ESL School

... and shut case as, for example, it would be, if the teacher had committed some obvious breach of contract.

Before trying to take this drastic step, which might well have repercussions if the teacher took legal advice, it is better to look at the situation from a broader perspective. First the definition of “inefficiency” needs to be clarified. Is the teacher inefficient because s/he does or does not do something that conflicts with the school’s guidelines? Is it a question of student complaints? Are the exam results poorer than they should be? Does the inefficiency consist of unacceptable behaviour such as lateness, missing classes, losing or failing to mark homework?

In other words, the inefficiency needs to be pinned down to specifics. If, it consists of lateness or absence, then the procedure is straightforward. According to your staff disciplinary guidelines, you should be able issue verbal and written warnings and, if there is no improvement, then the teacher can be fired.

However, if the teacher is performing badly in the classroom, you may have to look at your responsibility for the situation. Why was the teacher hired? Was a probationary period served? If yes, then you need to find out when and why the deterioration began. Has your school got adequate teacher support and professional development? Are there factors in the teacher’s personal life that are affecting work? Is the teacher having problems with a particular group of students? Is the teacher aware of your concern about classroom performance?

It may be that if these issues are investigated you can agree an action plan between you that helps the teacher through a bad patch. A classroom is not a factory. The dynamics of teaching vary from group to group, from day to day even so that a teacher’s performance may vary quite considerably. It is important surely to be mutually supportive in a situation of this kind: you need to help the teacher and the teacher needs to be willing to make the effort to improve.

If you can agree an action plan with milestones for appraisals then you will have a fair and measured approach that will see you through the challenge with an outcome that you can both accept. Either the teacher can up his/her game or, at the end of an agreed period, you can agree to part.