Anonymous wrote:This is the way it's done at our school:

Figure out which teacher you want. Ask around and find out what teaching style that teacher has. Write a letter to the principal and guidance person requesting the teaching style of the teacher you want. Say you're child needs it for whatever reason. Never request the teacher by name. If you're involved and they know you, you'll be more likely to get the teacher who "has the teaching style your child needs."

If you don't want a kid to be in class with yours, just tell them. This is more likely to be honored.

If your kid has a best friend they'll get separated.

This was how it was done at my previous school minus the separating of best friends. We tried to make sure students had a friend in their class for the upcoming school year but we would separate if the friend was a big distraction. If your child has difficulty making friends, it could be good to request that he/she be placed with a specific friend. Try to keep your "place with" and "separate from" lists short, and it's more likely that it will be honored. This is just one of the MANY things that have to be taken into consideration when making class lists. My current school doesn't request parent feedback but they do often honor requests to move a student if there is a major problem with the placement.

If the parent is a big enough PITA and requests a certain teacher, the principal will appease her. I've seen it happen.

Anonymous wrote:I've had a lot of luck just being honest with the school. I've never asked for a certain teacher or peer group, but accurately describing my child's strengths and weaknesses, and our experience with various *types* of teachers has landed us teachers that worked well.

+1. For instance, my distractable and advanced daughter did great with a particular teacher who moved very quickly, was relatively strict, and had a dry wit. Her friend that had anxiety and just needed more time with things did not have a great year with that same teacher. I have two kids that don't do well with the teachers who are sort of sweet and easy-going -- although I know those teachers are great with others. I have another child that gets overwhelmed easily, and I suggested someone sort of warm and welcoming for her. At our school, they are sort of fine with you saying "I think Larlo would not be a good fit with Mrs. X -- we love her, but I think Larlo needs someone a little more strict. I've heard that Mrs. Y runs a really tight classroom and is good at accelerating kids -- that might be a good fit for him." They don't always honor it, but I think they are also interested in getting the right fit.

Anonymous wrote:Our ES school doesn't accommodate these ridiculous requests. And as a teacher, I'm glad to say that my son's principal has a spine.

As a teacher, I wish my school were this way. Plenty of racist parents try to choose one of the bilingual teachers over the other because one matches their ethnicity while the other doesn't, which means the one that does must be a better teacher.

Anonymous wrote:Our ES school doesn't accommodate these ridiculous requests. And as a teacher, I'm glad to say that my son's principal has a spine.

Oh, please. There are situations that the school may not know. For example, we had a next door neighbor who was very difficult. My son was very attached to him and this kid did some pretty awful things to him. This is when the kids were quite young. I requested they not be in the same class. This is not always a matter of not getting along with someone. This was a child with severe problems who I had to watch carefully when my child played with him. His behavior was outside what was considered "normal".

I'm a teacher and I do it! A bad teacher is equivalent to a lost year of schooling. Do what you need to.

Our ES school doesn't accommodate these ridiculous requests. And as a teacher, I'm glad to say that my son's principal has a spine.

I always write the letter, just to point them in the right direction with assigning my super-wiggly son to a teacher that can provide consistent discipline and expectations. I also this year requested that they consider splitting up a group of boys he was having too much fun with. I didn't name names. I was positive their current teacher would recommend this anyway.

Basically, every year I have trusted his current teacher to give the principal good feedback about a good fit for him both for teacher and peers. I feel like writing the letter sort of backs up the teacher and gives a little more weight to considering where to place him.

We have a great principal and I've been really happy with all the teachers so far, so I do trust them to do their best to create balanced classrooms for every student. It's mainly about creating the right fit, not preferring a certain teacher over another for me. Since this is for my older son, I don't know the teachers well enough to even want to make a specific request.

I'm on the PTA board and I never do this. Poor form. Your child has to learn to get along with everyone.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In our ES you can request your child is NOT in class with one or two other kids. It has to be serious, not just not liking them. IT has to be due to distraction from work etc. They do honor these request.

You absolutely cannot request teachers however.

My kids are hard workers and well behaved and the teachers like them and I've noticed are less inclined to put them in a classroom with a ball buster, as a result. Which is great.

Same with our school. Can not request teachers and classmates but can ask that a certain child not put in your child's class. Happened to us last year, when DC had an issue on the bus with another child, so I requested that they be separated for next year. This year our request was honored.

Our school has this policy. I made a request this year for one of my kids, citing reasons similar to those listed by the PP. The school did not honor the request and the kids ended up in the same class. I don't want to second guess a seasoned administration and we've been very happy at the school otherwise, but this bothers me.

Even if they were so inclined, it may not be physically possible to honor all such requests depending on how many are made and how the requests overlap with each other.

We have the same policy and my impression is that these requests are often granted, but I don't exactly how they evaluate the requests and how they would prioritize if it wasn't feasible to grant all these request simultaneously.

Anonymous wrote:Other mother was requesting that her son and my son be placed in class together. For four years. I didn't know. I would not have agreed.

This has happened to me, too, and the other parent(s) only made it known after the request was already made. I think they (the parents and/or the schools) should ask the other parent beforehand.

Anonymous wrote:Is there is a serious issue between your kid and another kid - history of bullying or conflict that interferes with hour child's ability to learn or feel safe in the classroom? If yes - then request that they are not put in the same class. Without hesitation.
But request a teacher? No. That's annoying and entitled. If you are new to the school and concerned about your child's special needs, let the administrators know your concerns. Tell them about your child. Then let them figure out which teacher is best.
I guess my point is that the role of the parents is to advocate for their kids. But this does not mean that parents should be involved in the administration of the school.

This. And, a word to the wise to those parents requesting teachers. I was a teacher and had a magically perfect class one year. No problems at all with discipline. I did have a couple with some learning issues, but parents were cooperative and helpful. As a result of this wonderful class, I received lots of requests the next year from parents. The principal honored these. And, that year--with all those requests--it was the year from hell. Nice kids, but terrible chemistry and a number of kids with very serious emotional problems. The moral: be careful what you wish for.

Is there is a serious issue between your kid and another kid - history of bullying or conflict that interferes with hour child's ability to learn or feel safe in the classroom? If yes - then request that they are not put in the same class. Without hesitation.
But request a teacher? No. That's annoying and entitled. If you are new to the school and concerned about your child's special needs, let the administrators know your concerns. Tell them about your child. Then let them figure out which teacher is best.
I guess my point is that the role of the parents is to advocate for their kids. But this does not mean that parents should be involved in the administration of the school.