Yelling teacher making DC miserable

[Anonymous]

My daughter is in second grade and had her first teacher fired due to yelling at the kids too much (apparently it was a targeted few). She never had a problem with the first teacher (and neither did I - she was experienced and was good at challenging her). However the replacement teacher is a brand new teacher but according to my daughter yells all the time. There was a week when she cried 3 nights in a row about the yelling. It isn't directed at her per se but mostly at the "trouble makers" in the class. I've recently spent a short time in the classroom and see that the teacher doesn't have control of the classroom and just nags, yells things like "no you can't do it that way" sort of like a perfectionist. Talking one on one with her, I find her sweet and a good listener but in the classroom it seems oppressive.

I was going to set up some time to talk to her but I'm wondering if this the right approach. I'm not a former teacher nor feel comfortable having the discussion. I've held off talking to other parents because there was enough chatter when the first teacher was fired. I don't think it is constructive. I also don't want my daughter miserable and her future students miserable too!

Anyone deal with similar concerns? Should I go to the principal? Call or setup an appt? Or try the teacher first? There is also a mentor assigned to help her ... should talk to her first?

[Anonymous]

Independent school? Public school, and if so, where? Different remedies will be most effective based on the answer to that question.

[Anonymous]

I would talk to the principal directly - and ask that your information be used anonymously to evaluate the situation. I just posted a long reply in the thread about G&T students in independent schools that has to do with teacher maltreatment, which might be helpful for you to read. I would not talk with the teacher directly, as this might result in your daughter being scapegoated by the teacher. I would also ask the other parents if their children are reporting anything similar - particularly the parents of the so-called troublemakers, who might be unaware of the cause of their children's distress.

[Anonymous]

Definitely speak to the principal and I would add if there are other parents who are having the same experience see if they will approach the principal as well - our school had a similar problem - and it helped that parents banded together to get the principal to address the problem.