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Epauto Secondary School:
Week 6 of Teaching Practice for SOE trainees, 4 June 2026

The School of Education (SOE): Week 3 Teaching Practice 2026 at OPC.

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Before you try to fix your school, start with yourself.

As a principal or headteacher, your school is a reflection of you. If you are always late, disorganized, or harsh, don’t be surprised when your staff and students behave the same way.

So, what should you do?

Start with simple things:
Arrive early.
Be prepared for the day.
Speak respectfully to everyone—teachers, students, and even support staff.
Keep your promises.

These little actions may look small, but they set the tone for the entire school.

Your teachers are watching you.
Your students are watching you.

And whether you like it or not, they will copy you.

If you want a disciplined school, be disciplined.
If you want a respectful school, be respectful.
If you want excellence, show it first.

Leadership doesn’t start from the office.
It starts from you.

IF YOU READ THIS POST TO THE END COMMENT *FIX MY SCHOOL"

What is one habit you need to improve as a school leader starting today?

I am Teacher Chigozie

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How to Handle an Underperforming Teacher

This is one of the most delicate responsibilities a school leader carries. Handle it poorly and you damage morale, lose a potentially recoverable teacher, or expose the school to conflict. Handle it well and you either restore a valuable staff member or make a clean, defensible exit.

Here's a step-by-step approach:

1. Identify the Problem Clearly Before You Act

Not all underperformance looks the same. Ask yourself:

- Is it skill-based— they don't know how to teach effectively?
- Is it will-based** — they've stopped caring or trying?
- Is it circumstantial — personal crisis, health issues, burnout?

Your intervention strategy changes depending on the root cause. Misdiagnosing this is where most leaders go wrong.

2. Gather Evidence — Don't Work on Rumour

Before any conversation, document:

- Classroom observation notes
- Student performance data tied to their class
- Attendance and punctuality records
- Complaints from parents (if any) — written, not verbal
- Peer or HOD feedback

You need facts, not feelings. "Students are always noisy in his class" is not enough. "Three unannounced observations showed no lesson plan, off-task behaviour in 70% of students, and zero assessment activity over four weeks" — that's evidence.

3. Have a Private, Honest Conversation First

Before any formal process, sit with the teacher one-on-one. Keep it:

- Private— never in front of colleagues
- Specific — name the behaviours, not the character
- Two-way— ask them to speak. Sometimes what looks like laziness is a teacher drowning silently.

Say something like:
"I've noticed some things in your classroom that concern me, and I want us to talk about it before it becomes a bigger issue. I'd rather help you fix this than watch it go unresolved."*

That tone signals firmness and care at the same time.

4. Create a Performance Improvement Plan (PIP)

If the conversation alone doesn't produce change, formalise the process. A PIP should include:

- Specific performance gaps identified
- Clear, measurable targets (e.g., lesson plans submitted every Friday, student pass rate to improve by 15% in 6 weeks)
- Support offered — coaching, mentoring, observations of stronger teachers
- Timeline for review
- Consequences if targets are not met

Both parties sign it. This protects the school and gives the teacher a fair roadmap.

5. Provide Real Support — Not Just Pressure

Accountability without support is just punishment. During the PIP period:

- Assign a mentor teacher (a senior, trusted colleague)
- Offer to co-observe and debrief together
- Share resources — lesson plan templates, subject guides, classroom management frameworks
- Check in weekly, not just at the end

Some teachers underperform because no one ever properly trained them. That's partly a system failure, not just a personal one.

6. Review and Make a Decision

At the end of the agreed timeline, evaluate honestly:

- Has there been measurable improvement?
- Is the teacher putting in genuine effort?
- Are students benefiting?

Three possible outcomes:

✅ Improved— Acknowledge it. Encourage it. Keep monitoring gently.

⚠️ Partial improvement— Extend support with tightened expectations. One more review cycle.

❌ No improvement / no effort — Begin formal disciplinary or exit process. You've done your part. The school's students cannot keep paying the price.

7. Know When to Let Go

Keeping a chronically underperforming teacher to avoid conflict is a disservice to:

- The students in their care
- The other staff who carry extra weight
- The school's reputation

Letting someone go is hard. But it should be done with dignity — a private exit, fair process, and no public humiliation.

The Golden Rule

Deal with it early.The longer underperformance goes unaddressed, the harder it becomes to correct — and the more it signals to the rest of the staff that standards don't matter.

A school's culture is built not just by what the leader celebrates, but by what the leader tolerates.

IF YOU READ THIS POST TO THE END COMMENT "HANDLE" IN THE COMMENTS

— Teacher Chigozie

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The National University of Vanuatu (NUV) has extended its pre-enrolment deadline for the 2026 academic year to 12:00 pm on Wednesday, 7 January 2026. The extension aims to provide access to prospective students in remote areas and those still awaiting their assessment results.

Read more on our website ⬇️

https://www.dailypost.vu/news/students-get-extra-time-to-pre-enrol-at-nuv-for-2026/article_869860e4-963a-5131-b123-386e8e0ec597.html

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