Disappointing day - class placements

[Roadrunner]

We got the worst possible teachers for both my boys next year. I just want to act like a two year old and break down into tears. There isn't anything I can do at this point. :crying:

[Mabelen]

:grouphug: I am sorry!

[Little Nyssa]

:grouphug:

[Uff Da!]

:grouphug: I am sorry.

[Roadrunner]

Thank you for :grouphug:

 

My DH's fake enthusiasm to cheer up the situation is making things worse.

[Carrie75]

Oh, that is so dissapointing. :grouphug:

[mathwonk]

We have been there too. It is very frustrating. In our case it was a private school where a lost year meant thousands of dollars in tuition, nothing learned, and sometimes psychological problems. All I can say is there are lessons to be learned from dealing with bad teachers, but it is a shame children have to learn them so early. Sometimes the principal can help, or sometimes one can even learn to get along better with the teacher. Some teachers are bad because they have poor attitudes of lack of appreciation that they take out on the kids. Other can have their behavior modified by more forceful responses. When I was in middle school, and just couldn't take it any more with one teacher, a visit to a child psychologist helped me realize it wasn't my fault. Didn't do anything about the academic side of things, but it saved my sanity. I.e. I learned to cope.

[Princess Peach]

That stinks! :grouphug:

[Roadrunner]

I am just going to have to learn how to work with what I have. One of the teachers we got had a really hard time keeping discipline in the classroom last year. She is a really sweet lady, but you put together 25 excited 7 year olds and it can get tough. She was in tears on several occasions. I am really hoping she is getting better behaved kids this time around. The other three teachers are so much better for academically and discipline wise, but there isn't really anything I can object. It would have been nice to win this particular "lottery", but .... My younger also got the worst choice possible - the most unaproachable teacher (reputation) and the only one who doesn't in that grade level that doesn't differentiate homework. Again, we will survive, but it would have been nice to celebrate instead. We were so increadibly lucky last year. Oh well. It feels nice to vent. :tongue_smilie:

[mathwonk]

Maybe it would help to find parents to volunteer to help this teacher. She needs an aide. We had a child in a second grade classroom with another child who bit other children. The teacher had to physically hold him by the hand all day long. Nothing helped until the school superintendent came one day to monitor things and the teacher cleverly sat him next to this child for lunch. A few minutes later, with food on his shirt and tie, he made a phone call and got her an aide.

 

I can't believe myself these stories are true, but they are.

Edited August 5, 2012 by mathwonk

[Roadrunner]

She has help. That's how we know there are issues :001_smile:. At any point she has an assistant and a parent volunteer. Basically there are three adaults in the classroom (it's a standard setup in every classroom throughout our school) and there is still chaos. Kids just don't look at her as an authority figure (really, some people are just that nice and come across weak) and they talk over her and talk to each other. As a result of all that noise, much less gets done. I think the best thing to do is to remove any "trouble" kids if she ends up with them. I won'd be surprised if they "engineered" her classroom with calmest kids though. My oldest certainly fits the bill ;).

 

Oh, unrelated gossip. One of the former teachers said teachers at our school dislike enVision math so much that new directive is to use older materials to enhance the teaching. So either enVision math is terrible (and that would be bad news) or it's a good math program that teachers don't undersand how to teach (and again it's bad news). It looks like teachers are lobying for a change in 2015 when the contracts come up for renewal.

[Renee in NC]

She has help. That's how we know there are issues :001_smile:. At any point she has an assistant and a parent volunteer. Basically there are three adaults in the classroom (it's a standard setup in every classroom throughout our school) and there is still chaos. Kids just don't look at her as an authority figure (really, some people are just that nice and come across weak) and they talk over her and talk to each other. As a result of all that noise, much less gets done. I think the best thing to do is to remove any "trouble" kids if she ends up with them. I won'd be surprised if they "engineered" her classroom with calmest kids though. My oldest certainly fits the bill ;).

 

Oh, unrelated gossip. One of the former teachers said teachers at our school dislike enVision math so much that new directive is to use older materials to enhance the teaching. So either enVision math is terrible (and that would be bad news) or it's a good math program that teachers don't undersand how to teach (and again it's bad news). It looks like teachers are lobying for a change in 2015 when the contracts come up for renewal.

 

I didn't think EnVision was bad at all, but my experience was that some teachers were not able to implement it. It's very Singapore-ish, and it does need additional calculation drill.

[jenbrdsly]

So sorry Roadrunner! The only perspective I can offer is that kids are going to learn valuable skills from less than ideal teachers too. Think of all of the things you have probably learned yourself if you ever had a disagreeable boss.

[Roadrunner]

So sorry Roadrunner! The only perspective I can offer is that kids are going to learn valuable skills from less than ideal teachers too. Think of all of the things you have probably learned yourself if you ever had a disagreeable boss.

