Need advice about horrible teacher

iVillage Member
Registered: 02-14-2007
Need advice about horrible teacher
20
Tue, 01-15-2008 - 3:48pm

Well, I hadn't been home more than 10 minutes this afternoon before my stomach was twisted in knots and my heart was in my throat. My DD is a sophomore and, for the second year in a row, has the most awful French teacher that God ever put on this earth. THe woman is a disaster, an utter disaster. She is one of those teachers who is known throughout the school because she's so bad. Her students actually regress in their language skill when they take her class. Anyone lucky enough to move out of her class to another teacher after one year clearly stands out because the other teachers' students have learned so much more in that time.


Starting last year, this horrendous person has taken a strong dislike to my DD. Why, I cannot begin to imagine. I'm not saying my DD is always a perfect angel, but she is quiet and shy and very respectful. She is not the kind of kid who disrupts the class and invites teachers' scorn. Every teacher she has ever had has commented on what a pleasure she is to have in class, and how serious and hardworking she is. Not this clown. She claims my DD is always talking & laughing and now, even sleeping in class.


Well, my DD is the first to admit that she is bored out of her skull in this class because the teacher's lessons are so awful that she has no idea what she's even talking about. She says other kids are talking all the time, that the teacher has no control over the class, yet she just picks on my DD. My DD and I met with this teacher last year, and things improved for a while, but they're even worse now.


I have run into this teacher at school, and she told me my DD was very sleepy in class. I commented that we've been trying to make sure she eats well (she had been skipping meals), and this class is at the very end of the day. This idiotic woman jumped on that and is now pulling my DD aside, interrogating her every day, and even offering nutrition adivce. (If you saw this woman, you would see the humor in that!) My DD has for the past couple of months been getting lunch at school every day--which is right before this class--so that is no longer an issue, and I think it is beyond impertinent for this teacher to take it upon herself to talk to my DD about this constantly.


One day, she made her stay after class to ask her "So, N, did you learn anything today, or was I just wasting my time?" Is that uncalled for, or what? My question is--where do I go from here? I'm not sure how the HS works because I work at the middle school level. I've talked to the teacher, I've talked to the guidance counselor. What next?? We've already decided that my DS will not be taking French when he goes to HS next year so we don't run into this woman again. It is outrageous. My DH and I both studied French all through college, we have French-speaking relatives who we'd like our kids to be able to converse with, but it won't happen because of this horrible woman. Any advice, please?!!

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Avatar for kel7col4
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Tue, 01-15-2008 - 4:38pm

Sadly in the real world there will always be people like that.




iVillage Member
Registered: 12-14-2006
Tue, 01-15-2008 - 4:42pm

Are you sure this woman didn't split her time between your school and ours?

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-28-1999
Tue, 01-15-2008 - 4:46pm

I don't have any real answer for you, but I wonder how "everyone" in the school can know that a certain teacher is bad, yet the school does nothing.

iVillage Member
Registered: 02-14-2007
Tue, 01-15-2008 - 5:13pm

<>


I'm not exaggerating about this. It's true. I don't know how she stays on, or if she has tenure. Perhaps it has to do with how easy or hard it is to find French teachers. And, incredibly, she isn't the only teacher in this HS who has this kind of widespread bad reputation. My DD's English teacher is similar....and I did just ask a teacher friend of mine on the ins and outs of going up the chain of command at this school, and found out that there are a husband and wife at this school (social studies and math) who are also known to be very bad teachers. And this is in a "good" school district! I am not pleased.


I think that, to a great extent, they cover for each other. Obviously, there is some degree of nepotism as well.

iVillage Member
Registered: 12-14-2007
Tue, 01-15-2008 - 9:31pm
I would ask the guidence counselor to change her
iVillage Member
Registered: 10-25-2006
Tue, 01-15-2008 - 10:08pm

>

That sounds like my DS18, and when he was in HS there was one teacher who said DS goofed off in class and talked too much with his buddies. When all the other kids are doing it, and our shy, usually respectful children recognize an inferior teacher, I think they get braver and start acting up with the others. It doesn't help any when we parents voice our dislike for those teachers, but I know I've done it--sometimes it's hard not to.

Other parents probably have the same concerns about the French teacher. If it's widely believed that she's inept, I'd talk to the principal about it, and suggest to other parents that they do the same. If he/she won't take action, go to the school district admin/board. You'll be doing many prospective French students a favor. If you don't want to speak up for fear of retribution against your dd, then you just have to stick it out. Maybe your dd can pick up French again in college.




Edited 1/15/2008 10:15 pm ET by janetlz

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http://www.pnhp.org/news/2009/october/meet_the_new_health_.php

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQTBYQlQ7yM

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-11-2007
Wed, 01-16-2008 - 6:48am

OH MY!

iVillage Member
Registered: 02-25-2002
Wed, 01-16-2008 - 8:04am

Wow, its pretty upsetting when someone who is inept gets time with our kids on a daily basis. I don't know

 

iVillage Member
Registered: 08-26-2007
Wed, 01-16-2008 - 8:07am

((((((Hugs EJ))))))))))


I waited to respond to this, cause I wanted to see what other posters might have to say.

iVillage Member
Registered: 02-14-2007
Wed, 01-16-2008 - 8:49am

Thanks to everyone for your really thoughtful replies. It gave me some really good perspectives on this. I agree w/ those of you who said this is a learning experience for our kids, i.e., that they have to learn to deal with different sorts of people. I took that attitude last year w/ this teacher, however two years in a row with this same person is getting to be too much. It is beating my DD down every single day, not to mention affecting her GPA.


I think when someone is really out of line with our kids, we still have a responsibility to step in. They are not in an equal relationship with their teachers, so it is really hard for them to "fight back", so to speak. What pushes this over the line is the rude way she has talked to my DD ("Did you learn anything today, or did I waste my time?") and the bizarre way she has taken it upon herself to give my DD nutrition advice. If she is so concerned about my DD's health, why doesn't she refer her to guidance or to the school nurse?!


Yes, we have to deal with all kinds of people in later life, but at least we can more or less choose who we deal with when we're adults. If we have a rude boss--who we are not on an "equal" footing with, like a teacher--at least we can choose to change jobs.


I wasn't sure what the chain of command was in the HS because I'm at the middle school level, where the department chair doesn't have any supervisory responsibility, so it sounds like the next step is to take it to the dept. chairman and then the administration. But I do need to document things better first.


Thanks again!


ej


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