To be annoyed at DS teacher for missing taking time off for this?

[Seriouslyirritatednechanger]

My eldest DS is at a notoriously crappy school as it is, I have tried to move him at various points throughout secondary to no avail. One of his teachers is guardian to a child in his year. As a result we have had restricted parents evening times available meaning my dh could not attend with me because she wanted to see her child's teachers on the same night , the child frequently behaves badly and on some occasions the teacher has missed the start of DS lesson to be called in by the head when he deals with bad behaviour. The teacher has missed several lessons to take her child to appointments this term already and it is gcse so DS needs the teacher to revise with. This teacher is the only one for the subject in the school so cover teachers can't teach them. The teacher has refused to give DS extra revision sessions even though it is a subject he really struggles with and he did badly in his controlled assessments so needs a miracle to do well overall. No doubt the teacher will be giving her child extra help outside school but because I do not teach the subject or at all this is not an option for my child. I thought teachers were not meant to miss school time as they have short days and all the holidays to have appointments etc so I don't understand why she cannot do this like any other teacher. Others of DS teachers have children and this does not happen half as often. I feel like she is putting a child she looks after over my son and the importance of gcses for the whole class

i think the op is saying that when the teacher is out the lessons are being covered by teachers who dont speak the language, therefore the kids are not getting taught/revision and therefore her son asked the teacher to do extra revision with him as he had some lesson time in which he wasnt being taught.

In my school teachers most definitely did to extra revision sessions at break/lunch for those kids who requested it. If you requested it and were concerned they would help you.

Takver

Professionals set the times regardless of who you are and what your job is... it goes to THEIR diaries every single time.

I know this one personally... the choice is this... you either take the appointment given or wait even longer than you already have done for another... which may significantly impact on your child.

I was given 2 days warning for a meeting professionals planned in front of me but did not tell me I needed to be at nor negotiate the date with me... it was one of my 2 set days at work and a service had to shut early so I could attend... another day I was called into deal with a serious incident at school and left a labour ward short until other staff came in...

There was nothing I could do... there is nothing this teacher can do - her employers know the situation and need to make other arrangements for when she is required elsewhere...
Parents should not have to suck it up.

I have now left the NHS but I can already see similar issues clouding the future... professionals will just not plan with you

Nailak - good point. But. Has DS asked for the revision sessions or has the OP?

No, but she is getting jumped on as being unreasonable for suggesting that the absences are adversely affecting her son. I am well aware of the conversations that go on surrounding high levels of absence. However, while discussions are being had, classes remain untaught.

The teacher should definitely be making up time missed for appointments with after school or lunchtime revision IMO. I missed a lesson last week because I was doing interviews. I did it after school today instead.

I don't think yabu at all OP. If the teacher has to take so much time off (regardless of the reasons!) that the students are suffering then the HT should be making arrangements for appropriate cover rather than just leaving the students to struggle with supply teachers who can't help the students.

Making other arrangements for a MFL year 11 class at a couple of days notice? Easier said than done I suspect.

Its threads like these on MN that make my blood boil. I'm a teacher too. Missed DD's first day of school, first nativity play, prize-givings etc as unless it is essential, we don't get time off. Hear that-essential! This poor teacher is kindly making a difference in someones life, but it's never good enough for some people. I LOVE my job and DD but when ignorant teacher bashers start sprouting hateful comments, I just want to scream. Oh well, back to marking work after a few deep breaths...

Again, I'm going to say that the pool of good supply teachers in shortage subjects is rather smaller than many posters seem to think...

I am not an ignorant teacher basher. It is not teacher bashing to say that when a teacher is frequently absent, her students suffer, which is the main thrust of the OP.

No, and my post wasn't aimed at you. It was the multitude of posts in the first few pages that annoyed me.

No one has sprouted ignorant comments

How is it ignorant to suggest that high levels of absence are impacting her son's chances of success?

I will miss my DCs nativity play etc. I'll also get paid. I am sorry but it is just part of being a working parent - we absolutely cannot work and have the financial advantage and expect all the other advantages to being a SAH parent.

