AIBU to ask you how to deal with idiot teachers?

[DaysDragonBy]

Fuming right now. Had all sorts of shit from the school, but this takes the biscuit. DS has broken his wrist. It is in a cast and in a sling. He is under instructions from the doctor not to hold anything in his affected hand for three weeks. He is not to take the sling off at school.

His teacher knows this. His TA knows this. He has SN - ADHD and ASD.

He had art today. The art teacher told him to hold something in his hand. He said he couldn't. She took his fucking sling off and made him hold it in his hand with the broken wrist whilst he did something to it with the other hand.

I am absolutely furious, he said he told her he wasn't allowed to and she told him he has to anyway. Half way through the class his TA came in and took it off him thank god. But why the fuck do teachers think they know better than the injured child? I've told him, if anyone ever says that to him again whilst he has his cast on, he is to refuse, be as rude and he wants and tell them to call me.

In the interests of honesty, there is a bit of conflict with the school over this teacher at the moment.
It is the same teacher who has a tendency to waffle when giving instructions and complains when DS can't follow. When I requested that she made a bullet point summary at the end of her instructions I was told it is not fair to expect teachers to change their teaching style because one child in the class has SN.

bananasandwicheseveryday

I don't think it was the OP who said "threat", was it? The words reported are not a threat. Anybody who thinks they are does have a weak command of the word "threat" and that isn't an insult, it is a fact. Nobody is going to be fired because another person doesn't understand what a threat is.

Ok is not saying that ALL teachers are idiots...she's saying that this one is. If it is true then the teachers actions were worse than idiotic.

Thanks King. I fail to see though, how that is different from what we have been told to do.

The cast will stay on until it is removed by a medical professional.

Whilst in the cast he has been told not to put any weight or strain on his arm.

No carrying anything, no sports.

Volant

I am not discussing this topic with you, given your insistence, on the last thread I saw you on, on saying I said things I didn't say. Have a nice day.

OP I'd make sure to put exactly what the teacher said to you (including calling you on her mobile- possible breach of GDPR- you haven't given her personal permission to access your data in a private capacity), in your letter to the head. It sounds like at least emotional manipulation/blackmail if not quite a threat. I'd also ask them to put in writing that they refuse to differentiate the learning to allow your child to make progress. I'd then be sharing that with Ofsted, the LA. I'm interested to hear what the head has to say, I would expect them to be shocked and appalled by the way this teacher has tried to cover their arse, and at the differentiation comment. I wouldn't be surprised if that was the art teachers response to the article being passed back through TA and that it never got escalated to the head at all. The head really won't be happy at being kept out if this loop.

including calling you on her mobile- possible breach of GDPR- you haven't given her personal permission to access your data in a private capacity),

What utter rubbish. I have access to students' parents' numbers 24 hours a day. She called her about work. It isn't "in a private capacity".

"I'd also ask them to put in writing that they refuse to differentiate the learning to allow your child to make progress."

Again, no. The child has support in the lesson. Differentiation is in place. The school is not allowing the parent to dictate the form of the support.

@daffodillament

Obvs I don't think child should miss school just think Op's post is way over the top ..insisting he dare not remove sling or hold anything. Ffs..give the school some credit for common sense !

What stupid post. Why would you give the school credit for common sense when they (i.e. this teacher) have displayed the opposite of common sense?

For all you people who think it's ok to hold something light with a broken arm I'd like to say the following:

You don't know how bad the break is. You're not the doctor. I had a very bad and difficult break last year. It was difficult to set. I had my arm in a sling for days. After that I grabbed a glass of water with my wrong arm. The bones moved out of place in the most undesirable way possible and they had to operate me and put 7 screws in. My wrist still looks a bit weird and will never be as flexible as the other one. The point of a cast is to render it immobile. If the proffesionals say don't move or use, then don't.

@musicalmama what a twatty post, reported.

Thisreallyisafarce
I mention possible breach of GDPR as based on my own experience, my counsellor is no longer allowed to communicate with me about appointnents via her mobile or personal email.

From information we have been given by OP, what makes you think differentiation is in place? The 6 hours TA support per week? Given the teacher has admitted she will not adapt her teaching style to be understood by OP's DS, does that seem adequate to you? If you're a teacher I'm shocked that that is your view on differentiation. Nothing (other than 6 hours TA support) the OP has said suggests there is differentiation in place, her experience with this art teacher and the Year 1 teacher suggests it is not.
Also its not the parent who is dictating the form of support its the government:

Under paragraph 6.2 of the “Special educational needs and disability code of practice: 0 to 25 years“, each school must:

•use their best endeavours to make sure that a child with SEN gets the support they need – this means doing everything they can to meet children and young people’s SEN;
•ensure that children and young people with SEN engage in the activities of the school alongside pupils who do not have SEN

It sounds like this art teacher is failing to ensure this.

Urgh, I can't get excited over the mobile. Blatantly the only reason she used it was so she could call me from the art room where she was alone rather than from the staff room where someone might overhear her. I'm not going to get bogged down in data sharing details. If anything she's an idiot for giving parents her private mobile number.

Yes, explodingkitten I'm quite petrified something will happen that means it needs operating and pinning.

He has long term physio and OT so that is not an issue.

SharedLife

I certainly have no prohibition on place on using my mobile to contact parents. I can't see how this would be in breach of the GDPR, because I am still using the data appropriately if I am contacting the parent about their child. I could of course be wrong.

