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ESL forum >
Ask for help > Problem colleague
Problem colleague
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mariamit
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Problem colleague
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Hi everyone.
There are some festive posts tonight and I hate to ruin the atmosphere but I am at my wit�s end. Last week I was away from school (state school) and when I returned on Monday, two of my classes were really upset. It seems a colleague has been really mean to them. I was told that this person has been swearing at them and calling them all types of names. I had heard rumours of this before I never believed it. Now, this woman has gone too far. Besides the aforementioned, she has been making derogatory, racist comments towards the non-Greek students in the class. To top it off, she actually slapped a child last Friday. The students are terrified of her and won�t tell their parents what is going on believing she will fail them all.
I have tried speaking to her but she brushes me off telling to mind my own business. The headmaster has spoken to her repeatedly but she promises to stop and actually does so for a month and then it�s back to the same behaviour. I�ve never come across a situation like this in my 25 years of teaching. Has anyone ever had a similar experience? Can anyone give me any suggestions or ideas? I just do not know what to do! |
1 Dec 2010
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anitarobi
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Oh my, never ever have I had this experience nor do I wish it to anyone. I do hope your school finds a way to work it out. This person should be banned from ever working with children again. It should be a joined effort on the side of the principal and parents, and asap!!!! I can only imagine how difficult it can get, but they �re worried about their grades, when it �s actually their lives at question. Imagine what message each of those children will be carrying in their hearts forever if the adults they trust and rely on do nothing now. I hate to say it, but all I can offer is my support. Perhaps someone whose school had a similar experience (and I so hope nobody has because it �s dreadful) will have some concrete advice for you... |
1 Dec 2010
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MarionG
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I �m not sure but isn �t it possible to (shouldn �t you) report such bahaviour to the ministry of education.....That means of course burning all good will but maybe that is what it takes to keep this person from working as a teacher... |
1 Dec 2010
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blunderbuster
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Maria, if I were you, I would let the headmaster take care of the situation.
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1 Dec 2010
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s.lefevre
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I think a meeting of all teachers should be held and the situation exposed. Together you should search for a solution. Such a person can �t be a teacher any more. |
1 Dec 2010
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nombasa
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What a horrible experience. Hitting a child is a criminal offence and should not be tollerated. What I would suggest is that you try to log, with dates and the signatures of any witnesses, of all of the offences that you are aware of. Make sure that you do not ask leading questions when looking for information, but rather log what you have seen first hand or what a child has reported to you without your prompting.
Nothing can really be done on hearsay evidence and so you will have to log what you know about. If this is taken further, then it needs to be done officially and legally. I would speak to your head teacher first and indicate that you have compiled this log.
It sounds as if she has more than just stress mangement issues and if that is the case then there needs to be firm intervention and help for her.
It is not a nice thing to have to tell on a collegue but there are times when it is esential and if you don �t and something awfull happens, you will always wish that you had done something.
I think also that it is important not to gossip in the staff room about the situation because then stories grow arms and legs.
Best wishes
Jenny (Nombasa) |
1 Dec 2010
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tulpen25
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Ehrm, why is it your responsibility to sort out this issue. (That is not meant to sound rude, I �m just flabbergasted that nobody has stepped in and she �s still working!) :( |
1 Dec 2010
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mariamit
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Actually hitting a child is illegal here, too. We are not allowed by law swear, curse or call students names. The laws are there - they are simply not follwed by a few. The class that mentioned this to me is made up of 18 children. Only four of them are Greek. We have students from various European countries.This is a special class- an athletic group.
@ Regina I don �t think his handling it up to now is doing anything. Unfortunately, I �m one of those people who just can �t keep quiet. What troubles me the most is that others seem to know and only two or three of us seem to care enough! |
1 Dec 2010
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magneto
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Maria, check your PM. There �s a whole procedure that needs to be followed if no consent among the teacher in question and the rest of the teachers � board and the headmaster can be reached. Pardon me for not posting an answer here, but I had to write it in Greek, as I �m not sure there are exact equivalents of the terms mentioned in English.
Hope you find my answer helpful! 
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1 Dec 2010
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