Why are teachers not monitored/assessed regularly

dillo2k10

If the teachers needed to be continuously assessed by there students results or some other way would the education system not be better. If the useless teachers were weeded out then that would mean a better education for the students and jobs for those who actually work hard and deserve them?

Why doesn't the dept of edu do something like that?

Atlantic Dawn

Unions

dillo2k10

Atlantic Dawn wrote: »

Unions

Well Im a LC student now and I will be a teacher in the future, I will be lobbying against the unions to get this to happen it seems like a stupid waste of money to keep paying these people.

seriouslysweet

Things can be done though if your teacher is doing a bad enough job. You just need to approach it in a mature and calculated fashion, have your facts straight. I could fill this in with anecdotes now but won't, we've really good teachers but only cos our parents association keeps on top of the principal and board of management.

Fad

I'd imagine it's a combination between (Some) teachers not wanting to be inspected all the time (Probably Union driven) and a lack of money.

LilMissCiara

dillo2k10 wrote: »

If the teachers needed to be continuously assessed by their students results

While I agree monitoring of teacher's performance is a good idea, student's results is not the way to go.

Stick an amazing teacher in front of D standard students who couldn't care less and the students will still be a D standard. Likewise a terrible teacher in front of a A standard class isn't going to drastically change their results (unless of course it's Maths - different story)

PictureFrame

dillo2k10 wrote: »

If the teachers needed to be continuously assessed by there students results or some other way would the education system not be better. If the useless teachers were weeded out then that would mean a better education for the students and jobs for those who actually work hard and deserve them?

Why doesn't the dept of edu do something like that?

I have cousins who live in New York, there Math teachers are assessed every 2 years, if they do not meet the standards they are given 1 chance, if they fail to improve on their performance they're kicked out.. Simple as! I think this system should definitely be in place! Grades would soar in certain subjects (Maths, Sciences and Languages anyway)

Ave Sodalis

LilMissCiara wrote: »

While I agree monitoring of teacher's performance is a good idea, student's results is not the way to go.

Stick an amazing teacher in front of D standard students who couldn't care less and the students will still be a D standard. Likewise a terrible teacher in front of a A standard class isn't going to drastically change their results (unless of course it's Maths - different story)

Hmm, in some cases. If the teacher was good enough, they could bring back the interest and change the methods to allow for the different ways students learn. I think one of the main reasons students couldn't care less is if they don't understand what is being taught. This generally happens if a teacher sticks to one style of teaching and one style alone. This doesn't work (something which a good teacher should know) as not every student learns the same way.
This works vice-versa. I'm top of my year in Agricultural Science, according to the mocks. If I was given the other teacher who teaches Ag Sci, I know for a fact that I would not do half as well. I had this other teacher for Maths for a few months last year before I was moved out of the class. Same goes for anyother subject.

I don't think the teacher should necessarily be kicked out. I think their pay should be reflected upon the grades the students are getting, unless the subject is in the first year of a curriculum change. Then they should be given some lee-way. For example, we are one of the school who do Project Maths and due to lack of materials, I know that even the best Maths teachers in the school are under pressure while the slightly less talented teachers are getting fails left, right and centre. Out of 150 pass Maths students, 20 passed their paper 1 mock

So yeah, have teachers evaluated, but have their paycheck as a threat instead of firing

Chuchoter

I think a teacher who receives more than 3 written complaints from the same class should be got rid of, at least from teaching that class. I have a chemistry teacher who I honestly question if she has ever even done chemistry. She recently gave us a test on a chapter we haven't done, then when correcting it noticed we were getting everything wrong. :rolleyes:

rainbowtrout

sup_dude wrote: »

Hmm, in some cases. If the teacher was good enough, they could bring back the interest and change the methods to allow for the different ways students learn. I think one of the main reasons students couldn't care less is if they don't understand what is being taught. This generally happens if a teacher sticks to one style of teaching and one style alone. This doesn't work (something which a good teacher should know) as not every student learns the same way.
This works vice-versa. I'm top of my year in Agricultural Science, according to the mocks. If I was given the other teacher who teaches Ag Sci, I know for a fact that I would not do half as well. I had this other teacher for Maths for a few months last year before I was moved out of the class. Same goes for anyother subject.

