Incompetent Teacher

superdudeman007

I'm doing my Junior Cert in June. I've had the same teacher for Spanish for 3 years and for French in 1st and 2nd year. I can hardly speak either language. Everyone she teaches has complained about her but nothing has been done.

My mocks in French and Spanish have gone really badly (as have those of everyone else that she teaches) and now we're all really worried about the JC but we know the school won't do anything about it. What can we do?

She can't control a class and we never get anything done. She leaves us on our own to work (once she left class for 20 minutes to go to her car for a fag) and last week when she said we'd be practising for the aural (which we hadn't done yet), she just asked a Spanish student to read to us. My parents have complained about her 3 times. Nobody's parents had anything positive to say about her after the PTMs this year. But the school just ignores it because she's "an experienced professional".

(I might as well mention that there are 9 people in the Spanish class; 5 of whom are also getting grinds)

qwertplaywert

trie posting this in the union in of secondary students foirum.they may be able to help.

superdudeman007

Will try that. thanks.

macroman

Try bringing it up with the Dept. of Education, I've never had the problem so would know how to resolve it...

superdudeman007

I was thinkning about that but how do I go about it? I didn't really expect that I'd have to go further than the Year Head or the Student Council.

I think it's too late for us now anyway. We won't get the grades we deserve because she doesn't know how to do her job. The next 3 months won't make up for 3 years - we're still doing a textbook intended for first year.

gaeilgegrinds

A petition to your Board of Management will do the trick (outlining your difficulties). I'm an examiner now but had the same problem as a student and the week after the Mocks we found a new teacher before us in the classroom. I got an E in honours Maths in the Mock but with the help of the new teacher I got an A & got an A2 in honours for the LC too. Good luck!

spurious

There are 9 people in your Spanish class and you need to be 'controlled'?

Sounds like the blame may not be entirely with this teacher. Some people in some schools get grinds for everything so that's not relevant. How come the grinds people also did badly in the mocks if the issue is as simple as bad teaching?

In a genuine case, the path is a letter to the Principal and only then a following letter to the BOM. You will want to be very clear on your facts though - if for example some people in her classes in the past passed and others didn't, how can you say she wasn't doing the course? It's a minefiled, but if you want to get into it and all it entails, go for it.

There are genuine cases of incompetence out there, so be sure yours is one before you start on any course of action. It won't be pretty.

Enright

i agree re the letter to the bom. with 5 people getting grinds, i bet the results will be ok! none of this really helps u, get some assistance quick! with a week off coming up, is there some1 who can help you?

using the pre papers and tapes study

starn

Shag all you can do buddy and you can thank the ASTI for that and there claims that there are no poor teachers. What a bunch of wan1ers

superdudeman007

Will try the BOM thing - we've already written to the principal :rolleyes: .

I understand that we should check that it is a real issue but we're sure it is. There are 3 or 4 students that either sleep or try to make any distraction they can in her classes.

Maybe part of the problem is unruly students, but they don't stop other teachers from getting their work done.

superdudeman007

starn wrote:

Shag all you can do buddy and you can thank the ASTI for that and there claims that there are no poor teachers. What a bunch of wan1ers

She glorifies the TUI at every oppurtunity though lol

Piste

Do you want a new teacher or good grades? If you got a new teacher betwen now and the JC there's not an awful lot he or she could do, but if you want good grades you can get grinds or use one of those "Rapid Revision" books. You can also try listening to the aural section on past JC papers to get used to the sound of Spanish/French and maybe do a paper or too and ask the teacher to correct it, or if she wont then ask another French or Spanish teacher.

Good Luck

superdudeman007

Piste wrote:

Do you want a new teacher or good grades? If you got a new teacher betwen now and the JC there's not an awful lot he or she could do, but if you want good grades you can get grinds or use one of those "Rapid Revision" books. You can also try listening to the aural section on past JC papers to get used to the sound of Spanish/French and maybe do a paper or too and ask the teacher to correct it, or if she wont then ask another French or Spanish teacher.

Good Luck

I have "Less Stress More Success" for every subject except Spanish. Neither Eason's nor Doherty's had anything for Spanish (except papers). It's also really hard to get Spanish grinds.

I'll try though

Apparently she went through the entire syllabus with each parent at the PTMs this year. It took her about 20 mins per parent. My mom said she went through 6 or 7 textbooks, the exam papers and some CDs that came with textbooks! :rolleyes:

Acid_Violet

I think a letter to the Principal would've done more bad than good. Unless they dislike each other, people who work together (teachers particularly) tend to support and back each other. And if your principal is anything like mine you'll be cut to the ground for 'questionning the teacher's authority' and you'll come under unfavourable notice, or at least the people who wrote it will. That's my experience anyway.

BOM letter will work, they're in charge of who is employed and the chances are that she has already had complaints made against her to the BOM. It's very unlikely that anything will happpen before your JC but if you just do the work and you'll be ok, considering the circumstances.

spurious

The BOM will refer it back to the Principal. There are protocols which should be followed..Principal, BOM, VEC/DES.

The BOM have nothing to do with employing teachers in VEC or Community schools.

gaeilgegrinds

I think the BOM is your next port of call if the principal was no use. Be honest in your complaint though, if some of the blame lies with the students they may well have to face being reprimanded aswell.

Zonko

I disagree with this. SHAZZAM!