Would you complain?

[dalziel1]

DS is in year 5. His teacher is a NQT. He's had two already so I know that its hard for them in the first year but this one is different.

She shouts and loses her temper most days, often several times a day, usually with one or several children. however, she's had several rough encounters with various parents. I've never tried to make a complaint to her but it feels like she's trying to pick a fight and I have to be really patient and let things slide so that we don't end up arguing. I've never fought with her but she has fought with several parents (both sexes) and there was one time that she was aggressive with me when other parents were present in such way that people who weren't even there were telling me that they'd heard about it for quite some time after.

Her reasons for being angry - according to DS and the other children's parents - are primarily behaviour/ being distracted but also, at least twice, its been because a child was unable to do the work despite trying hard.

Earlier this week she started using bad language in front of the children - cursing to herself - but the whole class heard her, and were duly scandalised. she must have realised that they could hear her but she didn't backtrack or apologise, she just carried on as if nothing had happened.

These days she seems really stressed and that's why I think she does behaves as she does but she's been like that from day one, except back then it seemed to be more driven by her need to assert herself with the children.

Lots of children in the class are unhappy, having nightmares etc.

I don't know how the other children are progressing this year, but DS is not making as much progress as you might expect. Each week, the homework is full of mistakes and often we parents have to guess what she means the child to do. the children are worried that if they guess wrong, then they will be in trouble with the teacher i.e. they will be shouted at.

The teacher's administration is poor in that she keeps losing signed forms, books etc. Then she says she never received the form back or that the child lost the book and she refuses to provide a duplicate form/ new book (and the child is given a telling off). Then, typically, a couple of days later she finds the missing item wherever she put it and she lets the child know that they can attend the upcoming trip or whatever after all but she never acknowledges her mistakes or apologises for the impact she had on the child while the paperwork/ book was missing.

The HT has had numerous complaints, including one from a delegation of children! So she knows all about it but she's publicly is backing the teacher. If anything is happening, then its not making any obvious improvement, although the shouting does stop for a few days every once in a while.

DS doesn't even get shouted at as he's well behaved and quite able, but he's miserable having to go in and listen to it each day and its hard for him if one of his friends is crying in the playground. The only thing that happens, is she's lost his stuff 4 times so far this year and he is stressed while its missing because she blames him/ me until it turns up again.

So, is it worth complaining?

PS I looked for a new school but I found that the good ones are full with long waiting lists. As to the others, i am scared to make DS climb out of the frying pan and into the fire.

[intheenddotcom]

Be careful with your complaint - keep it factual and about your child.

Getting her lesson plans from the internet is not a grounds for complaint. Most teachers do, then alter them to suit the class.

Has she lost stuff from your child? Are you 100% sure it was lost by her, not a case of being in your child's tray etc.?

[dalziel1]

I did complain. It seems to have made a difference as the teacher has not shouted at the class since.

DS tells me today that people are starting to feel like she trusts them so they are behaving better now. I'm not sure that this is how it really works but that's what he thinks he is seeing and he doesn't know about my complaint.

The homework is better too - no mistakes and better directed.

PS Just to clarify... downloading lesson plans is fine, but explaining them so badly that the parent has to google the lesson plan too to find out what you want the child to do, isn't so good. Also, the teacher has been losing the stuff, not the child. She admits it, without embarrassment or apology for the distress caused.

Anyway, my complaint seems to have made a difference and I am amazed!