Should I cofront a fellow teacher about unprofessional behaviour?

Question

""I am a teacher and I work closely with one other teacher in particular. She is new to our school this year. We work in an annexe which we share with three other teachers in our department. We have no head of department and most teachers in the school find our administration to be chaotic and unreliable. The teacher whom I refer too talks of her last school in a highly unprofessional manner. She is always late to work and leaves the minute the bell goes at the end of the day. Yesterday another collegue and I heard her speaking to a small group of Grade Nine students. she told them that one of their peers was"stuipid" and a "total retard." We were just outside her room, so we heard her quite clearly. What should we do?""

Answer 1

I'd report it to the principal/headmaster/headmistress...someone high up. It's very unprofessional behavior....and refering to anyone as a retard...it's just wrong, especially for someone who's in her position.

Answer 2

I have been in the same situation more than once. I have gently told the teacher because I am older/ more experienced and when that didn't work went to the principal..but it never went very well.. In on case the teacher was sleeping with the vice principal so telling didn't help.

I eventually let it ride and sure enough the kids were telling their parents and the parents confronted the principal so many times he finally did something- improvement plan.

Answer 3

You, along with your colleagues, should go to the administration together. Share with the admin what you have observed. Teachers like the one you describe make it harder for the good teachers to be recognized.

Answer 4

In my opinion a teacher saying that a student is "stupid" and "a total retard", especially to other students, is reprehensible and needs to be addressed. So yes, I would confront her.

Answer 5

nothing
i love teachers like that!
they bring a level or reality to the classroom.