Very scary maths teacher

Speak to the school.
Sounds horrible.

I think this can very occasionally be an issue with maths teachers in particular, as they are often (IME) maths geeks and a few of them don't seem to see how some students struggle. You can almost hear them thinking "why don't you see?"

I agree that this is not helpful and in fact some of the maths teachers I have known (not anyone on here obvs) should probably be given A level and top set GCSE only. Not many tho. I am absolutely not stereotyping or saying this is all maths teachers.

I have known many many empathetic and supportive maths whizzes (one friend and ex-colleague has a PhD and is the most understanding teacher).

@CathyCampbell in case you are still reading:

• I wouldn't follow this up in school just yet; maths is usually set and the sets may not be formed or fixed yet so your DD may move
• Many teachers as others have said will start very strict especially with year 7s - if this means they will behave and listen then it's not a bad thing
• It's obviously not OK for your child to be terrified; but I agree that the issues listed do not add up to that for me. "Child" well they are children and the teacher probably hasn;t got their names clear - remember they are teaching maybe 250 different students in a week so it's a lot to remember; eye rolls (see below) and sneering - not OK but not terrifying surely?
• Year 7 often do seem to regress - I agree with those who say it's a struggle to deal with the endless questions and kids bringing their book up to show you and randomly narrating what they are doing. DD tells me they used to have to ask permission to turn the page in primary school (teacher would check they had really filled the page; so as not to waste paper?) so maybe the students are not to blame
• Some teachers are more patient than others; some are nicer people; some are stronger in their subject; some are younger, some are older - no one size available
• Teachers are not a student's friend - they are there to impart knowledge, help you pass exams and inspire a love of their subject

Best wishes to your DD but honestly I would chat to her about making sure she does the right thing (and focus on that - never mind others) and tries her best.

DS2 had an English teacher everyone hated (she was DS1's form tutor and they all moaned about her) but DS2 admitted that she set them really good tasks and they learned a lot in her lessons. Even better if they had all loved her as well but that's a counsel of perfection.

I also had a scary maths teacher, put me off maths for life. It was a subject I struggled in and he just couldn't see why I didn't " get it" As an adult I had some support in the subject from somebody patient and I started to " get it" more.

Glad there are some sane, empathetic people on this post!

Terrifying teachers are not necessarily bad teachers. Some kids respond to that and get on better with it.

Equally some cool laid back teachers may not connect with all kids.

It's good to have both. You are never going to click with every teacher. Who is good for some isnt going to work for the next kid.

If this is the only teacher she's terrified of, it sounds like a teacher problem. Most kids can remember the wanker teacher at their school.

I also had a terrifying maths teacher! But she was fantastic at her job, and the lowest GCSE grade in our entire class was a B with her as our teacher.

I had a maths teacher that was properly scary. IIRC he retired at some point when I was in Year 7 (which was so long ago was still first year…). He wore an academic gown to teach in (state comp!).

Op try to find out exactly what’s happening.

I am hoping this teacher is doing the ‘jack boot’ regime for the first weeks and will soon show her kinder self. I would talk frequently to your daughter and use humour to try and help her get through the first couple of weeks. If things don’t improve I would then think about how to tackle this with the school..this won’t be an easy option.

@CathyCampbell I had this issue in year 7 at the secondary school I attended.

Going back years now but my maths teacher was terrifying and I used to be frightened of her every single lesson, this went on for 3 years.

She would scribble over our work if it wasn’t laid out in the format she wanted, she used to make anyone who yawned in her lesson run around outside to wake them up and it didn’t matter if it was cold.

She constantly picked and bullied students and we just put up with it.

I dreaded all her lessons and wish my parents had gone into the school, instead they just told me to ignore it.

As a result I really struggled with maths, by year 10 I was starting to enjoy it as had moved to another teacher, but I had already lost 3 years.

I saw her many years later at a supermarket and still felt terrified as a 30 year old.

I do believe she did alot of damage and because of her ways most of us suffered.

If your daughter is happy for you to have a word with the head about her concerns then I really would.

The number of typos! You'd swear I never went to school! Apologies.

