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Secondary education

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WWYD - teacher doing inadequate job

3 replies

sixtimesseven · 17/04/2018 16:15

Looking for advice. My DS main teacher (math, language, sci) has not been teaching him much at all the last few months. He recently said he had not done any math at school for a couple of weeks. He had some language work he didn't get done at school (writing some descriptive paragraphs) and the teacher said he would miss break time to get it done. I suggested he could do it for homework but she insisted she likes her students to complete their work in class time. Here it is a week later and she never had him complete the work in class -- it's like she forgot about it!

I will clarify my DS is in a partially integrated setting. He has ASD so he has the core subjects of math, sci, language in a smaller ASD classroom as he works at a slower speed and needs extra instruction. But his math skills are at grade level if he actually gets taught (I know this from teaching him myself and having a private psycho educational evaluation done). He attends all the other subjects in the regular class and does fine.

He's had the same special needs teacher for three years now. In the beginning he seemed to do enough work and learning. Then last year halfway through the year his teacher's DH got sepsis and has been hospitalized ever since. My son had a supply teacher for the second half of last year who effectively babysat them. Now the old teacher is back but if I ask my son what he is working on learning in math he says he doesn't know. The class regularly does art (even though he already has art with the regular class) or goes on walks or watches movies and math is only done by playing an online math game (when it does seem to happen).

I am starting to teach my DS at home again as I am worried about him getting behind. I don't want to go to war again with another teacher as I have been through this four times already with special needs teachers basically babysitting and not teaching. Also, because I know the teacher's husband was basically rendered an permanent invalid (he is still at the rehab hospital) I don't want to be too hard on her, but why should my DS education suffer because she doesn't have the will or the spirit to teach? Also he will still have this teacher one more year, next year, before a new one comes along. WWYD?

TL;DR---Teacher not doing their job properly anymore but I know they have had a life changing sick family member so don't want to go too hard on them? But my DS isn't getting a proper education so he needs outside tutoring now! WWYD?

OP posts:
Bluebonnie · 17/04/2018 16:47

Please tell us how old your son is, and which year group.

What is happening about teaching English? that too is a core subject: is it taught in the same small group? (presuming that his teaching is not one-to-one.)

If you are teaching him maths and science at home, how do you know what maths and science topics are appropriate for the stage he is at?
Is he telling you they (how many of them in the group?) haven't done any maths for a while because he doesn't wish to get into a discussion at home, or maybe he doesn't recognise some of the topics as being maths?

How do you measure inadequacy of teaching, have there been recent assessments or a parents' evening?

MaisyPops · 17/04/2018 16:53

If there's a question about curriculum coverage, call and have a chat to the teacher. There's no reason why not to. You seem pretty reasonable.

I don't think you can decide that the teacher is doing an inadequate job though based on what is essentially 'my child says...'. That's not saying the teacher is without criticism (before the usual 'on MN teachers are Gods crew turn up). Just that there is a difference between understandably having questions you want to discuss and making a judgement on someome's professional competency based on 2ndhand information

sixtimesseven · 17/04/2018 16:56

He's 12. Year 7.

Sorry I was referring to Eng as language (I'm North American so I sometimes say math instead of maths, etc). He does some Eng at school but not much and then teacher doesn't seem to care if he completes the work but doesn't allow homework.

I know what math need to be taught as he has an older brother I have helped with homework in previous years. My son is an avid talker and tells me everything about everyone. So if he says he's not doing any math at school I believe him. I also have yet to see a math work book.

I know I need to call a meeting with the teacher to see what he is doing but it's frustrating because I actually like this teacher and I know she's had some very hard times lately but I am getting worried about how behind my son is.

Teacher meeting a few months ago wasn't really shown his work.

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