Reactive

Ladies and gentlemen, I'm back to the same me - the one who keeps on complaining. And here's the letter that I sent to the principal concerning my niece's teacher who appears incompetent to me.

December 14, 2009


(name of principal)
Principal
Butuan City SPED Center
A.D. Curato Street, Butuan City


Dear Madam:

This is with regard to the complaints that I would like to be heard by your office towards (name of teacher) who is my niece’s teacher in Kinder II PM.

My mother should have personally seen you as early as July but since we told her to give the teacher some time to improve, and the child to adjust, as well, we thought of deferring this but little did we know that this case is already getting worse.

These are the things that I would like to comment on the teacher:

1. She does not know how to motivate. The child’s nanny and I had been informed by the teacher that my niece fails to do some writing activities. When asked what she had done regarding this problem, she said she did nothing because she doesn’t want to get old scolding the pupils. I grew up seeing teaching as a noble profession which entails passion, patience and understanding and not some faux occupation rejecting the possibility of being deglamourized and her very lame excuse is a manifestation that she doesn’t have the capacity to handle challenges of being a teacher.

As a product of SPED, I decided to transfer my niece to your school thinking that there would be a higher leap regarding her training which would prepare her for grade one but I was totally disappointed with what I have observed. When I saw her report card, I was dissatisfied with her grades. Sure that they are based on the child’s outputs but shouldn’t we also consider the teacher’s methods which affect the child’s enthusiasm? Tracing my niece’s records, she emerged first honors from her former school and I could well remember how zealous she was in doing every assignment that was given to them. Now, she doesn’t feel motivated to go to school everyday.

I am not fortunate enough to have taken child psychology but my common sense tells me that in every child, there is a different method that would be applied to him. Preschool teachers play a vital role in the child’s learning process because they are the ones who see the child’s potentials and work on his points of improvements. Having failed to do this role weakens the child’s capacity to reach his potential level as a learner. These children may have reached their age of reason but they still don’t know what the outcome is if they won’t do what their teacher instructs them to do and this is where proper motivation enters.

In addition, I think that the second section of their report card wherein their physical activities are being rated is very subjective. How could the teacher just give her satisfactory marks in her writing ability when the child knows how to write without models? Let me point out that those are about the abilities and not the willingness of the child as the questions start with “Can” and not “Will.”

2. She needs to be reminded that she is a public servant. Quoting her, “I am only paid to teach 20 pupils.” This statement then leads me questioning where her sense of professionalism is. I am just wondering how she was able to muster all the guts to deliver that line infront of the pupils’ parents. As what I know, even teachers in FL have more than 20 pupils. Now what does that make the teachers in some public schools who deal with more than 40 students?

3. She does not have a sense of professionalism. I had learned that she had endorsed her pupils to another teacher more than a couple of times because she had to rehearse for their performance for the teachers’ day. I understand that she doesn’t want to put her terpsichorean skills into corrosion but isn’t she paid during those hours that she has been dancing? Should there be a need to showcase a magnificent number on that special day, she, together with the others, should be doing it after school hours where our kids’ well-being is not being jeopardized.

Though she had been directed by the District Supervisor, as according to her, to prioritize the dance practice and that she had properly endorsed these innocent and clueless children to another teacher, shouldn’t she be held liable for any accidents that might occur during the time that she is supposed to be with them?

4. She does not reply to our messages. There had been numerous instances where we sent her short messages asking for confirmation about the child’s assignments, matters that were agreed upon during emergency meetings where we were not even aware about and class suspensions but she never replied to any single one of them. In addition, there had been times when there were no classes but she failed to inform us beforehand, wasting our time and money in coming to school. Had she been proactive enough, she would have gone an extra mile to inform the parents via SMS should there be short notices on meetings and class suspensions.

5. She does not meet the standards of a SPED teacher. Granting without accepting that the preschool does not follow the standards of SPED, you still couldn't blame as for expecting a lot from it because it is part of the SPED Center and it will always be part of the entire entity as one SPED center. Else, it should be abolished or be founded separately. During short conversations with Ms. (teacher) and during PTA meetings, I had observed many grammatical lapses (e.g. “Irregard” instead of “with regard” and incomplete sentences like “You should pay your monthly.”) and interchanging short and long vowel sounds which does not serve as a good example to the children. These simple imperfections greatly affect the child’s foundation in learning which saddens me a lot because a teacher’s incompetence leads to a poor education system that contributes to the problems that are eating up our country today.

In addition, I saw her several times indiscreetly combing her hair and powdering her face in public when there is supposed to be a restroom where she could do her beauty rituals.


Madam Principal, I really think that matters such as these need to be addressed as soon as possible. These are not only my sole observations but of some parents, as well, who, the nanny, had the chance of talking with.

I genuinely believe in the quality of education your center offers to the students and I still believe that the teachers are moulders of golden brains that is why I am giving this feedback in order for the good reputation of SPED to not be tainted but instead maintain its credibility as an institution of excellence as I respectfully remain,



Very sincerely,


Me as usual