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Original poster

Clash of personalities with teacher

81 replies

circular · 26/05/2010 18:42

DD1 had an easy start in yr7, and was placed in top set for both English & Maths. In general, found everything too easy, and let her written work slip in English. Continually said that one of her two English teachers hated her, but took it with a pinch of salt - she can over exaggerate slightly.
But on meeting said teacher, I could see what DD meant. I was quite shocked that the teacher was consideriing moving DD down a set, even though she could see there was no lack of ability.
When I told DD, she said she would rather go down to set 2 than work with that teacher another year.
As it turned out, she stayed in set 1 for yr8, that teacher took set 2.
At the start of yr8, her new teacher questioned why she ended yr7 on a level 4, when she was clearly wayabove that. She was level 5 ks2, although resultant never sent through from prep school. Her target for eoy is 6c, which we think she would have reached or bettered.so it looks like at best there has been some personality issues that caused the yr7 problems, and at worst as DD says, the teacher simply hates her.

Now coming to the end of yr8, and their teacher has told them there will be about 4 or 5 of them movng down as there are too many brighter pupils in set 2.
Don't know yet if DD will be one of those moving down, but likely to question it if she is. Also don't yet know which set her last years teacher is taking. DD has said she will insist on moving down if said teacher is taking set 1

The worse case scenario would be foe her to moownsown to set 2 AND have that teacher. DD
is adamant that if this did happen, that teacher would do her best to spoil her GCSE chances by putting her down at the end of year 9.
There's also the issue that only the top sets get to do triple science, which she needs to do. And she would need at least a B in English to get into a decent uni. Which would not be possible if this teacher fixes it so she has to sit the lower paper.
All her other teachers say she is on track to get at
least A's.
Sorry this has been a bit of a rant, but we are genuinely worried of the damAge this one teacher could do.

OP posts:
Original poster
circular · 26/05/2010 21:54

PixieOnaLeaf - I acknowledge she has been lazy in some of her written work in yr7(English only) as she was bored. Much of what they were teaching she had done in yr3 or 4.
I did not expect the teacher to sing her praises- but I would have expected her to tell us sooner that DD was not producing the work and try to find out why.

Both my husband and I came aware from that first meeting feeling there was an intense dislike.

I appreciate what you say about peaking early - but other subject teachers (Maths,Science,Hisory,Geography,MFL,RS,Drama) say she IS Grade A. And G&T in 3 or 4 of these.

OP posts:
Goblinchild · 26/05/2010 21:46

ET, let's pop up to the staffroom and have an Irish coffee. Or we can just go straight for the gin whilst plotting the downfall of irritating students and their parents.

EvilTwins · 26/05/2010 21:43

So this is a straightforward teacher at fault issue then is it?

Sorry, OP, but you lost any sympathy I might have had for you with
"I know what level her classmates are at as they discuss it, and my daughter doesn't lie"

I'm not suggesting that your DD DOES lie, but you are looking at it from only her point of view, and she is a child. She has decided the teacher hates her. The teacher doesn't hate her - why would a sensible, professional grown-up bother to expend energy "hating" a 12 year old? And then spend an entire year of her life ensuring that said 12 year old goes BACK a level, rather than moving on? Seriously?

And anyway, your DD has had nearly a whole yar of a different teacher, so her true abilities really should have become clear by now, if it's really a case of the Yr 7 teacher hating her and deliberately causing her to do badly. And if she's as good as you say she is, why would she be in the firing line to be moved down a set, when she's had ateacher who DOESN'T hate her this year?

I really aim failing to see your point.

PixieOnaLeaf · 26/05/2010 21:43

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Original poster
circular · 26/05/2010 21:39

Trafficcone - No a top score story in yr7 does not make a grade A student. It was just one example, several commendation letters home for various pieces of written work. Though cross curriculum, rather than pure English.
ALL her other subject teachers (not Art or PE as I didn't get to see those) say she is A/A* including the subjects that require much written English.
So there is something very wrong here.

I know what level her classmates are at as they discuss it, and my daughter doesn't lie.

No, I am not a teacher and my English is not good. But on the basis that O'levels were much harder than GCSEs and I acheived C/C, my daughter should be capable of A/B.
I am also gauging this on my getting an A for maths, which she is said to be at least capable of - and my maths was much better than hers at her age.

OP posts:
EvilTwins · 26/05/2010 21:16

OK, so I'm probably going to sound a bit harsh here, but OP, I think you're coming across as a bit PFB here.