I don't think the teacher should necessarily be kicked out. I think their pay should be reflected upon the grades the students are getting, unless the subject is in the first year of a curriculum change. Then they should be given some lee-way. For example, we are one of the school who do Project Maths and due to lack of materials, I know that even the best Maths teachers in the school are under pressure while the slightly less talented teachers are getting fails left, right and centre. Out of 150 pass Maths students, 20 passed their paper 1 mock

So yeah, have teachers evaluated, but have their paycheck as a threat instead of firing

That's still not an accurate way of assessing a teacher. The teacher you had for maths could have a completely different way of teaching agricultural science. There isn't any qualification in this country that qualifies you to teach both subjects so maybe your teacher is not qualified in one of them and through no fault of their own has been lumped with the subject and is just trying to get on with it as best they can.

You can't assess by grades either. I have a leaving cert class who will do well in their exams this year, but would have done well also if they had the other teacher of the subject in the school. I also have students who are incredibly weak and should probably be taking ordinary level but with help will get a D at higher level. A D grade often doesn't look good on paper but is the best a student can do. I also have students who turn in to school once a week, have not completed one piece of homework for the last two years, didn't bother coming in for their mocks or go on practical farm visit (ag science) who seem to be under the illusion that they will sail through higher level. They won't and despite all my best efforts to teach them when they are in and also to persuade them to do ordinary level, they will insist on taking higher level on the day which is their right and will fail it. That will be an F grade against my name. Does that reflect on my ability as a teacher??? I don't think it does.

rainbowtrout

crayolastereo wrote: »

I think a teacher who receives more than 3 written complaints from the same class should be got rid of, at least from teaching that class. I have a chemistry teacher who I honestly question if she has ever even done chemistry. She recently gave us a test on a chapter we haven't done, then when correcting it noticed we were getting everything wrong. :rolleyes:

If that was implemented practically every teacher in the country would be fired in the next 6 months.

It would also be abused. If you wanted X teacher to teach you chemistry but you had Y teacher, you could just start writing letters so it would be changed. Schools could not function properly if students could manipulate the timetable in such a way.

spurious

The Department have a perfectly valid inspectorate who do regularly assess teachers.

The problem is not the assessment, the problem is doing anything about teachers not pulling their weight - grades would be the least valid way of assessing teaching as they depends greatly on the level the child is at before they come into the class.

If a class of highly literate 15 year olds all get Bs in Higher Level History, is their teacher better or worse than the one who has a class of kids reading at a reading age of 8 and manages to get them all to pass OL History?

Bbbbolger

But, with regards to the Department Inspectors, isn't warning sent to schools about their impending arrival? I remember in third year one of our teachers completely repeated a class we had done a week previously so it would seem like we were learning well. We were a good class, prone to a bit of messing as all young students are, but we did our work and got good grades. I never thought very highly of that teacher in the first place but after that incident she lost a lot more respect with me. Surely this is a blatant manipulation to allow the teacher to paint herself in a better light in front of the inspectors? It's a flaw with the current inspection system if so.

Chuchoter

And I'm pretty sure the schools can pick who gets sent an inspector. One of my teachers, who is brilliant and a sub for a few people on maternity, got inspected twice whereas the horrible chemistry teacher never got inspected.

wayhey

There's loads of valid points here. I do agree that the assessment thing needs a big shake up because it isn't working. I do accept that too often the "I've a rubbish teacher" excuse is thrown around the place. I've had and continue to have teachers that I feel are weaker than others I've had in the past. You know what I do? Extra work. Regarding one subject I did well in last year and I'm afraid of going down in this June, I've decided to try doing an exam paper question every week and hand it up. If I don't get something, I politely ask why is it this way and not another way. I'm sure some teachers hate to see me coming :pac: But we have to acknowledge part of the responsibility lies on students as well.

Having said that, I have and have had some teachers with very questionable teaching practices. One used to derail the class completely by engaging in banter, talking about films he'd seen and the like. That's fine in TY and I'm all for a bit of craic with teachers but there's a limit. On that note of professionalism I've known teachers over the years who've seemed to taken a rather disturbing sense of glee in making less confident students feel awkward, ridiculing them when they ask a question about some material or the like. I've known teachers that made students break into sweat before class because they were terrified of what would happen- and it wasn't because they didn't do their work. If anything they'd mumble and stutter and you'd do anything to just take their place for them.

Then some less confident teachers get awful abuse in some schools too. And there are hard-working, brilliant teachers out there who I'm sure feel absolutely frustrated when they can't teach because of some eejits down the back.

