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Secondary education

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Original poster

What to do about sarcastic teacher

62 replies

ParanoidBeryl · 22/09/2017 17:42

My DD (12) has a subject teacher who she finds really difficult. She was telling me today that it is the only subject in school that she hates, and it because the teacher is really unpleasant and sarcastic. The teacher is absolutely renowned amongst parents for being hateful, and she is the only teacher who teaches this subject (ICT).

I've been aware of it since DD started the school last year, and when DD was providing me with examples today of exactly what the teacher does, I wanted to contact the school. DD doesn't want me to for fear of reprisals. Examples were if DD asks a question because she is unsure of something, she says the teacher will sneer and say 'weren't you listening?', even when the teacher hasn't explained it.

What should I do?

OP posts:
KingJoffreysRestingCuntface · 22/09/2017 17:44

Ask for a meeting and tell her to pack it in.

Kenlee · 22/09/2017 23:41

Email the teacher CC tutor, head of year and the head and explain your daughter does not respond well to that method of delivery. Then follow up with a phone call.

DameDiazepamTheDramaQueen · 22/09/2017 23:44

Tbh I would tell dd there will ALWAYS be someone at school/work/ in life that is difficult and you mostly just have to find a way to get on with it.

ILoveDolly · 22/09/2017 23:46

OR you could just explain to her that she's not going to like everyone she ever meets, and that applies to some teachers as well. Maybe the woman is an unfit teacher, maybe she is just someone your daughter doesn't get. I'm sorry but what are you hoping to get out of this, they won't be able to do anything and your child will now also be feared or disliked by the unpleasant teacher.

wobblywonderwoman · 22/09/2017 23:47

I would ask for a direct meeting with a senior member of staff - her year head or another appropriate person. I would state that you do not want the teacher to know it was your daughter but that you are very unhappy with the way she is being treated

wobblywonderwoman · 22/09/2017 23:47

I would ask for a direct meeting with a senior member of staff - her year head or another appropriate person. I would state that you do not want the teacher to know it was your daughter but that you are very unhappy with the way she is being treated

TinselTwins · 22/09/2017 23:54

It's not a very specific example to be honest. It's an unreasonable response to a question about not understanding the content, but a reasonable response to being asked what chapter to open 10 mins into the lesson! I'd delve a bit deeper, at 12 kids often prefer the nicey matey teachers, its just an age thing sometimes because by 14/15 you realise that the teachers who want to be your mates do your grades no favours! And its sometimes the more serious/stricter ones you disliked in previous years who actually care and get you through your subject

C0untDucku1a · 22/09/2017 23:55

Im sorry, is 'werent you listening?' your example of the terrible hateful sarcasm?

TinselTwins · 23/09/2017 00:03

It could be that someone else asked the same question a few mins previously and you Dd actually wasn't listening and was causing low level disruption, so when she realised it was important / about an assignment etc and wanted the teacher to spend time repeating it a 3rd time rather than carrying on with the lesson for those that had been paying attention....

So "weren't you listening" isn't always unreasonable! It depends a lot on context

BackieJerkhart · 23/09/2017 00:14

I had a teacher like this for my GCSE maths years. I really struggled with maths and this teacher made me feel like a piece of thick shit for not following what she mumbled in her whiny nasally voice. I stopped asking and basically had my best friend teach me the GCSE syallabus. I was lucky she found that stuff so easy.

elephantoverthehill · 23/09/2017 00:29

I am a teacher. Yes, I get fed up with children asking me questions about what I have just explained and written on the board, or is on the power point in front of them. There is a mantra; ask someone else before you ask me. Sarcasm is a completely 'no go area' for teachers generally, but I confess I do use it with year 11 students occasionally. However what you a describing is 'belittling' not sarcasm and entirely inappropriate.

SpareASquare · 23/09/2017 00:38

I kept waiting for the horrible sarcasm and hatefulness. You seem to have forgotten to add it OP.

Great time to teach your child that she is not going to like, or get along with, every teacher she has. I'm assuming she has this teacher for a small part of the day/week? Would never cross my mind to whinge to the school that a teacher isn't being nice enough to my petal.

everythingsucks · 23/09/2017 08:06

Hmmm. This sounds exactly like my kids ICT teacher. She is also told (when she says she says she doesn’t understand) that it is because she isn’t listening or concentrating. And she needs to listen more.

She has adhd. I have explained to the school that this kind of subject is a real struggle due to the nature of it and she may need an alternative way to explain it. School haven’t done anything.

MaisyPops · 23/09/2017 08:20

That's me screwed.
I gave instructions last week (think - write the date and title on the next page) and got bombarded with questions like 'is that the title? Shall I write it here (not where I said)? Do we need the title? Do I use the next page? Shall I stay on thr same page?
They got a 'were you not listening?'

Equally, I set a task. If students almost instantly start with 'i don't get it/I'm stuck', they get told there is no way they get help when they should spend more than 10 seconds thinking for themselves.
Shall I prepare for a meeting?

I'm not seeing nasty sarcasm here.

Tell your DD that you don't click with everyone in life. If you called my school for a meeting because a teacher said they weren't listening, it would be the talk of the department.

