Any suggestions as how to convince my fcps principal to change my child's home room class?

[Anonymous]

I play my cards close to my chest and saving my blow up when it is truly justified. Oldest is in third grade and I haven't had to complain once yet. I know the Principal well and if that time ever comes at least she will take it seriously and know I'm not just a chronic PIA.

good advice. I had to take action in high school--but it was a very serious issue--and the teacher was fired. I wasn't the only one complaining it turned out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Send your kid to private school or homeschool. If you choose to send your kid to tuition-free public schools, you can expect to put up with not having your every wish granted.

Isn't there a difference between having a reasonable expectations considered and having your every wish granted?

It's this knee-jerk, "put up or shut up" attitude that does indeed lead many to conclude privates or homeschooling are their only viable options.

I don't think it is a reasonable expectation for the OP to claim that the teacher isn't a match for DC's learning style and to write off the teacher before the kid even enters the classroom.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Send your kid to private school or homeschool. If you choose to send your kid to tuition-free public schools, you can expect to put up with not having your every wish granted.

Isn't there a difference between having a reasonable expectations considered and having your every wish granted?

It's this knee-jerk, "put up or shut up" attitude that does indeed lead many to conclude privates or homeschooling are their only viable options.

I don't think it is a reasonable expectation for the OP to claim that the teacher isn't a match for DC's learning style and to write off the teacher before the kid even enters the classroom.

Agreed. The year hasn't even started and Mommy radar is pinging!! Come on. Give the classroom a chance.

[Anonymous]

To me, as a a school administrator, the question is whether it's really an issue specific to your child.

Sometimes there's a teacher everyone wants, and one they don't. If I take teacher requests in that situation I've got a class full of kids whose parents advocate and one whose parents don't. That's not OK.

On the other hand, if there's an issue that is unique to your child, or at least uncommon, that makes a specific teacher a good or bad fit, then I'll consider. I've seen kids with severe asthma moved from the dog owning teacher to the one without pets because of concerns. I've seen kids from single mom homes moved into the class with the male teacher. I've taken special needs into account when matching a child with ASD with a teacher who is good at providing visual structures and cues, or a kid with Emotional Disturbance with a teacher who is unflappable and consistent.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just ask. School is for learning. Contrary to what other posters have said, the focus of schools is not to teach children compensating strategies.

Schools are large institutions and students are moved around everyday. Teachers are not insulted when students are transferred. It's only natural that principals desire harmony in their schools. If a family desires a small scheduling change as you describe there is no reason a principal would not willing make that accommodation.

Just ask.

And she's have to accommodate every family who'd ask. And a large percentage would.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:To me, as a a school administrator, the question is whether it's really an issue specific to your child.

Sometimes there's a teacher everyone wants, and one they don't. If I take teacher requests in that situation I've got a class full of kids whose parents advocate and one whose parents don't. That's not OK.

On the other hand, if there's an issue that is unique to your child, or at least uncommon, that makes a specific teacher a good or bad fit, then I'll consider. I've seen kids with severe asthma moved from the dog owning teacher to the one without pets because of concerns. I've seen kids from single mom homes moved into the class with the male teacher. I've taken special needs into account when matching a child with ASD with a teacher who is good at providing visual structures and cues, or a kid with Emotional Disturbance with a teacher who is unflappable and consistent.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I agree with those saying to let it go. Learning opportunities come in different forms. Sometimes it's about academics, sometimes it's about resilience and adapting. Hovering over ever aspect of your child's school life isn't going to be very helpful to your child in the long term.

Children in schools are virtually powerless. The words resilience and adpating suggest children individually have the rights and powers to negotiate mutually satisfying solutions with their teachers. This is untrue, teachers hold all the cards and have all the power. Since time and memoriam teachers have had their pets/favorites and they have had their goats/the unflavored whom they periodically give a good kick.

