To me, there are two main reasons for deciding to get rid of a teacher:
1. The teacher is incompetent.
2. The teacher mistreats children.
Neither one of these things can be tolerated. Ask yourself, "Would I want my child in that teacher's class?" If the answer is no, then that particular teacher is not meeting your standard.
There is a prevailing myth that it is difficult to get rid of a teacher. This is not true. Once you've decided that the problem cannot be fixed, you must have the courage to do the right thing. It's your responsibility to make sure that all of your students are treated fairly and that they are getting a quality education.
With our current economy, the "free agent" period for teachers (in non-union states, especially) is over. There are plenty of young, enthusiastic, qualified applicants out there ready to get their careers started. A poor economy is good for public education. So don't be concerned about being able to replace an ineffective teacher.
There are two proven ways to improve schools (Todd Whitaker, What Great Principals do Differently: 15 Things that Matter Most, 2003):
1. Make the teachers you have better.
2. Bring in better teachers.
Great principals strive continuously to do both.
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As parents, how can we help to get rid of poor teachers?
ReplyDeleteFirst, as parents we have to be fair to the teacher in question. It's a difficult job and not everyone can do it. I recommend the following steps:
ReplyDelete1. Arrange a conference with the teacher to share your concerns.
2. Ask a school administrator to attend the conference if you feel it is warranted.
3. Make a plan with the teacher to address your concerns.
4. Arrange a follow-up conference with the teacher within a specified period of time (not more than a few weeks).
5. If you're still not satisfied with the teacher's performance after that, ask for a meeting with the Principal. Submit your concerns and attempts to address them in writing to the Principal.
After that, it becomes a personnel issue. Your actions will greatly assist in documenting the poor performance of the teacher in question. Parents' opinions, in writing, are very powerful in cases like this. Thanks for your question.