Most infuriating of all though are those teachers who don't seem to have any sort of plan/organisation to their classes. I forget my books, I get a detention. Absolutely fine with that, it's annoying but it's fair. You decide that we're going to cram Higher Level Irish poetry in the last 2 weeks? Enjoy your 3 months holidays as I stress over August.

;tldr; I don't know what the answer is. Students can't be given 100% of the say. But if there is policy there a system can be properly implemented. Complaints could be investigated and verified by other student reports. If there's love hearts over the i's, it's written in green pen and the Reason For Complaint is: "Just Cos" I think it's pretty safe to say we could disregard that report. Something has to change though. It's easy to get down in the dumps about exams and give up and I don't blame people for finding it hard to pick themselves up and try and trawl through a subject themselves.

rainbowtrout

crayolastereo wrote: »

And I'm pretty sure the schools can pick who gets sent an inspector. One of my teachers, who is brilliant and a sub for a few people on maternity, got inspected twice whereas the horrible chemistry teacher never got inspected.

Hmmmm... no they can't. My school had a science inspection before Christmas and everyone of the teachers in the science department taught a class with the inspector sitting in. We have no say in who gets inspected and what classes they inspect.

Inspectors not only want to see a range of teachers but they want to see a range of year groups. No point seeing how all the first years are taught particularly if it is the policy of the school that all classes are taught the same material at much the same time so they can have a common assessment. Our inspector was also inspecting Physics, so he saw 5th and 6th year Physics, TY Science (Biology/Chemistry) and 1st, 2nd and 3rd year Science. He saw a range of theory and practical classes.

We also have extensive meetings with them in the time they are in the school showing the planning that goes on in each subject area. He also took up a selection of copies, lab manuals, workbooks etc from each class to see how students did their work/homework and how we corrected it, so it wasn't just a case of teaching one good class and getting away with it. If you don't do experiments with your students or don't give homework etc, it's going to be pretty obvious.

Please stop spouting rubbish when you don't know anything about how the system works.

vamos!

crayolastereo wrote: »

And I'm pretty sure the schools can pick who gets sent an inspector. One of my teachers, who is brilliant and a sub for a few people on maternity, got inspected twice whereas the horrible chemistry teacher never got inspected.

Students are often pretty sure about a lot of things and are often pretty wrong about them. This is why you don't get to assess your teachers- you generally are not fully aware of everything that goes on behind the scenes. I do agree that there should be an improved system to weed out disinterested teachers, but results and popularity are not the way forward.

Chuchoter

This was an inspection of just 2nd and 5th year, they were supposed to see every subject, somehow they only ended up at the brilliant teachers (the sub in question said herself it was strange, she was done 2 times in the course of the week) and never at the bad teachers. That strikes me as highly unusual.

I don't really need to be aware of what goes on behind the scenes. If you cannot teach and the class is stuck basically teaching itself, spending a small fortune on grinds, you should not be there. If you are consistently late, answering questions wrongly or just not prepared for class you shouldn't be there either. As far as I can tell, whenever you bring up this discussion with any teacher, you are told 'You have to do the work, not the teacher' or 'That teachers style just might not work for you'. Frankly, as far as I'm concerned thats just excuses that would never be accepted in any other working environment.

rainbowtrout

crayolastereo wrote: »

This was an inspection of just 2nd and 5th year, they were supposed to see every subject, somehow they only ended up at the brilliant teachers (the sub in question said herself it was strange, she was done 3 times in the course of the week) and never at the bad teachers. That strikes me as highly unusual.

How would you know what the inspection was for? Did your principal sit down with you and go through the finer details of what the inspectorate were there for?

What do you mean they were supposed to see every subject? A science inspection is normally Junior Science and ONE senior science subject from Ag Science/Biology/Chemistry/Physics.

An inspector normally comes for two days. If a teacher is not timetabled in those two days they cannot be inspected, it's the luck of the draw. The inspector does not view every science (or whatever subject) class that is timetabled that day, they pick a range of classes to suit themselves, they normally don't pick the first one in the morning because they normally do their meet and greet with the teachers and management at that time etc etc etc.

You don't have anything to compare it too so it's not like you can make an informed judgement. Maybe the inspectorate wanted to see how the classes performed when a sub was in place or was learning and teaching continuous? Maybe the sub/teacher/principal had given the inspector some story about how a variety of teaching methods was used in the school - group work, theory, practical, ICT and he wanted to see was this actually the case. Maybe he saw something in one class that caused him concern and he wanted to see if it was a once off or common throughout. I could go on for way longer as to why the inspection in your school was the way it was, but I'm not going to. You seem to think you know everything about inspections, when in fact you know very little.

