The Student Room Group

What can I do about my crap teacher?

I know I will probably get a lot of sarcastic and rude replies, but hopefully there are some people out there who have been in a similar situation and are willing to help.

So this year I am sitting my highers, which is a Scottish qualification. In terms of difficulty they are the equivalent to AS levels, but they are as important as A levels, as these are the grades universities are interested in. Anyway, for my higher English I have two teachers. I have one teacher who is alright, and I get her for three periods a week, and she teaches the literature side of the course. She clearly has a lot of enthusiasm for the subject, even if her teaching style does not always suit me.

For the other two periods of English, however, I get another teacher who is simply hopeless. She teaches the language side of the course. I gave her a piece of creative writing to mark before the Christmas holidays. It reappeared in my folder a few weeks later, and when I asked her about it, she claimed she had never seen it, so I asked her to mark it. That was at least three weeks ago and she still hasn't marked the essay. She has asked for another creative piece from the class but I don't see why I should write her another piece when she hasn't even marked the last one. Also, the way she teaches is awful. For creative writing, she simply gives us a picture to write about descriptively and then she tells her favourite pupils to read them out. For close reading, she just leaves us with a book infront of us and tells us to learn from it, while she sits at the front talking about her baby. This baby is another problem, as she isn't even at school half the time because of her damn baby. Why does she bother working if she is going to off all the time? She already works part time for crying out loud! My other English teacher has a baby too but she always manages to be there!

She also keeps making me re-sit parts of the course I have already passed, instead of working on the aspects I struggle with.

Today was just the last straw. She was going over deadlines, and she told us the deadline for our writing folio, and I just pointed out that it would probably have to be done a while before then because we will be doing our prelims at that time, and the Easter holidays are just before that, and she gave me a look as if I was completely stupid and says, "Yes, what is your point?" And so I replied, "Nothing, I was simply just pointing something out" And she said "Will you just stop complaining? You'll just have to actually do some work to ensure you finish it on time" So I was like, "Miss I never complained about anything" And she went, "OOOOOOOOHHH" and I felt utterly humiliated. I was just about ready to storm out the class. So I admit that maybe it was an unecessary thing for me to say, but I feel that a teacher should never speak to a pupil like that. I would have been sent to the head teacher for speaking to her like that!

So then throughout the lesson, she was speaking to us all individually about the assesments we have passed, and what we still have to do, and she just missed me out!!! She went straight from 'Spark' to 'Wood' and my last name starts with a 'T'!!

I am really worried that my English is going to suffer because of this, and I really need it for the type of thing I want to do at university. The thing is, my English isn't bad. Last year, I had a different teacher, and with her I passed all my NABs ( assesments) and won the English prize for my entire year, so my skills are not the problem. I don't want to go back to English with her on Thursday, but I just know that if I complain to the school, she will turn this back on me. I don't know what to do!!

Thank you to anyone who did read all that, and can offer helpful advice, it is greatly appreciated, I am already dreading going back!

TL; DR: I have an English teacher who can't teach for **** and I feel personally victimised by, and I am worried it is going to affect my English grade. How should I go about getting the issue resolved so I can focus on passing my exam.

Oh, and anyone who feels the need to just come in and correct my spelling/ grammar, please do not bother. I said that I am good at English, I didn't say I am world spelling champion or anything like that.
Either you have to complain to the school and get other people in to act as your witnesses and get yourself transferred to another class or get a private tutor.
Other than that I'm completely stumped I'm afraid.
beat her across the skull with her husband
Reply 3
Original post by Alt__x
And she went, "OOOOOOOOHHH"


this made me laugh because of how i imagined she said it
Talk to a different teacher about the issue?
She sounds meeeaann. :frown:
Never expect your teachers to teach you ANYTHING
Sorry to hear! I hate when teachers humiliate pupils too.

You should complain about her to your school if she is not marking your work after you asked her to twice. If the problem persists, you could always ask your decent lit teacher for help/guidance? It's difficult because it's not really a subject you can self-teach..
Reply 7
Its difficult because I know just how schools act about things like this, and lots of teachers think they have some inherited right to do whatever they want just because they're a teacher.

Personally I'd not go straight off to the head of English or something, instead, do you have a councillor/welfare person? I know we had a 6th form welfare officer/leader who wasn't a teacher and was just there to look after 6th form. That way you can just go in and calmly explain whats going on without it being like a big complaint. Hopefully they'll be able to advise you whether you can do something yourself to sort out the problem with your teacher, or if you need to go higher and put in a complaint. If you can get the welfare staff on your side on the matter you'll feel better about going to the Head of department if you need to.

Essentially, I think its better to try and resolve the problem yourself between you and her before you call in the big guns and piss her off more.
Complain. Write a ****ing good letter to your school.
Reply 9
Talk to someone above in the position above her, I don't know if you have a heads of department? But someone like that. Or I'd suggest getting your parents involved, I hate to say it, but some schools are more likely to take action if confronted by parents. Also find out if anyone else in your class has problems with her, or agrees, so you'll have some support and they won't accuse you of just being annoying.

Best of luck!
One of my French teachers is also useless. She patronises and relies on her answer book without actually helping us understand the grammar. It seems from what you've written that you're perhaps being singled out by the teacher, in which case just ask your parents to complain.
Original post by Alt__x
x


What you're teacher is doing is unacceptable. It's her job to ensure that you learn and if she's unwilling to do so then she shouldn't be teaching you! Does your school have a head of department that you would be able to speak to and explain your situation? If so, tell them what has been happening and they will be able to speak to the teacher on your behalf, hopefully coming to a solution. Also mention the fact that because she is barely in school it's affecting your learning. Kick up enough of a fuss and something will be done.
Reply 12
go to your guidance teacher or get your parents to phone the school
Reply 13
I had the same problem with my Maths teacher, don't give up because these exams are so important! Firstly, make sure that if you do complain, that the teacher doesn't know it was you, because that will just make things worse. Also, try to gather a few people to complain with you, the more students; the more effective it will be. Hopefully the headteacher will see that it's affecting his pupils grades!

Good luck, don't give up!

P.S The alternative is working your ass of at home or get a tutor :wink:
Reply 14
Original post by Aj12
Say she touched you.


this
Reply 15
Thank you for your advice and sympathy everyone, it is greatly appreciated. I am planning to speak to my guidance teacher on Monday and take it from there. The only problem is that teachers like to make it out like the pupil is the problem, but I have a genuine interest inteh subject! Also, while I am still in her class it could make things awkward. Also, is there any point in moving class at this late stage, when the exams are in may, and the other class will have studied other texts etc?
Original post by Alt__x
Thank you for your advice and sympathy everyone, it is greatly appreciated. I am planning to speak to my guidance teacher on Monday and take it from there. The only problem is that teachers like to make it out like the pupil is the problem, but I have a genuine interest inteh subject! Also, while I am still in her class it could make things awkward. Also, is there any point in moving class at this late stage, when the exams are in may, and the other class will have studied other texts etc?


I think its much too late to change classes really, just stick it through. Also it'd be unfair for you to change teacher, yet everyone else in your class is still stuck with her :s-smilie: so the school would probably be reluctant to do that (well at least I know mine would). And well they can't really make out that you're the problem if she's not marking your work!
Original post by Pheylan
this made me laugh because of how i imagined she said it


QFT
Tell your parents and get them to write a letter. They won't take individual students seriously and will always take the teachers' side. Make sure your friends are willing to back you up if it comes to it.
when I tried to do that my principle and my guidance teacher both said

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