Get Schooled

By Litmajor

July 24, 2006 09:43 AM | Link to this

I sent a certified letter and an email requesting that my daughter have the same kindergarten teacher who performed her assessment at registration. I mentioned the issues that I had with my son’s 5th grade teacher and compared it to the wonderful experience I had with his other teachers.

I’m certain that the principal will do as I asked because I have a great relationship with her. She knows that my husband and I are more caring and concerned than intrusive. Had I not had a problem with my son’s last teacher I would have never made the request.

During the end of the year awards ceremony, it was amazing to see the difference in the teachers and their students. There was one teacher in particular whose students were all pumped up and excited. She was having a ball and so were her students. They cheered when their classmates went up for their awards and she beamed. My son’s teacher had a sour look on her face the entire time and her students all sat in their seats looking miserable and clapped quietly for each other. I believe that it really depends on which style you prefer.

By Gwinnett Teacher

July 24, 2006 09:58 AM | Link to this

Since I work for the county, I have always been given the choice of picking my sons’ teachers. I’ve only used this perk once. There is a particularly awesome high school science teacher who I knew would challenge my older two sons. This teacher is very knowledgeable, asks a lot of his students and gives lots of assignments. My older sons loved him! Although they spent lots of time working on science homework and projects - they never complained.

I do have a general problem with parents choosing their childrens’ teachers - are they looking for the best education or the higher grade? I personally know teachers who are notorious for giving higher grades, and they are the ones who are requested the most. But, the students are ususally ill-prepared for the course in the sequence.

By Gwinnett Teacher

July 24, 2006 09:58 AM | Link to this

OOPS - that should say the next course in the sequence!

By Tina

July 24, 2006 10:01 AM | Link to this

I think if a parent has a valid reason to request a certain teacher it should be considered. However, I’ve been on the other side, so I don’t think it should be common practice. I was new to my school 6 years ago and there were certain teachers who had been there forever and the “involved” parents always wanted these teachers, just because they were more familiar with their style of teaching. Now that I’ve been there, I feel I’ve got my own “rep” and am just as popular, but it’s not fair to new teachers to give them the parents who are not as active or involved.

By mm

July 24, 2006 10:04 AM | Link to this

It is, in the long run, not helpful for the children. For crying outloud, let the school do its job and let go of your children! Unless it is a situation where something extremely inappropriate has happened or one in which the teacher in question is not competent, let the school place the children. This is more of the same, where society reinforces that we are all “owed” something or have the “right” for this or that. Learning to get along with peers, and teachers, is important-even if they have a different “style” than you. As they move along in society, it is doubtful the children will be catered to in this way. Should I ask to choose my boss because the one I have now, doesn’t match my “style”.It is a good lesson to learn to work with a variety of styles, not just the ones that you like.

By Lisa B.

July 24, 2006 10:06 AM | Link to this

I do not mind parent involvement in teacher selection, especially when parents are seeking matches to enhance academic success for their children. Teachers have varied styles, and children respond differently to various settings. Some parents feel their children are most successful in more traditional settings where children do not talk or sit in groups. Other children learn better in classrooms where children work in groups, give each other feedback, work together on projects, etc. Some children are too distracted and off-task to work in groups, or haven’t developed the needed social skills to succeed in that type of environment. I prefer group settings, but have the occassional child who cannot function in groups. The parents of those children often ask me to recommend a teacher for the next year who has children seated in rows to complete individual work with little or no talking. Some children need more rigid rules and can’t transition well from soft-talking time to quiet time. What I see more often than parents selecting teachers, is parents requesting their child not be in class with another child or children. That can be tough to accomodate, especially if the list of children to be avoided is long! In the long run, I think it’s better for children to work with the students and teachers they are grouped with. In life, we don’t pick our professional colleagues. Still, especially in elementary school, I am not opposed to parental involvement in teacher selection.

By Tina

July 24, 2006 10:08 AM | Link to this

The comment in Aileen Dodd’s story about parents requesting a teacher who wouldn’t get pregnant reminded me of meeting a parent at Orientation several years ago who asked me point-blank if I were going to get pregnant or have a mental breakdown during the year, because their child had had their teachers do both the past 2 years and they didn’t want to go through it again!

By Lisa B.