Don't speak to the school (certainly not yet). Tell her to give it a chance, stick with it, do the work to the best of her ability, think things through herself and if she has a question ask with confidence. It's fine to ask questions. Some of the absolute best teachers I had were absolute tartars but it worked well for them as less time was spend on discipline and we learnt a lot of their subjects. Some of the best They were actually fantastic people and really funny too when routine got settled. Let her do their job and see how it goes. Reassure her it isn't personal and teachers have different methods for managing the class.

😂😂😂

'I've finished the page what shall I do?' drives me insane every.single September.

What have they been doing in Year 6 that they don't know what to do when they get to the end of the page in their exercise book?! It beggars belief.

My usual response is 'oh dear, you'll have to write on the table then, won't you?' Cue lots of shocked little faces...

Only those of us who have to break in Year 7s every year truly get it! Sending solidarity!

Yes, I appreciate that this is all likely true. And I definitely recognise the teacher in your last paragraph. The school ignored bullying, struggling children, kids with mental health. If you had a tough time emotionally you were ‘disciplined’ until they fell into line - I was one of those children and it messed me up, it still does. So yes, maybe this is why I find strictness unnecessary, especially having seen teachers who managed to deal with children without it.

So yes, maybe I am skewed in my point of view, but knowing how strictness can affect kids, I can’t agree that it’s the right course of action in every situation or that teachers who aren’t strict are not in control.

I think I’m going to have to leave this thread as it’s actually a lot.

If she’s a qualified maths teacher in a secondary school then the only thing your DD’s gotta be is grateful. She might be scary but if she knows what she’s doing you gotta roll with it cos recruitment is so bad there ain’t no one waiting in the wings to replace her if she leaves and DD will just end up with supply all year. It’s a shitty, thankless job in schools right now and no one wants to do it.

Why do you think that I don't believe you?
I definitely believe that you consider these teachers to be wankers.
I have no other frame of reference for them.

I also believe that your opinion is coloured by your age and perception of that time of your life.

I also know that the teachers that you don't like would be under a huge amount of stress to provide results as you say it was/is a high achieving school.

I also know that my opinion of quite a few of my teachers differs from my friends due to different classes and my opinion of my teachers will differ from some of those that where in the same class.

My maths teacher ignored everyone in the class apart from those on his table of favourites and woe betide anyone that stepped out of line, made a noise or even asked a question. But no doubt those that were his favourites would think that he was exceptional and he was revered by parents and the head.

Email tutor/head of year. They can have a quiet word with the teacher in question.

The teacher shouldn't be terrifying. If the behaviour policy is effective, teachers can be firm but fair. We have an EBSNA epidemic and many children are exceptionally scared of school, before you factor in frightening teachers.

I used to have a teacher who would shout until his entire head went red.

Now I realise he actually did it because he had lost control.

Shout?
I thought the strict ones do not shout, they just have a deathly stare.

Sitting in silence sounds bliss, my son would thrive in such a class. Listening to the teacher without interruption or disruption would be his ideal type of lesson.
Sorry your daughter found it tough, but I would have thought in time she'd benefit from being with a teacher who won't stand for disruption. So long as she can ask questions for clarification then I think she'll probably do really well. Just tell her the teacher has to be strict to maximise learning potential, and providing she (your dd) does as she's told, they'll likely get on swimmingly.

And yet you keep on responding ???

You havent actually said anything, you’ve just asked me about my experience then said you have no interest in anything I have to say.

So I don’t really know what your point is. But as we have both said we won’t agree with each other about experience, let’s just agree to end this utterly pointless exchange.

So let’s just leave it.

Of course they didn’t - when have you ever known a situation where large groups of teenagers all want to be there and behave at all times!

And yes, my strictest teachers were wankers. A lot of the teachers were wankers who had zero care for bullying or personal issues. My school was horrific, I wouldn’t send my worst enemy there. There were one or two teachers that were okay and one was the lady I met ones who was well respected. You don’t have to believe me, that’s fine, but I know what happened in that school.

Yes don’t agree with the person who’s actually done the job for 3 decades because you clearly know so much better - with your zero experience

I haven't claimed that my experience is universal.

But then I haven't claimed that the strict teachers that I had were "wankers".

In what respect did you have these groups of 30 teenagers?
I suspect that they all wanted to be there.