Teacher dilemma

[AlwaysLonely]

My dc is in primary school. My dc has had the same p/t teacher for 3 of their 4 years at the school (another separate issue). She is appalling. No class control, very flaky, unorganised and generally a very poor teacher.

When I found out my dc was having her again this year I made my feelings clear to the head. The head did not disagree with any of my issues and advised there were measures being put in place for a higher standard of teaching.

In a twist of fate, my job involves communication with her, although she hasn't clocked who I am as my surname is different to my dc's. The communication I have had is awful. Sentences that's don't make sense, grammatical errors, punctuation errors. Basically they lack everything she should be teaching my dc.

So, to my aibu....would it be very unprofessional of me to approach the head at my dc's school and discuss just how rubbish her written skills are and how it further supports the fact she is really not up to the job?

Yes I think it would be unprofessional, although I can see why it would be tempting. If her standard of teaching is really bad, can you escalate through the board of governors?

You know it would. If you are unhappy with education your child is receiving in the classroom then you need to go through the school complaints procedure and discuss how it’s impacting your child.

Is your correspondence with her done in her professional capacity or her personal one?

If professional, it's not up to you to police a client's SPAG.

If personal, you'd be way out of line to bring this to her workplace.

You cannot comment as a parent by using evidence from your professional role. If there is parent-teacher communication that has very poor grammar/spelling etc then you could probably raise that as an issue.

It would be unprofessional and totally unreasonable.

I mean, you are being ridiculously unreasonable to suggest that professional correspondence between the two of you should be used as evidence as to why she shouldn't teach your children.

If you have such an issue, either present the issues again to the headmaster as to why she's not an adequate teacher for your child or just move them to another school.

Plus I'd love to know how you know she is a very poor teacher?

Bloody hell, you can't use correspondence you only received because of your job as evidence.
Just you thinking that makes me question your judgement
Follow the schools complaints procedure

I would have moved my child by now

@doctorhamster

Plus I'd love to know how you know she is a very poor teacher?

From what the kids tell me, the interactions I see with the kids (albeit limited to drop off and pick up) what the other p/t teachers she job shares with have said. The kids lack of progress. The head actually agreeing with my criticisms, telling me she was aware of the issues and that measures were bring taken to try and improve the level of teaching. The fact she couldn't tell me single specific thing about my child at parents evening after teaching him for 3 years (class of 15).

Thanks all, your comments have been fair. I think where it involves my dc and wanting the best my judgement has bern clouded.

@Waveysnail

I would have moved my child by now

Apart from this one teacher who is p/t the school is actually pretty good. My dc is very settled and loves going to school. I considered moving schools last academic year but didn't as I was expecting another teacher. Which was scuppered by Covid as the school then decided over the summer to keep the same teachers to allow for continuity after the disruption of the previous academic year.

Surely you need to make sure your employer and the school both know you have links to the school if your working together?

I’d go back to the head and let them know you remain unhappy but I’d do so as a mother rather than anything else.

I’d move my child. There are some truly awful teachers around and it’s unfair your child keeps getting her.

I’d email the head as they probably already know and can add it to a file of evidence they’re collecting. In theory,

@Sirzy

Surely you need to make sure your employer and the school both know you have links to the school if your working together?

My dc's school know where I work. I have made reference at my work that I deal with my dc's teacher. But they don't overlap at all (obvs apart from my aibu here with my mum hat on). My work would not impact my dc's school and vice versa. My aibu was more to do with the communication skills rather than the content.