July 24, 2006 10:15 AM | Link to this

Tina, you make a valid point. Parents don’t select the new teachers because they don’t know anything about them. In my school, we don’t have hundreds of parents requests, but several dozen. Mostly the parents making the requests have children with special issues. I realize that catering to these issues doesn’t help the children overcome them, but sometimes the parents are trying to pair a child weak in reading with a strong reading teacher, etc. In my system the new teachers get stuck with the EIP classes anyway, and parents seldom request such placements. Because teachers are punished if all the students don’t pass the CRCT, veteren teachers won’t teach the EIP classes. That’s another blog!

By WFC

July 24, 2006 10:38 AM | Link to this

I’m not really against parents having a say in their children’s teachers (i’m both a parent and a teacher) but i have to wonder: are you going to be able choose their college professors, job bosses and co-workers as well?

By decaturparent

July 24, 2006 10:43 AM | Link to this

My middle child is very shy and started K last year, so the only request I have ever made is to give the office a list of every child that she knew that was going to her kindergarten (there were 10 - both girls and boys) and asked if they could just pick one of those children and put him or her in my daughter’s class.

Some of those children were very good friends with my daughter. Some were acquaintances… but still familiar faces. The child she got was not a close friend, but was still a huge help for her in the first couple of weeks. Now that she knows the ropes and has made the initial adjustment, I would never make another such request.. even though she is still shy.

I would never request a teacher for my children unless there was some sort of serious special need. Just because the teacher is a favorite of a parent does not mean that it’t the appropriate teacher for the child.

Once I was worried sick about the teacher that my oldest got because she was considered strict and demanding, and my kid is one of those dreamy, creative sorts who is happiest in an unstructured classroom. Well, it turned out the be a hard year for her - but this teacher was the best teacher that my child has ever had. I wouldn’t want her to have such a strict teacher every year, but it was enormously helpful to her for that year.

If the administration is good (and that’s a big IF in some districts) they will pick the right teacher for your child. They will know more about your child’s classroom performance and quirks than you do.. so let them make the decision.

Plus, I think every child should at some point in their lives have a teacher that they do not get along with. After all, when they get out in the real world, you won’t be able to send a note to the CEO of their employer and request a boss. Children learn coping skills and gain self esteeem by overcoming adversity. School can be about much more than just getting the highest grade if you let it.

By Belle

July 24, 2006 11:05 AM | Link to this

I think to a point you should have a say-so in your childs teacher.
And as to the questions of do you get to pick your boss or college professors or co-workers…the answer is yes you do. I go to an interview not only to be interviewed but to interview them. I look for a job that I want to do in an environment that is good for me. Does it always work out? no and that is when I move on. I have a great environment now and my boss is exactly what I look for.
As for college professors…you get choices there too. The first couple of weeks during a term is drop/add and you can move your classes around and get the professor you want. At least you could when I was still in college a few years ago. I doubt much has changed. If a child learns more in a certain environment then are you not doing a disservice to the child if you don’t at least try to provide that? Will it always work out, probably not but it is worth a try in my opinion.

By Douglas Co. teacher

July 24, 2006 11:13 AM | Link to this

This kind of thing is exactly why I am glad I teach at the high school level! Don’t get me wrong—a lot of parents still request thier kid’s teachers up here, but not nearly as much as at the elem/middle level. That’s mainly because it’s close to impossible to switch around the 1800+ kid’s schedules just to meet the whim of a overly-protective parent.

I don’t have any kids of my own, but when I do, I will not pick thier teachers and I will not pick thier school, either. Every school (and class) has good kids and bad kids in it. And every teacher has good days and bad days. If a kid wants to learn, the kid will learn. If they don’t, they won’t.

I think this is just another case of parents putting the responsibility of thier kids learning on the teachers, and not on thier students, where it belongs.

By Counting the days...

July 24, 2006 11:16 AM | Link to this

While it’s one thing to express a preference for having a particular teacher, it’s another thing entirely for parents to demand that their child get a particular teacher.

To me, it’s sending the message to children that it’s ok to rearrange the rest of their world to suit their needs instead of teaching them the skills to work with the rest of their world.

Too many parents are taking the easy way out.

By SNY

July 24, 2006 11:20 AM | Link to this

This is so funny, I am going through this right now but with the cheerleading association in my area. We have parents demanding that their child receive a certain coach.

Back to the question at hand. I don’t have this problem seeing as there is only 1 fourth grade class at this private school. Although, I have requested a certain teacher for my child in private school before. I think in private school we are afford the opportunity to ask because we are so small. The 1st time I asked, I did get the teacher I requested, the 2nd time I didn’t. No big deal. My daughter received a wonderful education with both teachers. It sounds like educators have enough to deal with. As long as a child isn’t placed into a class where they are with a child that bullied them the year before, I don’t see why a parent should get exactly what they want.