Well it's not all of the main thrust, is it? Nobody would argue with her if it was. Unfortunately, her contempt for the looked after child and the teacher come through and make her argument ugly and entitled. Less concerned about her son doing well and more concerned with making sure that no-one gets more of this teacher's time and effort, regardless of the reason.

Again, you are making reasonable comments-not everyone is though. You try reading about people dismissing your job as 9-3-all the time in the world and certainly not worthy of attending appointments for a troubled guardian and not getting upset by it.

Sorry, that was for tea parties, can't press post quickly enough!

So your problem is with the school not arranging suitable cover then? Perhaps you should take that up with the management of the school rather than griping about the teacher. I have had to take a lot of time off this year for my own medical needs and for those of my dcs (I am tempted here to ask my daughters to have disabilities and serious illnesses at a time more convenient for people like you...) Every single time I have given as much notice as possible, with warnings given in advance of what is likely to happen where I can. If you think for a minute that any teacher worth their salt doesn't worry and care about missing lessons, you're a badly mistaken. Here, my second ever - you deserve it. Oh and while I'm asking, I take it that you have only become aware of a problem very recently with your dc's progress? Not mentioned in the twice termly reports that schools now send out? Unbelievable.

The OP was poorly written. It was a rant which should have stayed private amongst trusted friends or family. All the stuff about the 'looked after' child and short working days just caused a backlash, quite rightly imo, and the main point has been overlooked.

In a nutshell, OP, get in touch with the head and tell them how many lessons your son has missed and ask what opportunities there are, if any, of catching up. Also, follow up on all the suggestions for helping him at home.

It is a bit late now though, exams start very soon. Any chance of re-sits?

I absolutely agree that generally schools and teachers work together to make sure absence doesn't affect the pupils. It doesn't sound though as if this is happening in this particular case (regardless of the reasons for the absence).

I agree that the OP's beef should be with the HT / school management, but I can see why she is feeling frustrated.

Interesting...
that the OP doesn't appear to acknowledge the difficulties that the teacher may be having with caring for their child - and the fact that time off would only ever be granted during school hours in extreme circumstances.
A little more thought to that with a dollop of empathy might help you to look to the school / a tutor to point you in the direction that you need to go in to ensure that your child's education isn't affected.

Oh - and being a school teacher is very different to being a school building. Just because the school is closed, doesn't mean that our work is over. That goes for holidays, too!

I will say again that not everyone has available funds to spend on private tuition.

The teacher in question is doing nothing wrong but the OP is absolutely not BU to be frustrated by the fact her son's education is being adversely affected by the situation.

I'm a teacher on maternity leave. School didn't arrange the best cover for me at first (it was a non-specialist teacher - although this is now sorted) and I came in for a fair amount of emotional blackmail from my year 11 students and their parents about abandoning them before their GCSEs. The implication was that I was letting them down. The problem is, of course, that I have at least one year 11 class every year, so unless I resign myself to never having my own children and simply devoting my life to helping other people's children, I am always going to be doing the wrong thing in someone's eyes.

I am a teacher, but I am also a human being and have the same basic human rights as everyone else! I agree with other posters - complain to the management but don't imply that this woman should put your child before her own.

Oh, and I work more hours than I have done in any other profession. Teaching isn't a job, it's a vocation. One that is getting increasingly pissed on by those who are ignorant enough to think that when their kids go home, teachers do too.

Still amazed that the OP has left it so long to see the problem here. Surely the exam is a month away.

When I took maternity leave, my teaching was covered, but no-one would take my management responsibility, so it was fucked up managed by someone doubling up for no pay and no time.

Absolutely Slings...when I was pg with DS1 I had loads of emotional blackmail from year 11 and when I returned my year 10 (now 11) refused to be taught by me and kept the Aussie maternity cover. I had doors slammed into me when I was pg... Then I got forced out and my mat cover got my job...despite getting all 1s from Ofsod the year before in lesson obs...schools are terrible places!

French exam 13 May
Spanish exam 17 May
German exam 22 May
Controlled assessment deadline May 15

Think you should have approached the school before now