motivation for parent going directly to principal regarding issue with teacher

[Anonymous]

OP,

Hang in there. The mom was probably embarrassed that she had not or could not provide the necessary support. Maybe she wanted to self justify before you went to the principal about the situation. Her child has special needs. Like all dc urban moms, she is doing the best she can.

Awesome that the child adores you. That must be so gratifying! Corny, but: thank you for all that you do in the classroom!

[Anonymous]

OP. I've had the opposite happen. Once in my child's first year of school, I asked to meet with the teacher to follow up on a reading issue after the fall conference only to find out that I couldn't unless I met with the teacher and the principal and the specialist as a witness to our conversation and to back up the teacher. I hadn't even met the other people and neither had my child. There were no issues at the conference, but the experience turned me off from helping the school after weeing their defensive reaction. I think people should always discuss an issue one on one if possible before escalating it.

[Anonymous]

OP. I've had the opposite happen. Once in my child's first year of school, I asked to meet with the teacher to follow up on a reading issue after the fall conference only to find out that I couldn't unless I met with the teacher and the principal and the specialist as a witness to our conversation and to back up the teacher. I hadn't even met the other people and neither had my child. There were no issues at the conference, but the experience turned me off from helping the school after weeing their defensive reaction. I think people should always discuss an issue one on one if possible before escalating it.

Gee. I taught school and I never had that happen. Sounds like maybe this teacher has had issues in the past.

I did have one principal who wanted to approve ALL notes that the teacher sent home. (This was before email.) He quickly learned that that was not reasonable. Most of the notes that I sent home were pretty straightforward , could you remind Johnny to bring in his library book--that type of thing. It was a pain to get the principal to approve that type of thing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a real issue with my child's teacher right now. I think it's a personality thing- and by that j mean my inability to deal with the fact that she doesn't do her job. Her communication is absolutely horrible- she communicates important information both late and incorrectly- and every interaction with her makes me, and the other parents, want to pull our hair out. I started going to her directly with concerns about communication issues but nothing changed. I hate being that mom, but if i say anything else I'm going right to the principal.

It's not her job to communicate with you! It's her job to teach the kids in her class

Actually, it is her job. She is entrusted with teaching children. Those children have parents. Part of her job is to keep parents informed of a student’s progress and what is happening in the classroom.

I think the pp said she communicated horribly. That's just too bad if you don't like it. That is probably only 1-2% of her work obligations, it's minor. Don't waste her time and let her get back to the teaching work

So, if a teacher had the attitude that clear, timely communication with parents was "not her job," I would be going straight to the principal, too. It is part of a teacher's job to keep parents informed about how their kid is doing, and to communicate about specific concerns. If I had a question or concern about my child, and the teacher took the position that it wasn't her job to talk to me about it, I'd go right over her head.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am considering going to the principal. The teacher appears to be targeting my child and has humiliated child inappropriately several times. Teacher is not approachable. I did approach teacher about the issue with my child, child attempted to self-advocate by asking teacher what he could do to improve and if teacher was angry with him about something. Teacher did not react well. Teacher barked at my child in front of me and we walked away.

I find this VERY hard to believe.

I had a teacher who deliberately targeted me, and who was rude to my mom when she tried to find out what was going on. We went to the vice-principal (who was PISSED when he found out what was happening). This stuff does happen.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have kids in MS and HS and have had to do this twice-- but same teacher in 4th grade. The first time because I tried to work with the teacher on an issue for some period of time, and she was just not responsive. The second time was because DC brought home a book from her classroom library (property of Tacher X written on it). When I was flipping through it, I discovered that it contained graphic descriptions of group sex scenes. Honestly, I thought that was so beyond the pale that the administration should know.

ha ha very funny trollary.

PP on this and absolutely not a troll. It was a book about of Indian Folklore, which is probably how it ended up in the classroom library. She must have had it donated or got it at something like a library sale and not vetted it. But when I started reading it, there were descriptions of Indian mythological women having sex with two Gods that were so graphic it made me uncomfortable. And yes, I was livid and thought exposing 4th graders to this was something that warranted going over the teacher's head. Plus, DC had already read the book, so that made for an interesting conversation with my 10 year old.

And you didn't bother to tell her about it so she could remove the book? Instead, even though you thought it was unintentional, you went to the principal? What a bitch.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have kids in MS and HS and have had to do this twice-- but same teacher in 4th grade. The first time because I tried to work with the teacher on an issue for some period of time, and she was just not responsive. The second time was because DC brought home a book from her classroom library (property of Tacher X written on it). When I was flipping through it, I discovered that it contained graphic descriptions of group sex scenes. Honestly, I thought that was so beyond the pale that the administration should know.

ha ha very funny trollary.

PP on this and absolutely not a troll. It was a book about of Indian Folklore, which is probably how it ended up in the classroom library. She must have had it donated or got it at something like a library sale and not vetted it. But when I started reading it, there were descriptions of Indian mythological women having sex with two Gods that were so graphic it made me uncomfortable. And yes, I was livid and thought exposing 4th graders to this was something that warranted going over the teacher's head. Plus, DC had already read the book, so that made for an interesting conversation with my 10 year old.

And you didn't bother to tell her about it so she could remove the book? Instead, even though you thought it was unintentional, you went to the principal? What a bitch.

Hey, that was what I was going to write. You admit the teacher probably didn't know what was in it, but you go directly to the principal as a way to embarrass the teacher! Why wouldn't you alert teacher to book she thought simply was folklore so she could remove it? Oh you got her good though.

[Anonymous]

Ask the parent.