By teach overseas

July 24, 2006 11:22 AM | Link to this

Read the article ( and some of the posts that I’m sure are coming ) and see how often the parent is quoted as:

“I just want…”

or

“I want to feel…”

or

“I would feel better if…”

or

“It would be easier for me if…”

This is about the PARENT- not the kid. Schools are not there to placate and administer to parents!

Take a breath and step away for a second. This is your CHILD’S experience- not yours.

By fk

July 24, 2006 11:39 AM | Link to this

My son is going into 10th grade. I never, ever requested a teacher for him. There was never any guarantee that just b/c I liked the teacher, things would have meshed well between him and the teacher. Plus, he needed to learn to adapt to new situations without Mom running interference. The only time I think a parent should be able to make a request is when the parent has had a negative experience with a particular teacher.

By TS

July 24, 2006 11:44 AM | Link to this

Fun dealing with a socialistic monopoly, isn’t it. Let’s all keep in mind that no matter how many complaints are made against a teacher (unless they are for a serious problem) and how many parents request a great teacher, they ALL get paid exactly the same and they all get the exact same merit (yeah, right) increase each year. Plus, they get a guaranteed job next year, unless they are accused of a serious problem - of which, simply being a bad teacher does not qualify.

For all you teachers out there complaining when someone does not ask to be in your class - take the HINT! Apparently, you do not provide an enjoyablwe environment for your students and need to either get better at your job or find another one! And before you start any crap about school not suppose to be fun, think of the BEST teachers you ever had; most likely they made the subject fun and interesting and you therefore put the effort into learning.

Let’s face it, there are good, bad, great, and pathetic teachers out there and unless they finally agree to a true merit system where the great ones are rewarded and the bad ones are fired, then I will do everything I can, including raising holy cain with the principal, to make sure my children get the best teachers. I do not even remotely care how this makes the teachers or principals FEEL, because my children’s education is most important.

all for all you other fools who resopnded you can’t choose your boss, etc…yes, you can - its called getting another job and until we get school choice, we must continue to stand up for our children and push the bad teachers out.

By the way, I am a former teacher and my wife remains an elementary school principal, so I do have quite a bit of experience to reference. I say, if there is a bad teacher in your school, do everything you can to get rid of them - just keep in mind they are negatively impacting over 100 great minds every day.

By mm

July 24, 2006 11:53 AM | Link to this

I think the point regarding choosing bosses is this: of course adults have the option to do anything they want in regards to their job. However, if, assuming,you have an otherwise good job, and the only downside is that you don’t like your boss, it is likely that most will choose to learn to deal with the boss rather than leave a good job.

By PH

July 24, 2006 12:40 PM | Link to this

Kids respond to different people, just like adults. Teachers and administrators should work with parents at the elementary level to make good matches. Not just suck it up.

My daughter had a horrible 1st grade teacher. She left kindergarten in LOVE with school. Within 1 month of 1st grade, she was crying every night and sick every morning. It only took that teacher 1 month to destroy 5 years of teaching my daughter that learning was fun.

Now aside from my being at the school weekly trying to figure out what was wrong, wouldn’t it have made sense and everyone’s including the teacher and administrators life easier if they had paired my child with a teacher that fit her personality (not to mention like teaching?)? Lot less stress all around.

Thankfully we moved within a few months of her starting school. I spoke with the Principal of her new school and I asked her if she could put my daughter with a teacher that would nurture her and bring back her love of school. She said I couldn’t rquest a particular teacher, but could request the type. Thankfully we got a wonderful teacher who loved the kids and loved what she was doing.

I don’t believe requesting teachers or teaching style in Middle School and High School should be done. They kids are old enough to start learning to deal with different people. But at the elementary level this should be done.

Let’s instill the thrill of learning in the kids instead of making them miserable and unhappy which only gets sent on down the line later.

