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Original poster

Maths teacher called my Ds a pain in the arse.

60 replies

dingit · 22/07/2013 15:10

Granted, he can be.
He met my Dd on Friday, and said 'I teach your brother, he is the pain in my arse. '

Is it just me that thinks that that is totally unprofessional?

OP posts:
BumgrapesofWrath · 22/07/2013 19:06

Teachers used to say this kind of thing all the time when I was a lass (which wasn't that long ago, thank you very much.). It's just a light-hearted comment! But as a parent I do think you should be more concerned about your son than the teacher

Original poster
dingit · 22/07/2013 19:08

Yes I hope he has a new teacher. To be honest this teacher has been a pita! It's been extremely hard trying to keep the lines of communication open with him. If I was his boss I would be questioning why a child has slipped down nearly 2 ability groups. I have had a conversation with ks3 maths head, who couldn't answer my question about whether he will go down another set, as they are mixing yr7 and 8 next year, so it's stage not age.

Sigh. It seems like it's going to be more difficult.

Whoever asked about the report, we will cross that bridge and fall off of it this week. And yes of course we reward good reports.

OP posts:
bigTillyMint · 22/07/2013 19:16

So if your son has moved down ability groups, I am guessing these are within the class if it's always been the same teacher?
Do you think he is genuinely struggling or is it poor teaching? What do his other teachers say about him?

bigTillyMint · 22/07/2013 19:17

And I've never heard of mixing Y7 and 8 - that sounds very complicated wrt timetabling. Is is a very small school?

fanjoforthemammaries7850 · 22/07/2013 19:18

To me it just sounds like banter and not at all like he thinks your DS is a pain in the arse..he sounds quite fond of him.

Original poster
dingit · 22/07/2013 19:22

No he moved a set and teachers in first term. I didn't have a problem with it, he wasn't top set material, I didn't want him to struggle.

The mixing of year 7 and 8 is new to us too! It's a fairly small academy!

OP posts:
noblegiraffe · 22/07/2013 19:24

If he moved down from top set and then down from set 2, it sounds like a DS issue rather than a teacher issue.

Did he think that because he had been in the top set, set 2 would be easy and he didn't need to work hard?

Original poster
dingit · 22/07/2013 19:25

I think he is lazy and he has a poor teacher. If I had handed in some of the work he has handed in, unanswered questions, no ruler or compass used, I would have been made to do it again.

He has the ability which is frustrating, we have tentatively discussed private school. You lot may shout me down!

OP posts:
Original poster
dingit · 22/07/2013 19:25

Noble giraffe you may have something there.

OP posts:
exoticfruits · 22/07/2013 19:26

We were not there. We can't know the tone, the way it was said or the personality of the teacher.

bigTillyMint · 22/07/2013 19:26

Yes, I agree, it does sound like he might be struggling. However, he may be being a PITA in class too! I think the only way to find out is to talk to the teacher involved. And maybe ask if there is anything your DS could do over the summer that might help?

bigTillyMint · 22/07/2013 19:27

OK, so definitely see what you can make him knuckle down to and make a plan to have regular feedback next term so that you can keep a close eye on things.

Floggingmolly · 22/07/2013 19:33

So you think your ds should have been made to do the poorly presented work again, rather than getting a bad grade and learning from that?
Totally unrealistic for a Year 7 student, and not necessarily a sign of poor teaching.

Original poster
dingit · 22/07/2013 19:36

Yes I do flogging, if he was made to do it again, he would think twice about doing it badly again!

Things have changed since I was at school!

OP posts:
bigTillyMint · 22/07/2013 19:39

If the work was extremely untidy and inaccurate, I hope the teacher would pull the child up on it.

noblegiraffe · 22/07/2013 19:41

I would suggest you check his homework and if it is not up to standard, make him redo it yourself before it is handed in. You can give your individual DS's homework more attention than the teacher can.

RonaldMcDonald · 22/07/2013 19:46

Sounds like an ace teacher
The teachers who made most impact upon me were just like that

ProphetOfDoom · 22/07/2013 19:48

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

TheMagicKeyCanFuckOff · 22/07/2013 20:08

Well, yes, inpropriate- especially or a sibling. Wrong but understandable to say to the parent (and only in a clearly jokey tone) but to his sister?!

sweetiepie1979 · 22/07/2013 20:18

Ach well I woul say he probably is a pain in the arse and kids should know if they are. I wish I had the nerve to say it about a few of my students instead of the insincere smile I put on at parents evening or indeed when I meet a sibling that I will have to teach. I would say he was honest and it's made your other dc think about what they would like to be known as.

bigTillyMint · 22/07/2013 20:52

Thankfully DS's teachers have made it all clear to us - although I don't think any actually used the term - that he can be a PITA.
We are under no illusions.

alreadytaken · 22/07/2013 21:06

totally unprofessional to say that to a sibling. Acceptable, even desirable, to say it to a parent but not a child.

A child moved down a set can simply be bored and playing up for that reason or they could be struggling and not want to admit it. If your maths isn't good enough to test him yourself why not try him with a tutor? If he's made to do maths outside school when he does badly he'll work harder in school.

oohaveabanana · 22/07/2013 21:14

I would think it highly amusing if a teacher said this to ds about dd (it would be that way round) She is - a charming, stubborn, wilful, delightful pita & ds would think it very entertaining.

We've had many fabulous descriptions of her already from her wonderful, patient, dedicated teachers, & I look forwards to adding that one to my list

Obviously it all depends in the tone, though. All the teachers I can imagine saying that would totally get away with it.

pointythings · 22/07/2013 21:30

I think it really depends on the teacher and the tone. DD1's Yr5 maths teacher was a long-standing eccentric who said exactly what he meant - he called my DD 'Gobby' as a nickname because she is very a little opinionated and speaks out when people are wrong and not very diplomatically.

But it was said with warmth, DD took it on board and got a lot less judgemental, and this teacher really gave her the confidence to tackle maths which is still showing in the progress she is making today. Was your DD upset, OP?

Xihha · 24/07/2013 21:36

I don't think theres anything wrong with it so long as it was said in a jokey way.

The head teacher at my son's school is very fond of telling my son that I'm the reason for her grey hairs (she was my teacher a primary school) he's a very shy child, it made him laugh and feel a bit more confident.