Independent School Teacher Pet Peeve Thread

[Anonymous]

1. Parents who say "we aren't the type of parents who [complain] [ask for special treatment] [call the Head of School]" in the same conversation in which they are [complaining] [asking for special treatment] [calling the Head of School].". You might well be right on the merits. Just own it, people.

2. Parents who write their kid's paper (and sometimes complain about "child's" grade).

3. Parents who say: "my child would be mortified if he/she knew I called/emailed you . . . ".

4. Parents who complain about homework load while unaware of copious hours of time child is burning with smart phone.

5. Parents who say something of note (life, transcript, college chances) has been "ruined" by subpar grade.

That's it for now. (FYI the kids are great and worth it.)

[Anonymous]

I don't get #3. There may be times when there is an issue that is affecting the child's life at school -- academically, socially or whatever -- that he or she is embarrassed to bring to the teacher's attention, but its important enough that the parents think the teacher should know. How is that wrong? For example, "my DS has a terrible phobia about . . .," or "There is a child who is threatening mine, but she doesn't want me to day anything . . ." I could go on and on.

[Anonymous]

6. "My child is advanced in [crocheting, Serbo-Croation, HTML]. What will you do to challenge my child."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't get #3. There may be times when there is an issue that is affecting the child's life at school -- academically, socially or whatever -- that he or she is embarrassed to bring to the teacher's attention, but its important enough that the parents think the teacher should know. How is that wrong? For example, "my DS has a terrible phobia about . . .," or "There is a child who is threatening mine, but she doesn't want me to day anything . . ." I could go on and on.

Yeah, I don't think that's what teacher meant by #3.
I think it's more like, "My kid would die if he knew I emailed you, but I just don't understand how he got just an S on the Lincoln report? We spent the entire 3 day weekend working on it. Our neighbor got an S+ and I know for a fact that they threw it together at the last minute!!"

[Anonymous]

7. "My 2nd grader is fluent in French. Will she be stuck in the same class as the other 2nd graders for French or can she go to the high school French class?"

[Anonymous]

My kid is too smart for all of your class offerings. What special things will you do to engage her.

[Anonymous]

Oh, God. I'm guilty of some of these peeves and will try to stop, but it's not easy.

[Anonymous]

8. I want my child to be in class with X, Y, and X but not with A, B, or C.

9. My child says X happened. He/She is not a liar. It is our policy to believe everything he/she says.

[Anonymous]

10. No offense but...my child would NEVER misbehave.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:7. "My 2nd grader is fluent in French. Will she be stuck in the same class as the other 2nd graders for French or can she go to the high school French class?"

See, this is such tea party anti-intellectualism, and such a stupid complaint (same with the other two similar complaints - "my kid is advanced in [x];" "my kid is smart".

If a child is indeed proficient in a language (or other subject, frankly) offered by the school - why on earth is it obnoxious to ask if they can attend a class where they'll actually learn something? Especially in a city like DC which is full of smart parents & kids, full of kids who speak or begin to speak another language at home, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:7. "My 2nd grader is fluent in French. Will she be stuck in the same class as the other 2nd graders for French or can she go to the high school French class?"

See, this is such tea party anti-intellectualism, and such a stupid complaint (same with the other two similar complaints - "my kid is advanced in [x];" "my kid is smart".

If a child is indeed proficient in a language (or other subject, frankly) offered by the school - why on earth is it obnoxious to ask if they can attend a class where they'll actually learn something? Especially in a city like DC which is full of smart parents & kids, full of kids who speak or begin to speak another language at home, etc.

I am not a teacher, but I think this whole thread is hilarious.

On DCUM, parents spend so much energy bashing other parents, teachers, schools, etc.

Let the teachers have some fun at our expense. Its cool! And funny!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Let the teachers have some fun at our expense. Its cool! And funny!

Were any of the posts besides OP actually from teachers? These all strike me efforts by some parents to bash other parents.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:7. "My 2nd grader is fluent in French. Will she be stuck in the same class as the other 2nd graders for French or can she go to the high school French class?"

See, this is such tea party anti-intellectualism, and such a stupid complaint (same with the other two similar complaints - "my kid is advanced in [x];" "my kid is smart".

If a child is indeed proficient in a language (or other subject, frankly) offered by the school - why on earth is it obnoxious to ask if they can attend a class where they'll actually learn something? Especially in a city like DC which is full of smart parents & kids, full of kids who speak or begin to speak another language at home, etc.

If as a parent you can't trust the French teacher to figure out on her own that a kid who is fluent in the language might need differentiated instruction, then I'd be pretty pissed to be spending $30K on tuition.

So many parents jump the gun and push for a certain kind of curriculum as best for their child, when they haven't the slightest clue as to what their child is actually doing in class. Several children in a class, for example, may speak French fluently at home, but very few of them know how to write French; or else their vocabulary is limited to domestic life. It is completely obnoxious for a parent to ask (i.e., demand) that their kid be placed in a different class when the only source of information about class instruction is your child. Parents would be much better off asking the teacher what her opinion is first.

-A Teacher

[Anonymous]

I'm a teacher and I've posted a couple of my peeves above.

I have more but am restraining myself

[Anonymous]

Please stop restraining yourself. It is so therapeutic