By parent

July 24, 2006 12:42 PM | Link to this

I did not directly choose my child’s teacher, I plainly told the office he was not going to be in a teacher’s class. He had the same teacher for Kindergarten and she was overbearing in the personalty department. My son is a kind yet very easily angered child and does not take kindly to people just ordering him around as everyday conversation. He barely learned anything, because they kept butting heads. So when he moved up to the 2nd grade and that teacher was found not to be nourishing enough for kindergarteners they promoted her to the 2nd grade also. It just so happened that he ended up in her class again. I was not going through that again and just kindly requested that they found anyother teacher than her. The teacher he got was suppose to be a very mean teacher also (at least that is what the other children in the school said) but she was nice to me and him. And he learned a whole lot. As I do not know enough about the different teachers, I do know what it takes for my child to learn. The reason I am sending him to school is so that he will learn and be able to participate in society later on. Therefore if that means I need to make sure the teacher can teach my child, then that is my job to do. I am not trying to hurt anyone’s feelings, just trying to make sure my child can be anything he wants to be when he grows up.

By bid1966

July 24, 2006 01:05 PM | Link to this

There had traditionally been a lot of trouble in our school district because certain groups (the “country club crowd”, the “community theatre crowd”, the “baptist church crowd”, etc.) would all get together and try to dictate to the Superintendent what teacher AND what fellow students would be in a particular class. It was an obvious effort to keep their “popular” crowd of children together in the same class, and to keep minority students and minority teachers away from them (does this sound familiar???). It got so bad that if the Administration didn’t cave in to their demands, they’d start calling School Board members and threatening to vote them out of office if they didn’t force the Administration to do what they demanded. Finally, the School Board reached the perfect solution: they now do not announce class and teacher assignments to anyone until the day before the first day of school. That has worked much better.

By thomas

July 24, 2006 01:13 PM | Link to this

Here is another thing that parents do that is greatly overrated and unnecessary. At some schools, some parents believe that they are special and require special treatment. What they don’t realize is that most teachers are the same. They all teach the same curriculum, in almost the same way.

This business about personalities is ridiculous. In the real world, you don’t get to pick the people you have to associate with. Did anyone read the AJC editorial in this Sunday’s paper discussing middle class children who can’t cope in the real world? It’s true. So many kids today have been overly sheltered, spoon-fed, and propped-up. Mommy and daddy nit-pick every minute of everyday.

Now mom wants her child to have a “nice, warm, caring teacher” (At least that what someone said, isn’t it?). I have heard of a lot of nonsense from people on this blog, but the “teaching style” nonsense takes the cake. Most parents know nothing about teaching and education, much less anything about a “teaching style”. Let’s be honest and admit that there are certain people at a school you want your child to have- people you THINK YOU would like to work with.

This selfish, “all about me” attitude is going to be the death of us all.

By catlady

July 24, 2006 01:16 PM | Link to this

Until 3 years ago parents at our school could request a specific teacher, and it frequently was granted. We had 3 classes in each grade for the “in” kids, and the rest of the teachers got many children of uninvolved, disinterested, or ? parents. Made for interesting test results, but not a good mirror of the real world. Since we have changed principals it has not continued, and our classes are much more balanced. So saying, if a teacher has had a bad experience with a parent in the past (siblings) the teacher may request a change in placement for that child before school starts, but the prevailing attitude is, we all have to learn to work with people who have different styles. There are parents who abuse the request system, and set their children up for a vanilla, every-year-a-teacher-like-us experience. However, from the principal’s point of view, it sure does cut down on the griping parents can do when they think their child isn’t getting the right fit.

In the 22 years I had my own children in school I only requested a specific teacher one time, because I knew he was so special he would have a lasting effect on my daughter. She was mad at being switched from the team she had been on, but after 2 days in his science class she thanked me. I credit him with being a key influence in her being a college senior in astrophysics and math. :-))

By PJ

July 24, 2006 01:18 PM | Link to this

Just opening up a can of worms here…Suppose TEACHERS could choose their STUDENTS. Hmmmmm.

By thomas

July 24, 2006 01:30 PM | Link to this

Teach overseas is so right. It has been all about me. Me and I. Forget the kids.

I’ll let everyone in on a dirty little secret— The choosing of teachers and schools isn’t really about trying to select the best learning environment possible. It’s about trying to control one’s social environment. Part of it is the attempt to isolate oneself with people of your own social class and exclude those who are outside the group. It actually is part of the same phenomenenon of “ability grouping” or tracking. Separating populations into groups.

I believe the efforts of the parents who “request” certain teachers do so with the rationale being that other students in that class will be members of their social group. One parent even admitted to this(in a way). I mean, requesting that their child be in a class with their friends— shall I say more?

By bid1966

July 24, 2006 01:33 PM | Link to this

“He had the same teacher for Kindergarten and she was overbearing in the personalty department. My son is a kind yet very easily angered child and does not take kindly to people just ordering him around as everyday conversation. He barely learned anything, because they kept butting heads.”