Telling a kid to adapt to an unsuitable learning environment is nothing more than telling them they have no power and no control over their lives during that potion of every school day. Children who are out-of-favor with their teachers are much more likely to bullies by other students who feel they are protecting the teacher or that the teacher has simply declared open-season on the out-of-favor student.

The idea of a powerless student adapting or developing resiliency by withstanding an unpleasant environment with an all-powerful teacher is pure nonsense and it also has the potential for long range disastrous results.

Any principal worth their salt would willingly make this small adjustment and at the same time put this kid on their radar screen as individual who may need a little more personalized care. Why not these are school designed to teach and nurture the growth of children, not factories stamping out uniform aluminum cans.

College kids add and drop classes all the time. Adults change jobs several times during their working careers. They all have reasons for choices they make and the do so without being told they need to adapt or be resilient enough to suffer through unpleasant situations. If you live your life making choices and making changes, why would you deny thiese rights to a powerless child?

I honestly can't tell if this is a serious post or not. In case it's not sarcasm...

They're children. They will be fine. Unless your child is special needs and needs to be in a considerably altered structure, your kid will be fine. "Unpleasantness" is a good thing, in my opinion. That's life. Better to learn how to deal with it when you're a child, than to be an adult and have underdeveloped life skills.

Or maybe just homeschool your kid?

Just being a child doesn't mean being in a crappy situation will be fine.

I agree with what the quoted poster wrote. Kids don't have the same options. It's up to parents to stick up for their kids.

Not really, and these aren't mutually exclusive circumstances. It's up to parents to TEACH their kids how to deal with situations that may be crappy. That's life. Education is not just about books and facts, but about giving your children life skills to learn with the real world. This isn't something you learn from a book, or by keeping your children in comfortable situations. "Crappy situations" (barring abuse or something really horrific) are unavoidable in life, and are a healthy, necessary part of childhood.

How about you can not stick up for your children and leave them in scrappy situations, and let OP do what she thinks is best for her child.

Because you can't (and shouldn't) try and create a bubble for your child, devoid of crappy situations. I understand many parents think the loving thing to do, is to shelter their child always. But that's really not the best thing a parent can do. The best thing, is to help your child learn to adapt, deal, and persevere through crappy situations. Dealing with (benign crap) like a less than ideal teacher now, will make other things SO MUCH easier when they're older.

Who wants a college kid chronically dropping classes, changing majors?!?! Get the fuck out in 4 years!! Suck it up!!

This is why you shouldn't micromanage/helicopter from infancy. You do your kid a huge disservice as well as all of their future bosses.

[Anonymous]

If you ask for a class change based solely on what you think might be a personality conflict even before the year begins, you'll be labeled a difficult, annoying parent. Don't do it. Wait to see how it plays out and approach later with concrete examples of things that have happened, not what might happen.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:To me, as a a school administrator, the question is whether it's really an issue specific to your child.

Sometimes there's a teacher everyone wants, and one they don't. If I take teacher requests in that situation I've got a class full of kids whose parents advocate and one whose parents don't. That's not OK.

On the other hand, if there's an issue that is unique to your child, or at least uncommon, that makes a specific teacher a good or bad fit, then I'll consider. I've seen kids with severe asthma moved from the dog owning teacher to the one without pets because of concerns. I've seen kids from single mom homes moved into the class with the male teacher. I've taken special needs into account when matching a child with ASD with a teacher who is good at providing visual structures and cues, or a kid with Emotional Disturbance with a teacher who is unflappable and consistent.

At our school the popular teacher goes to the PTA moms. Every time.

[Anonymous]

My experience: the popular teacher is not always the best.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My experience: the popular teacher is not always the best.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My experience: the popular teacher is not always the best.

It's easy to be popular. Just flatter the popular student, throw around a bit of philosophical BS so the kids think they are being taught by Socrates, and give everyone A's or B's. It's much more difficult to be a productive and kind teacher than it is to be popular.

Any dope with a micron of power can manipulate situations enough to make themselves popular at least until the KoolAid wears off.