KittyVonCatsington · 23/09/2017 08:39

The context here of the subject matters actually.

This subject is very different in terms of having to teach with lovely shiny machines that are just too tempting for a lot of students. When they should be listening, they are clicking a mouse or tapping a keyboard (even when the screen is locked) and giving instructions for all 30+ class to follow always has some who don't follow verbal instructions, don't want to spend time reading the same instructions and as soon as something doesn't go right, immediate put up their hand to want to be shown personally. Even if just three put up their hand, that's still having to move about and inevitably have your back to some pupils who then try and get away with....

There is a skill to delivering a Computing lesson (ICT has been removed from the curriculum) and I tend to stay at the front, watch my screen that sees theirs and if a pupil asks for help that isn't technical (I.e my computer crashed) I too say "I've told you what to do, try it first" sort of mould. And yes, have said "Weren't you listening?" before, after stating instructions, getting a pupil to repeat back what I said and putting the same instructions on board but instead, they prefer to be 'shown'. That can't be done with so many pupils and the layout of a computer room.

I've taught Maths too and the style of teaching in a 'classic' classroom with textbooks etc. is vastly different.

I am sorry your DD is unhappy but unless I knew of any SEND, I too might reacted that way. I suppose we don't have all the facts (only your teacher and DD do) though so of course you are within your right to question the school. It's just, I can see the lesson scenario play out a different way to what you are fearing.

babybarrister · 23/09/2017 08:42

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

DumbledoresApprentice · 23/09/2017 08:44

As a teacher there is nothing more annoying than giving a series of instructions and then getting kid after kid ask "what page?", "What are we doing?", "should I write the answer?" or questions about content that you've already answered. It happens in every single lesson to at least some degree every day, regardless of whether it's year 7 or year 13. I have probably been known to reply with "weren't you listening?" or more often "I've just answered that question. Ask X, she was listening". Sometimes the child will be completely convinced that I haven't explained this already. Before you go in too heavy handed I would make sure that the teacher definitely hadn't explained already.

I don't think sarcasm is necessarily a no-go for teachers. I use good-natured sarcasm in class. A year 7 the other day asked if when I said write the title I meant in her exercise book, I told her no, she should write on her hand but she'd need to come to the staff room with me at lunch so that she could be marked. She wrote in her book. Grin

CheshireSplat · 23/09/2017 08:50

Would people really complain about this? Have always been cynical about the existence of a snowflake generation but maybe it's true if parents are going to complain about things like this. It's secondary school, the kids aren't going to like everyone and everything.

Redsrule · 23/09/2017 08:54

Standard response to a pupil who lacks focus imo.

Bluntness100 · 23/09/2017 09:03

Do you maybe have a better example of the sarcasm? Because clearly " weren't you listening " isn't an example of it. If the teacher had nit explained no one would know, and if she had explained your daughter should have been listening, the class doesn't need to get held up so she can hear it twice.

So I think to be able to answer you need to give an actual example of what you're talking about. Right now it looks like your daughter is the issue and she's blaming the teacher and you're supporting her. Why do people think the teacher is "hateful" can you give examples of that too?

I'd be asking the teacher if your daughter is paying attention in class or if there is an issue, unless you can give better examples.

MaisyPops · 23/09/2017 09:09

cheshire
Oh yes! People complain about all sorts. I had a parent call up to complain about a teacher because they'd 'bullied her son'. Apparently the teacher had changed the seating plan and the son 'was confused' so sat in a different seat.

Spoke to teacher and what happened was: new seating plan, son decided to sit with his friends and argued back so the teacher spoke to him outside

It will come as no surprise that this child is regularly 'confused' by basic instructions and quite a lot of staff are horrific individuals. Grin

Taxminion · 23/09/2017 10:14

I had a similar experience when DD1 was in year 12 and suffered bullying from her form teacher in the form of nasty comments and sneering about DD's chosen Uni course. I met with the head of year and insisted he do something. After investigating he rang to tell me that the teacher was receiving additional training and was being mentored by a colleague. DD1 reported that the teacher started picking on another girl instead.

MaisyPops · 23/09/2017 10:19

After investigating he rang to tell me that the teacher was receiving additional training and was being mentored by a colleague.
And if I was that employee I would be on the phone to my union. How dare a head divulge personal information to someone outside. It's none of your business the details of what happens.

This is what pisses me off on threads when people want to know 'what happened' after they have raised a complaint. I'm shocked so many people feel entitled to updates on everything.

I complained about a situation and got a reply back saying 'we've spoken to bill and looked into records. We have investigated your complaint and will be looking into training and development options with bill. As you'll understand our employee records are confidential and we cannot divulge personal records. Sorry for your poor experience'

THAT is a professional response.

BoneyBackJefferson · 23/09/2017 10:29

SNOT

Self
Neighbour
Other
Teacher.

Because sometimes you just can't say "it is on the fucking board"

Taxminion · 23/09/2017 10:29

Well tough, Maisypops, he decided to share that info with me and I am glad he did, because I made it clear I wasn't going to let it continue. I also got the strong impression that mine was not the only complaint.

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