TBH: To be honest:An unheard voice in education

A parent writes . . .

My daughter is going into fourth class. She likes school and is happy there but doesn’t find schoolwork very easy. She has been falling behind since first class. Last year things got a lot worse because her teacher was not very good. He was patchy with homework and very poor at communicating with parents. He was often absent, especially on Mondays and Fridays, when my daughter would come home telling tales of replacement teachers, movies watched, time spent in other classrooms.

Homework was the real challenge. My daughter doesn’t enjoy reading and writing very much, it’s hard to get her to sit down and do homework. Routine is really important with her. All last year we had days with no homework, days with double homework to make up for days missed and days when she had so little it was hardly worth doing. When she’s had three days of no homework or very little, it’s impossible to get her to sit for an hour when the homework finally comes.

The parent-teacher meetings were not helpful. He gave very little information compared with previous teachers and barely referred to the fact that my daughter is having problems with her writing. He wouldn’t look us in the eye and seemed anxious to get it over with. We complained about this teacher among ourselves in the schoolyard. Mention of his name sent eyes rolling to heaven.

We all agreed he was “weak”, and we discussed talking to the principal about him. In the end, no one wanted to stick their neck out and make enemies. I talked it over with friends and family and they said poor teachers were just part of the system and I’d have to hope to get a better one next year. So I resigned myself to that and got on with it. I thought about getting my daughter some help with her writing but it seemed a bit over the top to get grinds for a nine-year-old. She resists doing anything with me that seems like schoolwork and gets agitated if I try to set extra work for her. I don’t have the right approach with her – we’re not all cut out for teaching!

She went back to school this month and imagine my disappointment when I heard last year’s third class teacher has been moved to fourth class! Another year of this is more than I can take. I kept my head down last year, hoping a year’s poor teaching could be fixed by better teachers later. Two years is too much – she might never catch up. I know this teacher will not lose his job, and the principal will probably not shuffle teachers around during term. The best I can do is complain. But what if nothing can be done? What if my complaint makes the situation worse? He’s unlikely to improve if he knows I’ve complained.

I feel helpless. My instinct tells me that I have to think carefully before doing anything that damages my relationship with the staff. I have two other children in the school.

This column is designed to give a voice to those within the education system who wish to speak out anonymously. Contributions are welcome; e-mail sflynn@irishtimes.com