Chuchoter

It wasn't a normal inspection, it was a big huge whole school thing and we were told they would be in every subject of those two year groups. They were in the school about a week and a half. How did they manage to go see a load of the modern language classes (often the same language and same teacher multiple times) but none of the senior sciences or Irish teachers, who were weak overall? I kind of resent being told I know nothing about an inspection in my own school, the details and importance of which were drilled into us so we wouldn't screw it up.

In any case, it just proves the point that the current system of assessment doesn't work. Bad teachers are not caught.

Civilian_Target

PictureFrame wrote: »

I have cousins who live in New York, there Math teachers are assessed every 2 years, if they do not meet the standards they are given 1 chance, if they fail to improve on their performance they're kicked out.. Simple as! I think this system should definitely be in place! Grades would soar in certain subjects (Maths, Sciences and Languages anyway)

America has one of the worst overall education systems in the world.
http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,2035586,00.html
Why would you copy it?

What's more, since the nineties it's been known that the top American secondary schools lag behind those from around the world - the top 1% of American maths graduates were well behind most of Europe (including Ireland), Austrailia, and increasingly, Asia too.
http://www2.ed.gov/pubs/DevTalent/toc.html

If you ask me the best solution not to threaten teachers, by reducing their wages and job security. Better is to offer teachers decent pay, and wages relevant to the fields in which they compete. That way, talented people in all fields (who would otherwise end up in industry) can be recruited as teachers - even if this means larger classes at leaving cert level. It's obvious that, to attract Maths teachers (who could also have a bright future in banking, insurance or engineering), you have to pay them more than English teachers (where there's less external competition.) In fact, it's more probable that you prefer your english teacher to your maths teacher... could this be because they're better at their chosen subject?

Finally, there's much more value in having a large class with a great teacher than lots of small ones with mostly mediocre teachers, at leaving cert level. 17 year-olds are not kids, and do not need the same level of handholding at 4 year-olds.... so then why is it that the average size of junior infants is 19, but there's a maximum of 26 allowed in a leaving cert maths class?
http://www.education.ie/admin/servlet/blobservlet/des_educ_trends_chapter04.htm

seavill

crayolastereo wrote: »

It wasn't a normal inspection, it was a big huge whole school thing and we were told they would be in every subject of those two year groups. They were in the school about a week and a half. How did they manage to go see a load of the modern language classes (often the same language and same teacher multiple times) but none of the senior sciences or Irish teachers, who were weak overall? I kind of resent being told I know nothing about an inspection in my own school, the details and importance of which were drilled into us so we wouldn't screw it up.

In any case, it just proves the point that the current system of assessment doesn't work. Bad teachers are not caught.

A bit of advice for later life which might stand to you. I would make sure to know all the facts before trying to argue a point with people who know more.

During a whole school inspection inspectors do not visit every subject as you stated. They (the inspectorate) pick normally I 4 or 5 subjects to assess along with the general policies of the entire school. They will spend a lot of time going through the policies of the school which they would not do as much of in a general subject inspection.

This is why they did not visit the Irish classes as you stated. From what you say the subjects seem to have been along the line of probable French, German, Spanish etc. plus Junior Cert Science for example. The inspector decides this before even steping foot in the school. The school have no choice in this.

As others have stated to you previously teachers or the principal do not get a say in what classes the inspector visits. The school will give the inspector a copy of the subject timetables for the relevant subjects and they will decide on what they visit. It is luck of the draw which teacher they visit and as a result depending on which year groups they want to visit and which year groups particular teachers teach they may end up visiting the same teacher a couple of times.

Your opinions are not fact. This is fact. As other teachers have already confirmed in previous posts, however you seem to be intent on not believing us. Please trust in what we are saying and do not try to make us out to be liars.

Aoifey!

There definitely is a problem with some teachers and I think the inspection system is poor in schools. As teachers have said, it is purely luck of the draw so some very poor teachers could just slip through the cracks and not get inspected. Really all teachers should be inpected, but this would not be practical and take a lot of time. Also, as the teachers know when an inspection will take place (even not knowing if they themselves will be inspected but knowing an inspection will take place) they can be on their best behaviour and treat the class completely differently that week than any other week. Students are generally told to be on their best behaviour too at these times.

