I just realized: I don't really like my kid's teacher and I don't think she's that great

[Anonymous]

I put this in the Private forum because I believe that for $27,900, my family should expect decent to above-decent teachers in the lower grades, no? I wouldn't be happy about DS having a "meh" teacher in public, either, because of the impact on him. To have this happen in a competitive Big X private just plain pisses me off on top of it.

This being private, DS has more than one teacher. The others are good to great: Phew. I've watched the bummer teacher in action and I don't think she does a solid job of imparting information to children with a variety of abilities; she sounds bored, indifferent and as if over-medicated with SSRIs a lot of the time. She never, ever smiles (which I think sucks when you're a 7 year old). What's more, she's cold to me for no reason that I can think of.

This being an anonymous forum, would any other private school parents admit if their young kids -- let's say K, 1, 2 -- had disappointing teachers? I recognize there's not much to do about this, I'm just curious.

[Anonymous]

re cold for no reason you can think of --

Maybe she just has good instincts, LOL! What you've said about her is pretty nasty.

[Anonymous]

Well, the year is almost over. Better luck next year OP. There are a few duds at every school.

[Anonymous]

We have had two kids on our private from pre-k on up. So far we have been very happy with all of the teachers. One of the teachers one of our DC has this year has been known to be a "dud" but for whatever reason, our DC has responded well to the tone in the classroom. However, I understand that there are others in the class who have not responded well to this particular teacher.

[Anonymous]

Friend had a child at a school frequently discussed on this forum, not one of the top. 4 years. 2 of those year a so so teacher as the lead in the classroom. Difference from public, those 2 teachers are no longer at the school.

So yes for duds, but also yes for identifying and moving them out.

[Anonymous]

It's the end of March and you're just realizing this?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:re cold for no reason you can think of --

Maybe she just has good instincts, LOL! What you've said about her is pretty nasty.

I'm not the OP. What exactly did she say that was "pretty nasty"? Just that she's blah, basically. My DS is at a private school, and I can think of much worse things to say about his teacher. Things that would definitely qualify as nasty. This isn't it.

[Anonymous]

Parent with older kids here. This is reality, OP. You will always encounter teachers you don't feel are top caliber. What matters is how your child feels and performs.

Unless you're in the classroom everyday (and have a degree in teaching), you really don't know everything about them. If they've been there awhile, then they are bringing something valuable to the table.

[Anonymous]

Geez, I'd say describing someone as a "bummer teacher" who sounds as if she's over-medicated on SSRIs is nasty. But clearly YMMV.

For a non-nasty alternative that conveys the same content, how about "affectless"? And maybe concern rather than consumerist outrage.

OP is PO'ed and resentful her kid doesn't have a more cheerful teacher. I'm just saying that, given OP's attitude, it's not as if the teacher has no reason to be a bit cold toward her.

[Anonymous]

Interesting topic. I have not had this encountered the "dud" teacher dilemma yet. Any constructive suggestions on how to handle if this does happen? Or, are you just stuck?

Question to the OP. Do you notice a change your dc's attitude towards school work or learning curve? Is dc still thriving? Does your child have a second teacher in the classroom? Or at least and an associate teacher?

[Anonymous]

For those of you who are familiar with Michael Thompson (world renown author, psychologist and educator), he made an interesting point on this topic. He said that there will always be teachers your child likes and you don't, and teachers you don't like but your child does. Its best to assume this will be the case and to try to "trust" the teacher and respect him/her regardless of your personal feelings.

[Anonymous]

I have to say, one of the main reasons that I am very happy with my children's private school is that they have made excellent choices each year when they have chosen the teacher for my child. My children both have repeatedly been given teachers who understand them and to whom they respond very well. Each year they have grown and developed further under these teachers. Now, not every parent at the school likes the teachers that have been great for my children. The teacher my DD has right now is vastly disliked by a group of parents at the school but, others like me, think she is fabtatstic for my/her/his child. Sometimes its just about style and personality.

The teacher OP describes sounds a bit burnt out perhaps. Maybe she/he needs a break or a sabbatical. That sounds like a real problem that you should take to the adminstration.

[Anonymous]

Sorry about your woes, but don't stress. It's only one year. Remember that one year will not change the path of your child's life, and perhaps this one bad year will teach him/her that life sometimes SUCKS and that they need to compensate for it in other ways. That to me is a huge learning lesson that they will carry with them forever. Our kids are never too young to understand that they were never promised a "rose garden" when they came into this world. That sometimes life is a drag, and that sometimes it is freakin' awesome. That's the beauty of it.

[Anonymous]

Have you ever read Lessons of a Skiined Knee - fabulous parenting book. his is one of those lessons. Sometimes our kids don't have great teachers. Thats life. They (and we) need to learn how to deal with it.

Both my kids go to privates and have mostly had fantastic teachers, but not always. I can't say they are worse for the wear.

[Anonymous]

Oh OP, get ready. I have taught in a major school in this area and worked with people I would not let watch a pet rock, let alone, teach children. Money, and lots of it, is no guarantee against shitty teaching. Sorry. Welcome to the world. This lesson also goes along with: money does not buy happiness.

Some other things money will not protect you against in private school:

pedophiles
teachers with agendas
your own child failing classes
drug abuse
alcohol abuse
sex
STI's
listening to disturbing music and dancing like a slut to it
looking like a goth or punk or skater or any other fringe group
piercings
tattoos
unfortunate hair dying
REALLY shitty admins