Tips for working with a brand new teacher

[Anonymous]

Encourage her to challenge my kiddo 🙄

[Anonymous]

Back off until at least 1st report card and by then other teacher will be back anyway.

[Anonymous]

First graders don’t need enrichment. This teacher, and your child, will be fine. See a therapist for your unchecked anxiety.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You should stop thinking you need to do anything but read to your kid and send them fed, well-rested and dressed appropriately for the weather.

+1000

It’s first grade. Everyone thinks their first grader is gifted. Read and play games at home, I’m sure Harvard and Yale will be calling any day now.

[Anonymous]

You’re annoying AF, OP. Back off.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My child has had two brand new teachers, and they have been fantastic.

Same. I was a bit worried at first, like OP, but of course my job was just to send my kid prepared. Teachers were great, full of energy, smart, knew recent best practices, etc. really good experiences.

[Anonymous]

The brand new teacher I had in 5th grade is the best teacher I’ve ever had.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My child has had two brand new teachers, and they have been fantastic.

I'm in another state, but my school had a new kindergarten teacher long term sub who was really good.

I will be frank and say that when I struggled in school, my mom often suggested to the teacher how to fix it. For example, my spelling marks were low, so my mom sent in a pack of stickers so that if I scored well then I could discreetly be slipped a sticker prize at the beginning of recess. My mom was a trained but not practicing teacher, so her suggestions were reasonable and not burdensome.

1st grade is pretty easy to figure out how to supplement.

-phonics workbooks
-appropriate free reading books (lots!)
-counting by 5s, etc. drills
-using money/coins
-Adding numbers that sum to more than 10
-If very advanced, work on multiplication and division facts and theory of these

It's easy to buy drill materials for these topics. Ask your kid to tell you if they "do it differently" at school. Acknowledge that there are multiple methods for learning. Just make sure your child masters one.

If your kid is bored in school, see if you can get permission for extra free reading.

This feels - like wow.

[Anonymous]

I wouldn't be worried about a new teacher in the elementary grades. I've found the new teachers to be much more enthusiastic and involved than some teachers who have been doing it for years and become a bit career-fatigued.

I wouldn't intervene too much early on. I would wait to see if the teacher can identify giftedness on their own. I would supplement at home with workbooks in the beginning to make sure your kid remains excited about school and learning. If you don't find that the teacher has recognized your kid's potential, bring it up at back to school night.

[Anonymous]

I find your post a bit disturbing, as if it's your job to manage the teacher

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I find your post a bit disturbing, as if it's your job to manage the teacher

Exactly. My oldest had a brand-new kindergarten teacher, to the point that his introductory K letter said "teacher TBD." We were alarmed. The teacher they hired was fresh out of college and was AMAZING. My 2nd kid had her a couple of years later. She's still thriving as a teacher.

[Anonymous]

My DD has had two first year teachers in elementary school so far. Both have been great and better than many of her more experienced teachers. They are young and energetic, have the latest and best new ideas and techniques, and aren't burnt out or jaded yet.

The first one she had was absolutely phenomenal and probably the best teacher she's ever had. Just made for the job and had a way with the kids that was completely unique. The second one was a great teacher, but we did have a bit of a rough start when she misinterpreted some behavior from my kid and I could tell sort of labeled her in her head. It was inaccurate, but a reasonable mistake for someone with limited experience to make. And luckily it worked itself out both as my kid's behavior settled and the teacher got to know her better. Also helpful for me in the future to see how my special snowflake's behavior can be interpreted by others!

Go into the year with an open mind and you may be pleasantly surprised.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My child has had two brand new teachers, and they have been fantastic.

I'm in another state, but my school had a new kindergarten teacher long term sub who was really good.

I will be frank and say that when I struggled in school, my mom often suggested to the teacher how to fix it. For example, my spelling marks were low, so my mom sent in a pack of stickers so that if I scored well then I could discreetly be slipped a sticker prize at the beginning of recess. My mom was a trained but not practicing teacher, so her suggestions were reasonable and not burdensome.

1st grade is pretty easy to figure out how to supplement.

-phonics workbooks
-appropriate free reading books (lots!)
-counting by 5s, etc. drills
-using money/coins
-Adding numbers that sum to more than 10
-If very advanced, work on multiplication and division facts and theory of these

It's easy to buy drill materials for these topics. Ask your kid to tell you if they "do it differently" at school. Acknowledge that there are multiple methods for learning. Just make sure your child masters one.

If your kid is bored in school, see if you can get permission for extra free reading.

This feels - like wow.

I had the same though, PP. LOL

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My child has had two brand new teachers, and they have been fantastic.

I'm in another state, but my school had a new kindergarten teacher long term sub who was really good.

I will be frank and say that when I struggled in school, my mom often suggested to the teacher how to fix it. For example, my spelling marks were low, so my mom sent in a pack of stickers so that if I scored well then I could discreetly be slipped a sticker prize at the beginning of recess. My mom was a trained but not practicing teacher, so her suggestions were reasonable and not burdensome.

1st grade is pretty easy to figure out how to supplement.

-phonics workbooks
-appropriate free reading books (lots!)
-counting by 5s, etc. drills
-using money/coins
-Adding numbers that sum to more than 10
-If very advanced, work on multiplication and division facts and theory of these

It's easy to buy drill materials for these topics. Ask your kid to tell you if they "do it differently" at school. Acknowledge that there are multiple methods for learning. Just make sure your child masters one.

If your kid is bored in school, see if you can get permission for extra free reading.

This feels - like wow.

I had the same though<b>t</b>, PP. LOL

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:First graders don’t need enrichment. This teacher, and your child, will be fine. See a therapist for your unchecked anxiety.

Some 1st graders do need it, but it can be provided by the parents. It's just not realistic to expect a K-2 teacher to have some advanced worksheets on hand for the kids who can already multiply and divide and read at a middle school level.