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Secondary education

Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

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Original poster

How to handle parents evening with Maths teacher

31 replies

LowMaintenance101 · 05/03/2025 14:34

Hi everyone. I'm after some advice in how to handle an upcoming parents evening appointment with my daughter's maths teacher.

She's in Year 7, so this will be her first parents evening in this school. It's a virtual one as the school is undergoing some work and the car park is not usable.

The school encourage students to be present for each meeting.

She has had an issue with confidence in maths since year 5. And then SATS in year 6 really cemented the issue. I worked with the year 6 teacher and each day she sent all her maths work home, so any areas she had struggled with, we could go through at her own pace. Her SATS results in maths were excellent, but she really did put the work in.

Fast forward to secondary school, she has settled in well and is enjoying school overall, but absolutely hates her maths teacher. (She is really happy with all her other subject teachers).

She's been put in the top set for maths, but the teacher is well known for being difficult. The parents have a private Facebook group for each year group and his name has come up a few times. Concerns around him singling kids out in front of the class. The kids are supposed to tell him if they haven't understood anything, but if they do, he tells them off, so they all just stay quiet.

I'd appreciate some pointers in how to handle him. I am not confrontational, and there hasn't been a specific incident that I could raise, but I want to let him know that my daughter isn't responding to his brand of teaching. She is basically just scared of being the next kid to be picked on. And given that she will be at the meeting, I want her to feel that we are advocating for her.

Any tips greatfully received.

OP posts:

JustGotToKeepOnKeepingOn · 05/03/2025 20:09

An awful lot in your posts is about gossip and rumour about the teacher. You need to take all of that out of the equation as it's clouding your judgement.

The top set for maths in secondary school is fast paced. You've admitted that maths isn't your DDs strong point. She had daily intervention at primary school and now has a tutor to keep up. No wonder she's struggling and feeling anxious.

The first question I'd ask is how he thinks your DD or performing. You might be surprised. But if the class is causing her anxiety and she needs a tutor in Y7 just to keep up, something has to give.

I'd ask to move her down a set so she can learn at a slower pace. If that's not possible this year, at least you can make sure it happens for Y8.

surreygirl1987 · 05/03/2025 22:33

LadyMacbethssweetArabianhand · 05/03/2025 19:17

Ganging up against him on Facebook or WhatsApp is horrible and a witch hunt, based on nothing more than gossip. Please don't do this or refer to this in your meeting. Listen to what he says firstly. Then explain that your daughter lacks confidence. What can you and she do to help? Do not mention the situation with other pupils as that isn't appropriate. Your daughter will encounter many teachers who have very different teaching styles. You can help her deal with that.

I absolutely agree. Whatever you think of this teacher (and you admit there's been no specific incident with your daughter), you should feel ashamed of this. No wonder teachers are rapidly leaving the profession. Want better teachers for your child? Don't gossip about them on social media. The day I find out this is happening to me is the day I walk out of the job.

SnugNightsss · 05/03/2025 23:21

Penterist · 05/03/2025 18:17

Your DD can step out of the room for your talk with the maths teacher although having your child with you is massively beneficial for this one time and this one subject I would perhaps not have her in front of the computer.

I would probably say she lacks confidence in maths in year 7 and feels she cannot put her hand up to ask for help in class and you would like his help going forward. Prepare what you are going to say, we always had post it notes attached to the screen so we could read it off without it looking overly prepared.

Sadly there will always be teachers who she doesn't get along with or like their teaching style and year 7 is always a massive transition anyway, lots of new teachers, different styles of teaching and new subjects. So even in that she is doing well. Keep working on her self belief, she is coping with the work and now knows how to use the calculator. There is usually a talk through of the calculator functions as it is new to all students.

Is there anyone with an older sibling at the school who might want to do some peer on peer teaching? It helps cement their knowledge too.

Just seen your update on name calling, I would be all sweetness and polite in the face to face meeting with him but I would be wanting to talk to the head of year. I failed maths GCSE due to an abusive derogatory name calling teacher. Passed on a resit and I am still angry about it decades later.

Edited

I would also be speaking to the Head of Year to say my child was scared due to the name calling of other children. It’s really not on at all!

noblegiraffe · 05/03/2025 23:31

Your DD definitely doesn't need to be present for this appointment.

Do not mention any slagging off on social media or anything any other parent has said.

Do say that your DD struggles with his teaching style, she lacks confidence and is concerned about being picked on to answer questions and what does he suggest? See how he approaches it (understanding or total dick) and maybe go from there.

How is she getting on in assessments?

Do report kids being called thick and slow to the HOD, that's not acceptable.

Maddy70 · 05/03/2025 23:45

Firstly stop bitching about s professional in s what's app group if you have concerns about your child speak to the teacher

Original poster

LowMaintenance101 · 06/03/2025 14:04

I just want to reiterate that I absolutley haven't taken part in any discussions regarding this teacher in the parents Facebook group, WhatsApp, or anywhere else.

Seeing the discussions about him has probably clouded my judgement of him (mainly because the sort of incidents being discussed back up the things my daughter says is happening in class).

OP posts:

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