Believe it or not, very few teachers would go out of their way to ensure that a student DOESN'T do well. Why would they? Their job is to try to help students achieve what they ARE capable of. It sounds very much like your DD needs to take some responsibility here, and learn that she cannot let her work slip just because she doesn't like the teacher. She is going to come across plenty of people as she goes through life who she doesn't get on with, but can't use that as an excuse - and (here's where I get harsh...) neither can you.

The school cannot cater for each individual student's preference where it comes to teachers, and an intelligent and mature student (as I'm sure your DD is) will understand that ultimately, it is HER future that will suffer if she chooses not to pull her weight in a subject - particularly one as important as English, whilst moaning that the teacher "hates" her. I teach many students who I find challenging or difficult, but would never say that I "hate" any of them, and would certainly not go out of my way to ensure that they underachieved -what would be the point?

ZZZenAgain · 26/05/2010 21:03

don't worry too much about the teacher, focus on the work.

Maybe she has it in for dd, maybe she is weak enough to want to harm a pupil preparing for exams, I really don't know.

Get on top of the English. Why is she not getting higher grades, in what way(s) is she not attaining the expected levels? Speak to current teacher if you don't know

Get a tutor or in some way get to grips with that and if she is handing in work clearly of a high standard (whoever the teacher is), she will be alright. You could take that work to the head of dept and the whole thing will be crystal clear.

Fight it

PixieOnaLeaf · 26/05/2010 21:01

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Goblinchild · 26/05/2010 21:01

Oops. DD is G&T, DS is high average

Goblinchild · 26/05/2010 21:00

No, but we live in a posh area with a lot of private schools. These are the expectations for all three of the local colleges for MA/HA children.
DD was and is counted as G&T, DD is high average. Y6 gave SATS levels and TA levels, broken down into sublevels.
Two steps a year refers to the sublevels of c b a, so over two years, for example, you would progress 4a in Y6, 5c and 5b in Y7, 5a and 6c in Y8.
Or from a 5c to a 6b in Y8,
By Y9 you should have moved 6a, 7c.
Clear as the proverbial sludge, no?

Trafficcone · 26/05/2010 20:57

Secondary levels ARE different and parents
who try to make comparisons between yr 6 and yrs 7/8 will always come a cropper.

I also can't believe that you aren't a teacher and admit you're not good at English and yet you know what levels her friends are working to and how your Dd is better than they are.

Sadly, lovely as it is, an award winning, top score story in year 7 doesn't mean an A grade GCSE student.

Teachers can have personality clashes with pupils but they do always know better than parents what mark is appropriate and what standard a child is at.

PixieOnaLeaf · 26/05/2010 20:54

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Original poster
circular · 26/05/2010 20:51

Goblinchild - I am puzzled now

At eoy 6 we only had Sats results of 5,5,5 - (no a,b,c given).
On changing schools at yr 7 were told that secondary levels are different, AND expect to go up 2 steps per year.
Except for MFL where levels start low as some children are starting from scratch.
(DD is currently 5a, but they are not teaching above this standard)

No-one is getting > 7 at eoy 8.
Level 7/8 at eoy 9 is generally G&T

This is a slightly above average comp - is yours a high acheiving Grammar?

OP posts:
Original poster
circular · 26/05/2010 20:37

PixieOnaLeaf - I know they can't string a sentence together as I have spoken to them. One was round our house and couldn't read/understand the book DD was reading at the time. Admitted she had never read a book longer than about 100 pages.

Of course, I am hopeless at English myself, so can only go on what the teachers are telling me - that you need to be well read to write well.

DD had a reading age of 14 at 10, doesn't read as much now. So it does follow that creative writing is her worst subject.

As for the less able pupils woking harder - you may have hit the nail on the head. Struggling pupils always seem to get more help. Increases the 5 A to C targets, rather than challenge those already at an 'acceptable' level.

OP posts:
Goblinchild · 26/05/2010 20:30

Children are on average supposed to make a full level progress over two years. Above average are expected to do better than that.
My DS was a 5a 5a and 4a for English at the end of Y6, so his Y8 level expectations were 6a, 6a, 5a set at the end of Y7.
DD was a high achiever, so she was 7a level expectations for Y8 across the board, which she achieved, except in maths where she got an 8.
Both of them had serious teacher clashes, DS far more than DD.

cat64 · 26/05/2010 20:23

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Original poster
circular · 26/05/2010 20:22

Goblinchild - She was a 5 year 6, no way of knowing a,b, or c. But even if 5c, she should have ended yr 7 at worst 5a.
So eoy 8 should be 6b/6a.
But her targets were only set at 5b and 5c for by each of the two yr7 teachers. I questioned this at the time, but was told 'yr7 levels are different to yr6, and that is the level they are teaching to'.
Same as when I queried the 2a levels for MFL - but was told the whole class were given the same!