With regards to differentiation, it is not a simple case of "ask for X, get told no, school is breaking the law." If the teacher can show they have considered the child's needs and suitable differentiation has been put in place, where reasonable, then they don't fall foul of the law. However, much of the judgement about what constitutes suitable differentiation is left to the teacher and SENCO.

If - and I asked the OP but she didn't answer - the student has a 1-to-1 TA, and the teacher delegates responsibility for explaining the instructions explicitly to the TA, there should be no need for her to add a summary comment to every set of instructions.

Now, I agree that summarising your instructions, particularly when they have several steps, is often good practice, but choosing a different route does not put her or the school in breach of the law.

Plus, without being disrespectful to Art, I would be interested to see how far a case went in the courts regarding a child with a 1-2-1 TA, whose teacher wasn't double-explaining instructions. I don't think there could be an argument that this was significantly affecting his progress, to be completely honest.

So he can take his sling off at home because you're there to monitor him? (Say... pick up a knife and fork or XBox controller ?)

His 1:1 TA takes your position at school. Where was she? She is to blame for not being there and speaking up when the teacher asked him to hold a paintbrush - or whatever it was - that has, I understand, caused such damage to the wrist's recovery.

Further up this page OP replied to you:
Thisreallyisafarce
He gets 6 hours 1-1 a week.
The TA is not there to explain the instructions because she is not there at the start of the lesson.

Obviously, we don't know if the TA has been briefed with lesson plans etc but it does appear there is time each lesson where OPs DS is not on task because the teacher is leaving his learning up to the TA. That doesn't seem fair to me, especially as she then raised him not being on task as a point of criticism with the OP.

some people are idiots, teachers are people, some teachers are idiots, some teachers who are generally nice and lovely have their idiotic moments.

SharedLife

But then I asked, does the TA come in, understand and explain the instructions?

It seems to be that then OP doesn't want to respond to that. An Art lesson is an hour, probably? Assuming the TA isn't only there for half of it, and assuming the TA does in fact explain what to do to the child, I think the teacher will be covered.

But its not just Art as a discrete subject, there are a lot of other learning opportunities for children through art that, if your not given the opportunity, you will miss out on. It's just not fair really. Not saying its a matter for the courts, im just saying its not fair on the OP's DS.

SharedLife

If the teacher is asking the TA to repeat and go over instructions with the one student who doesn't understand her, what she seems to be doing is using time effectively in the classroom. If the OP's son is the only one who needs clarification, it is unnecessary for this to be a whole class explanation, and wasteful of time which could be spent in practical activity.

If the OP comes back and says her DS doesn't get those instructions from the TA, that's different. If the OP comes back and says he gets them, but he still does nothing in the lesson, then I am not sure the repeat instructions from the teacher would help anyway.

WhiteDust When I say I am there to monitor him, I mean I am there to make sure he doesn't pick up anything in his hand. If he tries, I tell him to put it down immediately. He is banned from the controllers, much to his disgust, and his cast is kept under an apron at meal times so he is not tempted to pick up a knife or fork.

His TA is allocated to him for 6 hours a week. That means she cannot be present in every lesson.

As far as I understand she comes in to art halfway through the double lesson. They are distinctly reticent about which lessons she is present for.

OP can't really know all the details, so we definitely can't, I hope she gets satisfactory answers when she speaks to the Head.

DaysDragonBy Fair enough about the phone call, I think I'd just be very uncomfortable with a teacher calling me to cover there arse and try to convince me not to report further. Its so unprofessional and flies in the face of the open, accountable culture you would expect in schools, to ensure safeguarding.

When you speak to the Head could you ask for the SENCO to be there also so you can ask what measures/strategies are in place to ensure DS's understanding of/ engagement in tasks. Good luck with it!

Sorry This.

Once the TA is there and issues him clear instructions then he does the work.

Haven't TTFT. Just up to your conversation with teacher.

A few things.

Firstly I have a ds with autism amongst other things. I've had experience of times where he's had 3/4 teachers a week and alll but 1 have a differing opinion of him. In secondary we've also had the same. 10 teachers say he's hardworking and delight and 1 will think he's the worst student they've ever taught.

I never assume ds is an angel in that class but so assume it's more a lack of understanding in their behalf. I tend to work with the teachers to explain things and discuss adjustments and needs and giving them time to put these in place before considering complaints. This has happened in all but 1 case where he was removed from teachers class and that was schools decision not mine!

What im wary of is schools that always say "trust us". I worry what they are doing behind closed doors that they need you to blindly trust them rather than work with them. This is because ds attended a school with this attitude and 2 years after he left we are still finding out some serious issues with teachers bullying him etc. He left because they drove him to suicidal thoughts and a failed attempt.

In this situation I'd make sure you email school office with clear guidelines about what ds can and can't do with his wrist. Also remind them ds is autistic and literal and so he won't do anything and won't be able to read between the lines of things that won't be damaging. Give them a chance to put things right and take it further if anything else crops up.

DaysDragonBy

Okay. If no TA and the teacher still refuses to make instructions clearer on a one to one level (it really shouldn't need to be whole class) then make a complaint.

SharedLife. Yes, I am uncomfortable about the phone call and that has really cemented my wanting to complain. What I mean is, I won't make an issue out of the fact that she called me on her mobile. It's the content of the call that bothers me, and that would have been the same had she called from an empty staffroom.

I've sent my letter to DH to see what he wants to amend...