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It is amazing all the different procedures and ways things are handled in the different areas.
I am always shocked when I hear that parents request certain teachers or certain kids in their child's class.
I can certainly understand though, if a parent has legitimate concerns and a certain teacher or class would not be beneficial for their child.
It is amazing all the different procedures and ways things are handled in the different areas.
I am always shocked when I hear that parents request certain teachers or certain kids in their child's class.
I can certainly understand though, if a parent has legitimate concerns and a certain teacher or class would not be beneficial for their child.
Had my son been placed in a certain teacher's classroom in an earlier grade, I would have asked for a transfer. If that was not achieved, he would have been homeschooled that year. This teacher is vile, rude, sarcastic and nasty. She is completely inappropriate for primary grades. Unfortunately, the same tenure that protects the good teachers protects this woman.
As far as requesting teachers and changing teachers, as a parent of 3 and former teacher, I think it's highly presumptuous. If you go to a good school, trust the pros to make the best choice for your child. It's not just about your child. It's about the entire classroom dynamic and how your child fits in with the other kids too. The school day is long and varied, and there are many factors to consider that we parents just aren't always aware of.
I've never requested a certain teacher. I have requested that my kid not have a certain teacher. She was a teacher that my older kid had, and I'm not really sure why she was a teacher at all.
As far as your remark about the pros, if the pros aren't removing teachers that don't belong in the classroom, then they leave the door open for requests.
I've never requested a certain teacher. I have requested that my kid not have a certain teacher. She was a teacher that my older kid had, and I'm not really sure why she was a teacher at all.
As far as your remark about the pros, if the pros aren't removing teachers that don't belong in the classroom, then they leave the door open for requests.
Back in the early 70s, I always requested specific teachers for my kids. I knew the teachers well and knew which personalities fit my kids. It was not a matter of *this teacher is better* in general, but *this teacher will fit better with my kid.* The one teacher I requested for both of them for 4th and 5th grade (it was a 4-5 mix), was great for my kids. My son still remembers him as one of the best teachers he had. Interestingly, there were parents who requested that their children not be in his class, too. It seemed to balance out. After elementary school, I didn't request teams or teachers, but by that time, things were tracked in terms of academics at their school which was more important. I did, however, pull my dd out of the middle school that she went to in 6th grade (my son went there from 6th thru 8th), but that had more to do with the kids and bullying (and the fact that the principal was not responsive) than anything to do with the good or bad teaching.
Every June on the second to last day of school it's "step-up day."
Kids meet the teachers they will have the following year and spend some time getting to know them amid a day of fun celebrations.
For kids entering middle school, they are assigned to "teams" where they work with a set group of teachers and students throughout the year. They meet their teacher/student groups in June as well.
Kids in high school choose or are assigned classes/teachers based on interests and abilities.
I would imagine it would be frustrating and near impossible for school districts to assign kids to classes based on friends or parent preferences. In our district they try to make sure each class has a mix of kids with varying abilities and an even boy/girl ratio.
My younger kids benefit sadly from my eldest - I got to see and meet a lot of the teachers and know which ones I like, and which ones I don't. There is a second grade teacher, for instance, that I volunteered next to for a year - and I know I don't want my kids to have her. There's a lot of yelling and screaming and just general chaos. I have a teacher for my second grader this year that one of my older kids had that they just loved- why wouldn't I request that person for him? Our district does request for k-5 grade - after that, you get who you get. Class assignments are mailed out a week or so before school starts. I have moved a child out of an assignment that I knew she wouldn't like - she got placed in a multi-age classroom, and I asked if there was a single grade class to move into. A few days later, they called back and placed her there. I have a teacher that was so awesome to my oldest daughter that all of my other kids have had her now for 4th and 5th grade. I figure it's just a way to make the year more pleasant for everyone. I actually let one of my kids stay in a class that I knew wouldn't be great for him this year - and I regret it. It was unpleasant to volunteer, it was difficult to get him to be engaged and love school, and there were tons of kids with behavior problems - and after all that the teacher decided that teaching wasn't for her and decided to quit after last year. So I will request specific teachers from now on and not go through that again.
Wow- I cannot imagine requesting a teacher just based on who my kids want/will like, and thankfully the admin won't allow it. Can you imagine the chaos if every parent requested on a certain teacher for their child? Sounds like a nightmare to me!!
I want my kids to experience a variety of different teaching styles, not just the ones that go well with their personalities. It's certaintly fun to have Miss Peppy Pep as a teacher, but not all teachers are going to be that way and it's important (at least IMO) for kids to be adaptable and be able to adjust to different types of teachers. My son's 5th grade teacher was EXCELLENT- he was fresh out of college, passionate about learning, was very tough on the kids but always was there for a "excellent job! I knew you could do it!" when a kid aced a test, or finally understood a tough concept- and my son just blossomed as a student that year (and in speaking with his classmates' parents, so did his classmates). Said teacher's personality and teaching style really matched with my son, who is rather free-spirited and needs a loving yet firm hand at times. 6th grade was a different story, however. His teacher was a 40-ish mom with toddler triplets and looked exhausted the times I spoke to her. When we saw the teacher assignment letter and spoke with parents of older kids who had her, we got lots of "good luck" comments...and I was a little worried my son would be in for a rough year. I certainly could've requested a different teacher, as I knew her personality probably wouldn't go well with my son- but I didn't, and encouraged my son to go in with an open mind. Looking back, my son didn't particularly like her, but we chalked it up as a life lesson that sometimes you just have to take the good AND bad teachers for what they're worth and not always insist upon what YOU want.
Wow- I cannot imagine requesting a teacher just based on who my kids want/will like, and thankfully the admin won't allow it. Can you imagine the chaos if every parent requested on a certain teacher for their child? Sounds like a nightmare to me!!
I want my kids to experience a variety of different teaching styles, not just the ones that go well with their personalities. It's certaintly fun to have Miss Peppy Pep as a teacher, but not all teachers are going to be that way and it's important (at least IMO) for kids to be adaptable and be able to adjust to different types of teachers. My son's 5th grade teacher was EXCELLENT- he was fresh out of college, passionate about learning, was very tough on the kids but always was there for a "excellent job! I knew you could do it!" when a kid aced a test, or finally understood a tough concept- and my son just blossomed as a student that year (and in speaking with his classmates' parents, so did his classmates). Said teacher's personality and teaching style really matched with my son, who is rather free-spirited and needs a loving yet firm hand at times. 6th grade was a different story, however. His teacher was a 40-ish mom with toddler triplets and looked exhausted the times I spoke to her. When we saw the teacher assignment letter and spoke with parents of older kids who had her, we got lots of "good luck" comments...and I was a little worried my son would be in for a rough year. I certainly could've requested a different teacher, as I knew her personality probably wouldn't go well with my son- but I didn't, and encouraged my son to go in with an open mind. Looking back, my son didn't particularly like her, but we chalked it up as a life lesson that sometimes you just have to take the good AND bad teachers for what they're worth and not always insist upon what YOU want.
Did anyone state they were doing that or felt that it was a good idea?
While I agree, in theory, that it is good for kids to experience different kinds of teachers, I also think that it is important for kids to have a good experience with school, particularly in the younger grades, to help foster a life-long love of learning. I'm worried that my daughter will have a negative experience with school that will set her up to feel like learning is unpleasant and a chore and just something to be gotten through and survived. My daughter is not having a great experience with her teacher in 1st grade, and I do worry how that will impact her attitude towards school in general.
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