I think her targets have been set too low in general, and she is not being challenged enough.

Incidentally, is the 6a/7c an across the board thing for eoy 8 high acheivers? The subjects we are being told she is on target fot A's in are generally 6a/6b.

I also find it difficult to believe she is expected to reach a 7a this year in Drama - when she is so 'bad' at English!

OP posts:
PixieOnaLeaf · 26/05/2010 20:18

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Amapoleon · 26/05/2010 19:57

Also without being harsh, personality clashes are part of life. It won't be the last time your dd will to deal with this type of situation.

Original poster
circular · 26/05/2010 19:57

Janeite - Her progress this year is good on paper, if her eoy7 levels were correct. But it is not good over the two years she has been there. I am sure the head of English would see nothng to worry about if she looks to be working toards a C. But I think there is, as she is capable of an A/B.

Goblinchild - Not going to argue yet until we find out more. Our main arguments would be that
1)No other teacher in year 7 & 8 has had a bad word to say about her.
2)She got 1st place in a year 7 written project
3)There are at least 2 girls I have met from set 1 that can barely sring a sentence together - so if DD is moved down ahead of these, I would know she is being victimised.

OP posts:
Goblinchild · 26/05/2010 19:50

I know this is a subjective view, and I don't know your daughter, but 5a/6c is not a very high target or attainment for an able pupil in Y8.
If she was an average 4a in Y6, she's on target at a 5a in Y8. If she was a high-achieving 5a, she should be on target for a 6a/7c.

Trafficcone · 26/05/2010 19:38

That's not the 'pathway' they follow here. My DS could have done triple sci if he'd wanted to. As we know he's not going to be doing a levels in science subjects we decided there was no point him doing the triple.
As for your dd 'having' get a B in English to get into Uni. Surely you mean A level for that? She'll get into sixth form with a C at gcse and still be allowed to do A level English. If she sits the Higher GCSE paper for English she can get anything from a D to an A star. She'd not be entered for the foundation paper if she's as bright as you say she is as that's for the struggling pupils. Personality clashes happen but teachers won't compromise their own league table and exam results sucess by deliberately entering a top set pupil into the bottom set paper.

You need to see your DDs tutor and get the head of English to look at her work and show you her marks and why she's in the set she's in. It's very hard nowadays to put pupils down undeservedly as setting is directly related to achievement measured on the key stage scoring method.
It may be that your Dd really isn't turning in the standard of work you think she is.

TheFallenMadonna · 26/05/2010 19:31

Well, if she's near her target now, and still in top sets for Science and Maths, you would have a very strong case for her doing triple Science, even if she moves down a set in English. As a Science teacher I would be very of an able Science student's Science entry being determined by a poor year in English.

I am about learning pathways generally, but that's a whole other thread...

Original poster
circular · 26/05/2010 19:27

TheFallenMaddonna - re the triple science. A pathway system is used for GCSE options. Only top pathway get to do triple science. Generally only those in top set for English, Maths & Science get top pathway.
Gets on fine with teacher this year. We were told at parents meeting in March that she is doing fine this year. Teacher thought her eoy 7 levels were wrong. This years target is 6c (which would have been a BIG jump from 4 if that was true), not yet been told if she has reached it, but was 5a last term.

PixieOnALeaf - I've no doubt sone if it WAS laziness/complacency. But at the same time, if it was entirely DDs fault, why did the teacher leave it till parents evening (which was in the final term) to bring it to our attention? Particularly as she could see the ability was there - her words.
DD went to see head of year in the first half of the first term complaining nearly ALL her work was too easy and she was bored. Many of her teachers gave her extension work.
She has not clashed with any other teachers.

OP posts:
jetgirl · 26/05/2010 18:53

If your DD does get the teacher again next year, I would contact the school and ask for a meeting with said teacher and her head of department. Explain your concerns rationally and you should find that you are listened to.

As a teacher, there are occasionally some pupils that we have personality clashes with - it is to be expected as not everyone gets on in a workplace, but the issue needs to be resolved for the teacher to continue doing her job properly and your daughter to achieve the levels she should be achieving. What is her current level? Remember that exam entries will not be set while your daughter is in year 8, but once she starts year 10. She will be doing APPs which give a good indication of current level, and it is the year 9 levels which will determine her GCSE course.