Students rating teachers would not work in my opinion. As we all know, every (or most) schools have some students that want to do nothing other than mess, chat and avoid work. Purely going because they are forced by parents. These students could consider a teacher bad because they make them do work and there would be a masses of complaints from them claiming all sorts if things.

Looking at grades, again, would not work. A teacher could get a particularily poor class where at best they get average grades. Another teacher may get a class where everyone understands the work easily and get top grades. Is one better than the other? No, as it is all a matter of where the students are entering the class. Another issue is that schools do not focus purely on grades, bar grind schools. It is about getting a whole rounded education and understanding of various topics, school is about learning and growing. If it was based on grades all schools would become like grind schools. And even if you thought schools should be more like grind schools there is still a problem. If a teacher is very poor at teaching, many in their class could get grinds. These grinds improve the results of these students. It looks as if the teacher was responsible as her/his classes grades look higher.


I do think the assessment of teachers needs to be looked at, but it's not as simple as 'more inspections' or 'look at grades'.

nommm

Definitely. My English teacher has collected around 3 pieces of work from us in the last 2 years. On one of these occasions they managed to lose my copy with all the notes I made out for myself whilst trying to teach myself the course. We still have 2 poets left to do and we haven't done any study on Hamlet other than reading the text. We've all made complaints to the school but apparently this particular English teacher is head of the English department so nothing has been done. The principal treated us like children who didn't have a clue what we were talking about. Luckily I had enough money to pay for grinds or I would have been screwed for the exams. If these teachers were in any other job and they weren't doing the job required of them they would be sacked.

Similarly, My brother had a teacher a few years ago who was always absent. The school had to hire a substitute teacher for the class but they were only able to hire the sub on the off chance that the teacher decided to come back to work. Most of the class had to drop to ordinary in the end. The teacher was obviously ill but there should be better ways to deal with problems like this.

queensinead

crayolastereo wrote: »

It wasn't a normal inspection, it was a big huge whole school thing and we were told they would be in every subject of those two year groups. They were in the school about a week and a half. How did they manage to go see a load of the modern language classes (often the same language and same teacher multiple times) but none of the senior sciences or Irish teachers, who were weak overall? I kind of resent being told I know nothing about an inspection in my own school, the details and importance of which were drilled into us so we wouldn't screw it up.

In any case, it just proves the point that the current system of assessment doesn't work. Bad teachers are not caught.

You had a Whole School Evaluation. A WSE is where a team of inspectors come into a school for a week, checking lesson plans, auditing books and so on. Whatever subjects the team of inspectors are experts in, those subjects get inspected,

Then there is a Subject Inspection, where all teachers and classes in one subject get inspected. Schools have lots of those.

A new inspection system has started, where every subject is inspected, and questionnaires are given out to parents and pupils where they can give their opinions in secret on teachers and lessons.

The inspection reports are put up on the Web.

Most schools have had several inspections. It is very rigorous, and there is an awful lot of paperwork for teachers.

randylonghorn

crayolastereo wrote: »

I think a teacher who receives more than 3 written complaints from the same class should be got rid of, at least from teaching that class.

Let's evaluate that idea by turning it on its head.

School adopts new disciplinary policy: any student who is the subject of more than three complaints from teachers is expelled.

Crayolastereo, please evaluate this new policy under the following headings:
(a) fairness and equity
(b) potential for abuse

gaeilgegrinds1

I'm a teacher so I suppose I'm supposed to defend the way we are monitored but to be honest I can't. We have more paperwork than ever, most of which is done simply to have it done and is of little or no use in my opinion. My time would be far better spent writing up new resources.
The two suggestions here simply won't work though, as illustrated already using grades is grossly unfair. Some classes practically teach themselves (although they should not have to!) Point in case is my very first class, a few years back now, for the LC. They were wonderful, motivated, civil young women. Of a class of eighteen (DEIS school) the results were amazing. I really thought at the time I was the best teacher who had ever walked this planet. This year I have a third year group who have had it tough, find work hard, are very disinterested and for the most part rowdy. If they all merely pass I'll do a backflip.
Then the complaints, let's face it, we all hold grudges from time to time. Granted some students are mature enough to use this facility correctly and would be able to but many are not and it would simply be used to threaten teachers in some instances. That said, I distinctly remember being asked as prefect by our principal when I was in school, a while ago but not THAT long ago to keep a note of my maths homework and when work was corrected, as was another girl. Our maths teacher was woeful, did damn all maths, never once took up copies, explained damn all through lack of competence and interest and was obsessed with praying and morality talks...she disappeared over the Summer.
I do agree something needs to be done though, those inspections are thorough but I've never heard of someone being shown the door through lack of competence either as a result of an inspection or another reason. I'm lucky enough that my colleagues are, for the most part, amazing teachers (from what I can see, that in itself must be noted!) but there are always a few and those few stand out like a sore thumb in our place. The rest of us are breaking our backs, they are coming in two weeks out of every three and doing as little as possible, it's annoying for teachers in that situation too as we see them getting away with this. Can I just reiterate though that as a teacher most I work with are capable individuals who do far too much, but not all.

