Horrible Teacher - The sequel

iVillage Member
Registered: 02-14-2007
Horrible Teacher - The sequel
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Wed, 01-30-2008 - 6:12pm

I've posted on here recently about my DD's nightmare of a French teacher. This is the second year in a row that she has this woman, even though I spoke to the guidance counselor several times over the summer to try to avoid this. In the end, there was no choice because she's the only one who teaches this level of French. The woman is notorious for being a lousy teacher, but for some reason, she has focused on my DD ever since last year--accusing her of laughing & goofing off in class (last year) and falling asleep constantly and not following directions (this year). As you may recall, she has taken to giving my DD diet advice because she stupidly believes that all of this is "caused" by poor eating habits or something.


Well, you could have knocked me over w/ a feather today when I got an email from her, on which she also copied the guidance counselor. She says she's so "concerned" about my DD and her "listlessness" in class, that she has counseled her about her eating and sleeping habits, that she has to be told repeatedly to take notes and fill out worksheets, etc., etc. If you knew my DD, you would know how absurd this is. The girl has always been called a very hard-working, well-behaved, and conscientious student by every other teacher. She is in the marching band, for Pete's sake; if she was "listless" or lacking in work ethic, she wouldn't have lasted one day, let alone 2 years and counting.


This idiotic woman refuses to consider that it is perhaps her lack of teaching technique that causes profound boredom and complete lack of learning in her class. SHe points to the fact that my DD did miserably on her midterms, yet does not question the fact that she apparently didn't teach her anything. I have heard other kids, who moved into honors French, say that the ones who had this teacher last year stand out like a sore thumb because they are so lacking in knowledge. Yet, my poor DD is bearing the brunt. (She told me the other day that she counted and that 8 kids had their heads on their desks during class!!)


I'd love to move her out of this class, but the counselors have always said that colleges want to see 3 years of the same language. She is halfway thru her sophomore year. If she switches even next year, she'll only have 2 years of language. Help! What do I do? I wrote the woman a very strong reply,and suggested we meet not only w/ the guidance counselor but with her department chair as well. She wrote back suggesting my DD stay for extra help. Tha'ts all well and good, but more of the same non-instruction from this woman isn't going to help anyone.


Any ideas? Where do I go from here?

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iVillage Member
Registered: 12-14-2006
Wed, 01-30-2008 - 6:38pm

I think you email or call the department head ASAP and ask for a meeting - dept head and teacher and guidance counselor. I would say to the dept head that there are two possibilities

1) the teacher is correct about your DD's behavior - in which case you would be very concerned and want help in following through (like you I doubt this is the case, I'm just saying what I would say to the dept head)

2) the teacher is incorrect - in which case the dept head has some supervision to do

Tell him/her that you want to meet so that together you can figure out which is true.

FWIW, you should (continue) to tell your DD that she should be on mega-perfect behavior in this class - looking at the teacher, taking notes, not talking to friends - she needs to be totally in the clear in order to get school/dept to agree there's anything with the teacher.

Sue, mom to Leah and Seth


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iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Wed, 01-30-2008 - 6:56pm

I took Spanish 1 at the community college a few years back. There was a high school age girl in class.

She did not get along with her German teacher and, since that was the only option at her high school, she took German at the CC instead. She then decided to go ahead and do Spanish as well(bless her ambition-despite an A, I decided I didnt have the stamina to keep going)

So that might be an option

I do have to tell you that when DS2 started having 'issues', they first surfaced in German his sophomore year. We were perplexed as he had been well behaved and no other 10th grade teachers were complaining. We were convinced it had to be the teacher!

She didnt have a rep for being a poor teacher but rather a mean one

As time went on, we learned the part he played.

Not trying to predict your dd's future but I get this sense of deja vu because by junior year, he was having problems with more than one teacher

You are going to have a hard time making an argument with anyone if she is sleeping in class. Its simply unacceptable. She would have to attend, turn in all her work, and then still be struggling before anyone would take you seriously

BTW making her stay after for tutoring may work. Either she gets her rear awake and studies the book on her own or she has another hour with the woman. Big motivator!

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-19-2003
Wed, 01-30-2008 - 7:27pm

I think you should reply and request an appointment, as soon as possible, because you also are "concerned" and would like to gain more first hand insight from the teacher, as well as the counselor, especially given that her performance in other classes has been exemplary.

iVillage Member
Registered: 09-29-2004
Wed, 01-30-2008 - 7:40pm

May I suggest ( as someone who speaks French) that you get your daughter a tutor. Having the teacher provide extra help will be of no value. There is too much 'baggage" already between them. Second year is not hard but I doubt that she can do it herself. She needs someone who speaks French to help her "in French". It will make a world of difference in her ability to speak the language.

I will also suggest that she buy a French verb book plus an excellent French dictionary (not an English/French) plus buy French grammar workbooks,

Call that meeting, as the others have suggested. But you take control of the meeting. You need to have full understanding of what is occurring in the classroom. Put them on the defensive. It is the teacher's classroom. She should come up with suggestions as well.
I would also make it very clear that any inattentiveness as nothing to do with your daughter's diet. She has no idea of the cause and should not jump to any conclusions as to why. The meeting should be called to explore the reasons.

iVillage Member
Registered: 02-14-2007
Wed, 01-30-2008 - 8:50pm

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Thanks for sharing your experiences, windrush. My DD isn't sleeping in class, but I don't doubt she's sluggish. This teacher is very ineffective and hasn't managed to engage her interest for 1 1/2 years, so I think she doesn't see the point anymore. What is unacceptable is a teacher who allows 8 kids to have their heads down on their desks during class! When I was teaching last year, if I allowed even 1 student to have their head down without going and correcting them, I would have failed my observations! Eight heads down is simply unthinkable!

iVillage Member
Registered: 02-14-2007
Wed, 01-30-2008 - 8:56pm

Thanks for the advice, Diamonds. I was starting to think about whether taking the class elsewhere could be an option. I have to say, my DD isn't an A+ student. She has had some learning difficulties in the past, which she has worked hard to overcome.

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Community Leader
Registered: 04-30-2000
Wed, 01-30-2008 - 8:56pm

Are you positive that your dd isn't slacking off in that class?

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iVillage Member
Registered: 02-14-2007
Wed, 01-30-2008 - 9:12pm

Cheryl,


I'm not saying my daughter isn't completely discouraged in that class. Yes, I think she has been beaten down by this teacher for nearly 2 years and

iVillage Member
Registered: 08-26-2007
Wed, 01-30-2008 - 9:32pm

((((((hugs EJ)))))))))


I know that this stinks and I don't have much advise for you :(

iVillage Member
Registered: 02-14-2000
Wed, 01-30-2008 - 9:46pm
Is Northwestern one of Max's college interests??
Pam

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