making fun of students-os it ever ok?

12 replies

maydancer · 15/03/2016 21:03

DS who is in upper sixth is feeling a bit lost in one school subject. Teacher never marks work it is a large class (20,)
Lots of the kids don't understand but if they ask for help teacher makes fun of them.for not 'getting it'
One of DS friends has been off sick for a week and back at school just today
She answered a question wrongly and got 2 things mixed up.the teacher ssod something sarcastic I'm reply which made the class laugh and the girl who was probably still recuperating from flu cry after the lesson.
The teacher probably thinks she is being funny but the students are afraid to SSL for help as they don't want to be laughed at.
At 17/18 do i let it go or speak to school

OP posts:

ApocalypseSlough · 15/03/2016 21:06

I'd support your DC in standing up to the teacher in class and/ or making a formal complaint at this age.

PurpleDaisies · 15/03/2016 21:09

That's not on. There are some groups you can have a bit of banter with but you've got to be so careful it doesn't upset anyone. They need to know they've overstepped the mark.

Also, why don't they mark work? That's part of the job.

BonitaFangita · 15/03/2016 21:11

That's terrible, how are the kids supposed to learn with that attitude? Is the sixth form part of the school? Is this teacher teaching younger children? Is your son confident enough to make a complaint? If not then you need to. This teacher could be wasting their education.

MadamDeathstare · 15/03/2016 21:25

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

carefreeeee · 15/03/2016 21:31

Sounds like a bad teacher...the atmosphere should be supportive and encourage questions, and the teacher should be checking students understand and if they don't, going over stuff again.

It might be best to say something otherwise the students will likely not do as well as they might have done with a better teacher. It's probably quite difficult for a 17 year old to stand up to that sort of teacher. Maybe they could mention it to another teacher? Or you could approach the form tutor?

theshyretirer · 15/03/2016 21:35

That's not on. I'm a teacher and while banter can have a place in class, I'd never make fun of a student who didn't understand something; it's highly unprofessional and having empathy for your learners is a basic requirement in this job. I'd support your child in putting in a complaint, perhaps as a class rather than as an individual so no-one can be singled out and so it's clear that it affects everyone, rather than it just being the perception of one or two individuals.

Same for the marking, sometimes you can use eg peer feedback or whole-class feedback (perhaps at this age to help make the transition to more independent learning at uni / college / work) but students should get individualised feedback not just to mark progress but so they can learn from it too.

Terribleknitter · 15/03/2016 21:44

That's not good. DS has a bit of banter with one of his teachers because they support football teams that are traditionally enemies but that's good humoured mutual joking that never gets out of hand. This is just unkind.

Naicehamshop · 15/03/2016 21:59

Speak to the school straight away. This is totally unacceptable. Try to have some examples (dates, times, exactly what was said) to give to the school - they should take this seriously.

EverySongbirdSays · 15/03/2016 22:04

I remember this from my own time in Sixth Form some of the teachers really changed and became a bit matey and banter we had one who never marked work and wouldn't prepare for lessons and I remember having a few mad lessons where she would just get us all to write down lists of stuff like movies we liked and waste entire lessons.

It wasn't your DC though was it? Perhaps their parent should complain.

Complain about the marking. This teacher of ours never marked our case studies which were pertinent to the final exam. We'd all spent our Easter Holidays on them in Y12. I suspected first but eventually she admitted she'd lost our work. None of our parents did anything, different time though.

RockUnit · 15/03/2016 22:23

Speak to the school.

ladymariner · 15/03/2016 23:38

Absolutely speak to the school, as much about the books not being marked as for the horrible remarks. A teacher like this can seriously fuck up a child's education speaks from bitter experience, yes I'm looking at you Leggy Lawson and you really don't need this in such a high pressure year as your ds is in.

Fatmomma99 · 15/03/2016 23:40

At that age, you encourage the child to approach the school. With others, if possible. Practice being reasonable and rational with you.

Flip