it up or heard incorrectly - when I told her I had heard the TA myself - she said oh Mrs X just likes to be a bit sarcastic at times - she doesn't mean any harm!

OP I would see if your dd could learn to deal with this teacher as a little side project - I do this with teachers my dcs don't like - learn to smile into her face even though you have zero respect for her - it's a good life skill. If that doesn't work and it's making your dd very upset I would phone the form teacher or head of year - which ever is the most approachable....it might be a big misunderstanding but in my experience calling out bad behaviour is usually enough to solve the problem.

I'm not a teacher. I find helping my child with her homework difficult for some of the reasons described by teachers here; "no not there! There!" when telling her where to begin writing. What I have come to realise though is that age ten she really doesn't take it in first time, just as I didn't at that age. I remember being thoroughly befuddled by teacher instructions and them getting shouty and angry because they'd "just said it!". I wasn't a naughty child, I was quite a fearful child as my parents were very hard on me. I just didn't have the listening and comprehension skills teachers wanted me to have and neither did many of my classmates. I think adults forget this sometimes in their frustration. A solid way of getting me to completely shut down was shouting at me and making nasty comments that made everyone else snigger but me feel scared and spend whole lessons praying not to be called on. I didn't even have friends to ask a lot of the time either as they were in different sets. I was a top set pupil throughout my school time fwiw.

I can't see how your example is sarcastic either and as kitty explained a practical subject such as ICT (it's still called that at my school) is far different from other subjects.

If it's a skills based task/lesson then we have to demonstrate and students need to listen and watch.

If I had a penny for the number of times I've shown students what they need to do (via software so they can see on their individual screens), then stepped them through it and then still get the "I don't know what to do" as they were not watching/listening/paying attention I'd be able to join the thousands of teachers leaving the profession.

I think that you just have to explain to your dd that some people are difficult to get along with and everywhere you go there could be a person like this. She'll have to listen carefully and try to keep her head down as much as possible. I wouldn't email school. I can't see how it will help and you may face bigger battles so save yourself for them.