 

Can you believe we are heading back this Wednesday. My kids are so excited. I don't ever remember being happy about school starting up ;). I am going to volunteer and keep an eye on things.

[umsami]

I faced that with DS1 in Kindy. Unfortunately, I just lived with it...and so did he. In retrospect, I should have fought for him to be changed. Other Moms did. I didn't really realize I had a choice.

 

Did it affect him long term? No...but it was a tough year on us both.

 

Be the squeaky wheel. Your kids are worth it.

[Roadrunner]

School officially kicked off yesterday. The second grade teacher has 2 assistants + parent volunteer :001_smile:, unlike a standard 1 assistant and 1 volunteer setup. She is a sweet, sweet woman and it does look like the kids were hand picked for that class for good behavior. I think my boy will be happy there.

The teacher we didn't get for the first grade (the one my older boy had and we absolutely adored) asked me why I didn't say anything to the K teacher before the lists were put together. :confused::confused::confused: They specifically told everybody not to indicate who we wanted. I didn't know I had any power. Lesson learned :crying:.

[Mabelen]

School officially kicked off yesterday. The second grade teacher has 2 assistants + parent volunteer :001_smile:, unlike a standard 1 assistant and 1 volunteer setup. She is a sweet, sweet woman and it does look like the kids were hand picked for that class for good behavior. I think my boy will be happy there.

The teacher we didn't get for the first grade (the one my older boy had and we absolutely adored) asked me why I didn't say anything to the K teacher before the lists were put together. :confused::confused::confused: They specifically told everybody not to indicate who we wanted. I didn't know I had any power. Lesson learned :crying:.

 

I think it depends on the school how well any input is received in this regard. Our school does not accept specific teacher requests but you may indicate specific teaching styles etc. that you feel would work best for your child. They will try to acommodate while still meeting the goal of a balanced classroom.

[jrhodes]

If it's based on the children not getting along with the teacher or will have issues, feel free to go to the prinicpal especially if it's a public school. I had issues in first grade with a teacher and my mom went to try and change my class to a different teacher (this was mid way through the year so not even the first part of it) and the principal tried to tell her it couldn't be done and other BS. She told him fine she would take me out and send me to the private school down the street, since that would lose tax dollars you can bet he changed tunes fast and I was moved the following week. It's always possible, just ask and be firm if you really fee it will be an issue to your kids.

 

Jen

[lovinmomma]

I am just going to have to learn how to work with what I have. One of the teachers we got had a really hard time keeping discipline in the classroom last year. She is a really sweet lady, but you put together 25 excited 7 year olds and it can get tough. She was in tears on several occasions. I am really hoping she is getting better behaved kids this time around. The other three teachers are so much better for academically and discipline wise, but there isn't really anything I can object. It would have been nice to win this particular "lottery", but .... My younger also got the worst choice possible - the most unaproachable teacher (reputation) and the only one who doesn't in that grade level that doesn't differentiate homework. Again, we will survive, but it would have been nice to celebrate instead. We were so increadibly lucky last year. Oh well. It feels nice to vent. :tongue_smilie:

I feel ya. My kids' teachers seem annoyed by the fact that I am interested in what my children will be doing and I am in no way suggesting how or what the teacher should be doing. Just asking questions about what curriculum they use, if they divide out the kids that excel or need more work, etc. Sigh. I really don't understand why they don't want parents that care about their kids' schooling.

[Sneezyone]

I feel ya. My kids' teachers seem annoyed by the fact that I am interested in what my children will be doing and I am in no way suggesting how or what the teacher should be doing. Just asking questions about what curriculum they use, if they divide out the kids that excel or need more work, etc. Sigh. I really don't understand why they don't want parents that care about their kids' schooling.

 

I hear ya on the bolded. Yesterday I sent DD's teacher a note explaining that she'd already completed 2nd grade math at her old school and asking whether DD might be moving across the hall for math. It was a very nice note but maybe I sent it too soon? (day 4 of the school year, LOL) I just don't want DD to have to make anything up, KWIM? The reply I got back was polite but terse so I'm going to :chillpill: and see what happens. Mrs. Poppins will see for herself just as soon as DD starts whining about tummy pain and headaches during math time.:lol:

[lovinmomma]

I hear ya on the bolded. Yesterday I sent DD's teacher a note explaining that she'd already completed 2nd grade math at her old school and asking whether DD might be moving across the hall for math. It was a very nice note but maybe I sent it too soon? (day 4 of the school year, LOL) I just don't want DD to have to make anything up, KWIM? The reply I got back was polite but terse so I'm going to :chillpill: and see what happens. Mrs. Poppins will see for herself just as soon as DD starts whining about tummy pain and headaches during math time.:lol:

 

My situation was very similar. Last year my son had tested out of his teacher's highest reading group and I was simply wondering if they divide the children based on reading level or group them all together. Not sure why that was upsetting. lol My son gets very hyperactive when bored. ;) We'll see how it goes and if she figures it out.