How to write a letter against a problem teacher?

[Allegra]

What she could have done when she was still in the class is water under the bridge. Besides, this is not a one-year problem. This teacher has been a problem for some time.

Put it this way: If I’m the principal and I have a large proportion of my top graduates thinking that my AP English teacher is not only ineffective but has gained a reputation for retribution against those who object, I want to know. They graduated with honors–what reason do they have to complain now? It is because they care about those who come after, because they cannot profit personally. If I’m the president of the school or I’m on the school board and I find that we have a principal who gets information about a problem of this magnitude and I find that my principal has done nothing about the complaints, I want to know about that, too.

Once the OP has graduated, she can also use the alumni association to enlist the opinion and help of other recent alumni who have had similar complaints. When some alum comes back to the school board and says they are appalled that after four years nothing has been done about a problem they themselves had to suffer through, some h#$l can be raised among the donors.

If she finds that essentially none of the other alumni care enough to pursue this, then she may just want to drop it. All I would do in that case is to have my parents warn the parents of next year’s seniors to watch out for any problems with this teacher and to be sure to call them if the parents of current students need help in taking a proactive stance in nipping similar problems in the bud as they arise. When parents go to the principal and complain that exams aren’t being returned and the curriculum is below the necessary standards for an AP course, that is a different matter than when complaints are coming from students only. Alumni and parents of past students can also help in some ways that people still at the school cannot help themselves.

There’s one problem with this approach. If the teacher has been there for 40+ years, it’s highly probable that she was once a very good teacher and that she recently has “checked out” and is just waiting on retirement.

I had a high school choir teacher who was beloved by the community and had been teaching there since the school opened. She had hundreds of awards to her name. But she had completely left the instruction of her ensembles to senior students while she talked on the phone in her office. We were down to one performance a year and it was the same repertoire each year. She was too old to teach effectively, and there had been complaints about the sagging choral program for the previous couple of years, but there was no way they were going to fire her after all her years of exceptional service when she only had two left before she qualified for retirement. Her last year, she was out so much that a sub taught the class for the majority of the year and actually ended up conducting the last concert.

Now, this situation is a little different because even though it was a lousy choir class, it DID meet the low state standards. It’s possible that the OP’s class does not meet the requirements for an AP English class, so the school administrators might find the situation more urgent. Still, the OP won’t know until she tries.

 

[EasterJoy]

There’s one problem with this approach. If the teacher has been there for 40+ years, it’s highly probable that she was once a very good teacher and that she recently has “checked out” and is just waiting on retirement.

I had a high school choir teacher who was beloved by the community and had been teaching there since the school opened. She had hundreds of awards to her name. But she had completely left the instruction of her ensembles to senior students while she talked on the phone in her office. We were down to one performance a year and it was the same repertoire each year. She was too old to teach effectively, and there had been complaints about the sagging choral program for the previous couple of years, but there was no way they were going to fire her after all her years of exceptional service when she only had two left before she qualified for retirement. Her last year, she was out so much that a sub taught the class for the majority of the year and actually ended up conducting the last concert.

Now, this situation is a little different because even though it was a lousy choir class, it DID meet the low state standards. It’s possible that the OP’s class does not meet the requirements for an AP English class, so the school administrators might find the situation more urgent. Still, the OP won’t know until she tries.

They may at least be able to move her to teaching students who need and want to be pushed much less.

If nothing else, this teacher needs some help: maybe student teaching assistants, maybe team-teaching with another teacher so that the seniors get at least half the year with someone who teaches as if she still has a pulse. Something.

 

[redbetta]

They may at least be able to move her to teaching students who need and want to be pushed much less.

If nothing else, this teacher needs some help: maybe student teaching assistants, maybe team-teaching with another teacher so that the seniors get at least half the year with someone who teaches as if she still has a pulse. Something.

The teaching as if she had a pulse made me laugh because it’s so true. The post from Allegra reminded me of my AP Spanish teacher. She’s been teaching here 30+ years and has said several times that she’ll retire in two years. But, she is the most rigorous teacher I’ve ever had, really dedicated to her students and the AP especially. She teaches as though she knows that she has a responsibility to the students despite being a well established teacher who will be gone in a few years.

 

[Allegra]

They may at least be able to move her to teaching students who need and want to be pushed much less.

If nothing else, this teacher needs some help: maybe student teaching assistants, maybe team-teaching with another teacher so that the seniors get at least half the year with someone who teaches as if she still has a pulse. Something.

I think you are right. If this is the situation, the most likely result is that they give another English teacher the AP class and possibly give this teacher a less strenuous course load.

 

[redbetta]

Here’s an update on my situation. I wrote the school an email about how poorly taught my English teacher was. A friend texted me yesterday that she heard that this teacher will not be teaching the upcoming school year and has been moved to an administration office position. I am not sure how much my letter mattered, but, our school tried a new survey system this year and they probably saw the landslide of negative reviews. Hopefully, what my friend said is true and that future students will be spared the mental torture I experienced and actually learn something.

 

[EasterJoy]

Here’s an update on my situation. I wrote the school an email about how poorly taught my English teacher was. A friend texted me yesterday that she heard that this teacher will not be teaching the upcoming school year and has been moved to an administration office position. I am not sure how much my letter mattered, but, our school tried a new survey system this year and they probably saw the landslide of negative reviews. Hopefully, what my friend said is true and that future students will be spared the mental torture I experienced and actually learn something.

Ah–future generations, saved by the Peter Principle!!

Seriously, it could be that the change of situation will do her good, too. She may just be worn out. Not everyone can teach the same thing year after year without needing to move on to something different, and that is OK. Let’s hope the new position injects her with some enthusiasm. (Oh, please, let us hope, because slack work in the administration office isn’t exactly good for the students, either.)

By the way–good for you, for caring about those who come after you and making an effort on their behalf!

 

[Kay_Cee]

If I write my letter to the archdiocese and not the school, no one will** no** it was me that was complaining.

If you are a senior in high school, and you still don’t know the difference between “no” and “know,” I would say you had a lot more than just one bad English teacher. In addition, it should be “it was I,” not “it was me.” You want a predicate nominative there.

I’m hoping those were errors made in haste and not a reflection of the kind of education you have received, but I’m guessing you haven’t even heard of predicate nominatives. If that is the case, it is the fault of your teachers.

I taught high school English for eight years in a private Catholic school. I can tell you from experience that in schools an incredible amount of emphasis is placed on what looks good as opposed to actual teaching. Many of my incoming freshmen could not compose a simple sentence, yet they had been taught Shakespeare! That’s because teaching Shakespeare looks good to the parents. Your complaint about too heavy an emphasis on Hamlet is entirely justified.

I was once told by a principal, “Don’t flunk too many kids. It doesn’t look good.” Apparently it didn’t matter if the students knew anything or not. They were to be passed on regardless.

Unfortunately, too many teachers cave in to the pressure to “make it look good.”