Concerns

[Foreverweeding]

My dc is in yr 1 with new teacher to school who has been quite shouty and generally stressed. Reception was great (different teacher) but yr 1 has been problematic from the start with serious lack of communication, disorganisation, and very distressed children, including mine. I have raised some issues in a friendly way with teacher, and found teacher to be very snappy and offhand, even when I offered her a positive comment on one occasion. It isn't just me as several parents feel the same and cannot communicate with her.

I had a meeting with the Head and discussed some issues, and felt a little easier that I had at least said how I feel. Head was quite understanding albeit a little defensive of her newly appointed member of staff who she says is very able and experienced and that the school is lucky to have her, although she did listen to my worries about lack of/very poor communication, which I feel is of utmost importance.

My dc has come out of school this afternoon and have been told (when I asked) that it would appear another child has taken my DCs communication book home. Now ...... I am feeling rather unsettled at this as this book has many comments, questions and worries concerning my dc and notes written by the Dept Head when dc was being bullied by two boys.

Dc was knocked over by another child today and suffered bump to face. Apparently a note was written (dc told me) but the note was put in with the communication book, so I don't have it, that too went home with another child.

I feel I simply cannot complain yet again, but surely this isn't good enough. I know some may say that it was an accident and no harm done, but I no longer feel able to write in this book (if it ever gets returned) as I have no idea who may read it. I suppose I have completely lost faith in the school. Any advice?

OK foreverweeding:

Issue one: not happy with new Y1 teacher - poor communication & bristly with you.

Issue two: mix-up with communication log book.

Issue one: Well I know this will come over as harsh - but with DDs in Y4 & Y6 I can assure you that at some point in your 7 years at a primary school you're likely to have a year with a teacher you loath. For us it was Y1 (DD2) and Y2 (DD1).

It's something you have to weather. It also is a good survival skill for your DC long term to cope with a teacher they don't really like and who is hard on them - because odds are they'll come across that kind of thing again in senior school or at work. It's hard when they're 6 and so little - of course - but within reason coping with a shouty teacher is doable.

In terms of HT defending the teacher - well that's what HT's do - they have to defend their staff.

I suspect things will go the way of the US and if a parent petition with >50% of the school's parents is submitted to a school requesting the removal of a teacher that teacher has to go. (Welcome to Texas!). But we're not there yet as parents/ communities.

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Issue two: mix-up with communication log book.

1. this kind of thing happens all the time. The wrong plimsoles come home, the sweater went home with someone else, etc... Keeping track of 30 young children's things is a big ask - and isn't helped by the fact that little children do crazy/ silly things too. (i.e. DD2 decided to swap reading diaries with a friend so they could write to each other in Y1).

2. In all cases - if it is confidential - write or e-mail directly to the HT. Then you have a record of your complaint but it is not publically (well widely) available and there is little risk of other parents seeing it. If you don't have the HT's e-mail then ask for it. Most HT's will rather you write directly to them than through their general enquiry e-mail - as they probably won't want their secretarial staff/ main office staff aware of complaints/ problems.

HTH

I have three older children, just finished High School, so I do realise it is too much to expect to actually like each and every one of your child's teachers. Some you will click with, and others it may be more difficult. However, in all the years of my other DCs schooling I have never had such an uncommunicative, disorganised and generally stressy teacher who finds it so hard to crack a smile.

I also realise kids get muddled and things get lost, but uniform is one thing, but communication books is another, in my opinion. If these books contain personal info (and ours did which was written by staff as well as me) then more care should be given to handling the books. Perhaps the responsibility for putting these books away in the bags shouldn't be left to 5 and six year olds.

If this was just a lone niggle then I wouldn't be so annoyed, but it is but one of a long list of issues we are experiencing this year. Nothing seems to be going right.

Hey ho, I suppose that's schools for you!

Hi Foreverweeding:

I can absolutely understand your stress, frustration and exasperation with how things are going this year for your DC with this teacher. Been there & done that and yes it's incredibly annoying.

It does kind of sound to me like this teacher is struggling and as you say above this teacher is a 'new to school' teacher, I do wonder if they're struggling a bit (not sure that they're NQT) but possibly feeling pressured and working harder than normal to impress.

Again if you are writing things that are confidential (contact details, complaints, etc...) I would stress this is better sent in as a letter or by e-mail direct to the teacher or HT and not in the communication log (which at our school is limited to read X tonight and spelling sentences.

I fear at our school the 'homework log' - which is a communication book - is 'public property'. TAs see it to glue in homework info/ sheets, other children write in each other's books (kids will be kids) and they do get mixed-up (i.e. 6 books are returned to the appropriate table by teacher/ TA but 6 year olds just grab any old book and don't realise their mistake until they get home).

Hang in there. The good news is you've been down this road before with your DC's older siblings, so in fact you know the drill. If you don't understand what is going on in class that's frustrating, but you basically know the kind of things your DC should be doing at this point and probably are more than able to ensure that's happening, regardless of whether school sends home work, information, etc...

HTH