Yr 1 teacher

[YumLemonCheesecake]

Sorry this is so long but don't want to drip feed...

So DS found out his new class on Tuesday he’s happy he is with a few friends and he knows his new teacher a little bit from around the school, so all good in this respect.
He will have a teacher share (totally fine with this) but his teacher on Fridays I have a few issues with, she has only got this job a few weeks ago to start in September and this is where my potential issues start.

1. She has no primary experience (she has been going in twice a week for an hour at a time this year to her child's class FS to help with reading).

Her original job before she had children was a dance teacher at a-level age - hence a teaching qualification, but no experience at all with younger children except her own child.

1. She has been open and loud in her words “I’ll have to get (her child’s name) to teach me phonics, I have no f*ing clue what I’m doing”

3.Today I have been shown screen shots from another parent group she is on bitching about another parent in her DS's current class. laughing that her child has been put in Mrs * class "I hope she's disappointed she's got the worst teacher"

1. She’s a very loud rude person in general, her child used to attend the same tennis class as DS, she would bring her dog into the playground while we waited, myself and 2 other mums have toddlers, who she used to shout at to keep out the way her dog is prone to be vicious around children, when we said they are in a playground she was very defensive saying she has to wait somewhere?!?

5.The job wasn't even advertised, I know at least 3 people who are primary trained with plenty of experience with great references who would of applied for this job so they can hardly say there is a shortage of people for the job.

I asked for a meeting with the headteacher today, I started to voice my concerns about her lack of qualifications and experience teaching my child she shut me down extremely quickly, stating that she has of course got a teaching qualification and that she would only be teaching topic work!?!? Then she proceeded to escort me out her office without even letting me bring up other concerns I had.

She will be the teacher on Fridays for the next 2 years as the teachers remain the same in yr2.
Am I just over reacting or should I expect the teacher teaching my child for 20% of the next two years have at least some primary experience?

I don't want to separate DS from his friends and I know the other classes are full so insisting he moves classes maybe impossible, other schools in our area are good but he is so settled moving him makes me worry.

What do you think my next steps should be? emailing the school governors? Please help, I feel I need to stick up for my child but I do feel a bit trapped, I know at least 2 other parents have also voiced concerns about this appointment but nothing seems to be helping?

You can do a PGCE in Dance that gives you QTS!

1. She has no primary experience (she has been going in twice a week for an hour at a time this year to her child's class FS to help with reading).

She may have QTS which allows her to teach anywhere. You don't need any teaching qualification to teach in an academy school or private school.

2. She has been open and loud in her words “I’ll have to get (her child’s name) to teach me phonics, I have no fing clue what I’m doing”*

If she's swearing in front of the kids that is unprofessional, but until she's actually employed by the school (contract starts 1st Sep) there's probably not much you can do.

3.Today I have been shown screen shots from another parent group she is on bitching about another parent in her DS's current class. laughing that her child has been put in Mrs X class "I hope she's disappointed she's got the worst teacher"

This is most concerning as it's incredibly unprofessional. She needs to realise that she can't go saying these things and certainly not on social media. Whoever has these screen shots should, as you say they are, show them to the head so the teacher can be educated on the school social media policy and general professionalism.

4. She’s a very loud rude person in general, her child used to attend the same tennis class as DS, she would bring her dog into the playground while we waited, myself and 2 other mums have toddlers, who she used to shout at to keep out the way her dog is prone to be vicious around children, when we said they are in a playground she was very
defensive saying she has to wait somewhere

Well, not ideal, but perhaps her teacher persona is a bit more gentle.

5.The job wasn't even advertised, I know at least 3 people who are primary trained with plenty of experience with great references who would of applied for this job so they can hardly say there is a shortage of people for the job.

Teaching jobs do not need to be advertised. Only head and deputy jobs do. So nothing you can do about it.

The job wasn't even advertised, I know at least 3 people who are primary trained with plenty of experience with great references who would of applied for this job so they can hardly say there is a shortage of people for the job.

I suspect there are a shortage of people seeking a primary teaching position who would be content to work one day a week and probably for a lower salary. The school at the end of the day want the best for the children, if they could afford and/or find a highly experienced KS1 teacher who was happy to just teach on Fridays and never teach any core subjects then I'm sure they would; as it goes they're constrained by budgets and reality. I think it sounds great personally, presumably this is the main class teachers PPA time, so the school care about staff, the teacher is less likely to burn out and I'm sure they'll support with planning etc as necessary.

We have 3 HLTAs (high level teaching assistants) at my school - we don't call them cover supervisors but they do cover as well as have other roles supporting children.

One is a qualified teacher who has had mental health issues and prefers the role with less responsibility. She is a great and very conscientious teacher.

Another is also great, very intelligent and shows more initiative than half the teachers. She married young and her husband did not allow her to complete university. Now in her late 40s and divorced, she doesn't feel able to start her education over and eventually become a teacher, which she would be really good at.

Third is also very capable and is taking a class next year as an apprentice teacher.

Just saying - not being qualified does not always equate to being lesser. Aptitude and intelligence count for a lot, plus all teachers start off by being inexperienced.

I wouldn't worry about the lack of primary experience, in itself. As long as someone knows how to communicate well with little ones - which she may well do, considering you say she has children and has been coming in to school to help with reading - getting to grips with the Yr 1 syllabus is not exactly rocket science. I don't say that in a disrespectful way whatsoever; I taught Yr 1 for several years and it's a fantastic age to teach and important that good foundations get put in place. I was very green when I first started but you don't get experience without being given a chance. Even great teachers have to start somewhere. That in itself wouldn't be an issue to me.
However, from her other comments, I can see why you might be concerned about her suitability to teach and influence your son. Her behaviour doesn't sound professional and she had better stop posting things like that, or school will have something to say and she won't be in a job for long. I'd give her a chance but keep tabs and obviously raise concerns if you're unhappy with anything she says or does. At least she's only one day a week and most likely will be being instructed by the main teacher.

First of all: How on earth do you know about that teacher's lack of qualifications and experience?
First thing that came to my mind

She’s a qualified teacher, that’s that. Primary teachers can teach in secondary and vice versa.

The head could be filling the class with a newly qualified teacher (no teaching experience barring teaching practice) or a TA (no teaching qualification at all).