Chuchoter

randylonghorn wrote: »

Let's evaluate that idea by turning it on its head.

School adopts new disciplinary policy: any student who is the subject of more than three complaints from teachers is expelled.

Crayolastereo, please evaluate this new policy under the following headings:
(a) fairness and equity
(b) potential for abuse

I don't understand why whenever this issue comes up, students are portrayed as these horribly vindictive people who are too stupid to understand the seriousness of putting in a complaint. I just don't believe you are ever going to be able to evaluate teachers if the people they are teaching are completely excluded.

The complaint needs parents signatures, the whole class could be asked what they thought of the teacher, grades relative to the students normal ability would be looked at. Were a complaint found to be petty or jut personal not liking someone, serious sanctions would be put in place.

Dannnnn

I agree with the point of if enough complaints pile up, a teacher has to be fired. Someone mentioned that this wouldn't work, as students could manipulate this system, but if complaints are made, they would be followed up accordingly.

I think this is appropriate because:

I'm a repeat student, purely because of the failure of Biology - I needed a C1. The teacher I had for 2 years, was in polite words, absolutely useless, and is the root of failure for countless students, and in fact, she isn't even a qualified Biology teacher, she is a lab technician. Anyway, in 2010 mocks, 5 people out of 31 passed Biology from her class. She received numerous complaints, yet nothing was done. From February until June, 28 of those 31 students received Biology grinds from other teachers IN THE SCHOOL, and the 3 who didn't, failed Biology in the Leaving Cert, including me. Not only is she notorious for abysmal teaching methods, she is incapable of exerting any slivers of authority, which leads to a disruptive and uncaring class.

I remember after doing Transition Year, people asked me, 'So who do you have for Biology?', and I would reply, 'I think I have Mrs. -', in which they would reply, 'Ahaha you're fúcked so.' She is recognised as a terrible teacher, and she gets complaints from every single one of her Biology classes throughout every year, yet nothing is done.

I'm pretty sure cases like this are NOT few and far between, and it's cases like this where a teacher should most definitely be sent packing.

rainbowtrout

Dannnnn wrote: »

I agree with the point of if enough complaints pile up, a teacher has to be fired. Someone mentioned that this wouldn't work, as students could manipulate this system, but if complaints are made, they would be followed up accordingly.

I think this is appropriate because:

I'm a repeat student, purely because of the failure of Biology - I needed a C1. The teacher I had for 2 years, was in polite words, absolutely useless, and is the root of failure for countless students, and in fact, she isn't even a qualified Biology teacher, she is a lab technician. Anyway, in 2010 mocks, 5 people out of 31 failed Biology from her class. She received numerous complaints, yet nothing was done. From February until June, 28 of those 31 students received Biology grinds from other teachers IN THE SCHOOL, and the 3 who didn't, failed Biology in the Leaving Cert, including me. Not only is she notorious for abysmal teaching methods, she is incapable of exerting any slivers of authority, which leads to a disruptive and uncaring class.

I remember after doing Transition Year, people asked me, 'So who do you have for Biology?', and I would reply, 'I think I have Mrs. -', in which they would reply, 'Ahaha you're fúcked so.' She is recognised as a terrible teacher, and she gets complaints from every single one of her Biology classes throughout every year, yet nothing is done.

I'm pretty sure cases like this are NOT few and far between, and it's cases like this where a teacher should most definitely be sent packing.

Teaching ability aside for a second, surely this is an issue with managment of the school rather than the teacher? They have hired an unqualified person for the job if it is as you say it is.

seriouslysweet

What you said about the grinds is indicative in itself, in our school all the high fliers go to ONE Irish teacher, ONE English teacher etc...the others are known to be useless. I think something needs to be done though, surprised at gg1's reply as it's a novel idea to see a teacher who doesn't necessarily stand side by side with their colleagues, our school are like a team and even when a teacher is wrong will never say so.