This child had a “personality conflict” with his Kindergarten teacher???? I’m willing to bet the farm that he’ll be in prison in about 15 years.

By thomas

July 24, 2006 01:47 PM | Link to this

The words just keep being taken right out of my mouth-

*Until 3 years ago parents at our school could request a specific teacher, and it frequently was granted. We had 3 classes in each grade for the “in” kids, and the rest of the teachers got many children of uninvolved, disinterested, or ? parents. *

The same thing ends up being true for this “ability level grouping”. This is nothing more than a scheme to separate children into social classes. Unofficially, they end up dividing the students by socioeconomic status. Instead there are gifted/high (or good)classes, average (or ok) classes, and low (or bad)classes.

Hence, the students of parent requests get put in a “good” class, along with all the other “good” kids.

{You have to forgive me- I fell into a sociology moment today. Normal, real world thinking and emotions will return tomorrow.}

By Cletus Snow

July 24, 2006 01:58 PM | Link to this

Teach overseas has it right these drama mamas need to sit down and shut up,it’s not about you let it go.let the child and teacher work it out,if they can’t the step in.

By specialedteach

July 24, 2006 02:29 PM | Link to this

I teach at an elementary school and children with special needs are picked by the principal and lead teacher as to whose class the will be in……….this class will have extra support and it is about logistics and which teacher is good with special needs…..some teachers are not very good with these students, some are…….as a teacher, I pick my child’s teacher because I know them very well and know my child very well……..most parents, involved or not, do not know teachers very well unless they are employeed by the school…….I pick my child’s teacher becuase it is one of the few perks that teachers have…….on the flip side, there are some teachers I would not put my child with either because I know them well also!!!!!!!!!

By jillhstockton

July 24, 2006 02:36 PM | Link to this

My response to any of you is this;it is a parent’s business to seek out and request what they know is best for their own child. There are obviously parents who intend to stand up for their children while they are able to. I choose my childrens’ clothing, the food that they eat, and what they watch on t.v. Consequently, I request teachers whom I feel will be a good match for my children as individuals regardless of who else is in the class with them or whether or not I personally know the teacher. As far as I know, I live in a country that allows me to make choices and the decisions that I make regarding my children are the most important ones thatI will ever make. If I do not stand up for them, who will?

By HS Teacher Too

July 24, 2006 02:37 PM | Link to this

Thomas, I am not sure about how it works on the elementary level, but for students to qualify for gifted classes at the high school level, they must TEST into them. Now as I understand it, there is some discretion left to the local school systems as to which tests to use, etc., but by-and-large, having their children placed in gifted classes is somewhat out of parents’ hands since ultimately, no amount of coaching, etc., can give kids an inate ability. (Although parents in better socio-economic positions can offer their kids a lot more resources, and thus the kids can be more motivated and have more access to support, it is my belief and understanding that at some level, the kids have to truly have something special to test into the gifted program).

If anyone has any deeper insight, please share — I don’t profess to be an expert!

By Len

July 24, 2006 02:49 PM | Link to this

Curious on how do Elementary Schools pair students with teachers.My Daughter going into second grade has received a new teacher this year and last year.New to the School but both had over fourteen years of early education teaching.Last years teacher was a reading specialist for another elementary.This years teacher was a Director of child and family program at a Georgia College.She had previously taught at the Elementary level.

By Concerned Teacher

July 24, 2006 03:14 PM | Link to this

I think that parents should not have any say in chosing a child’s teacher. It handicaps the child because they will grow up to believe that when they come in contact with difficult bosses they can quit their job and find a new one. It does not always work that way in the real world. If parents continue to chose their children teachers then be prepared to take care of them for the rest of their lives. Because they will end up living at home with you when they keep quitting their jobs because they do not like their boss. Or they quit college because they do not like the professors.

By decaturparent

July 24, 2006 03:46 PM | Link to this

Maybe I’m spoiled because I have never had a teacher in an upcoming grade that I was really worried about, and I’ve never had a principal whose judgement I have questioned. I just trust our principals to place my children properly and, absent very unusual circumstances, I think it’s improper to interfere. If I want that much control over my children’s lives, I’ll just homeschool.

I have had a ridiculous boss or two, but I fortunately had the coping and social skills to deal with them because my parents did not orchestrate every moment of my life. I could have quit, but I didn’t want to because I liked the job, liked the company, liked my coworkers and thought I had a very good future there. So I just kissed his behind until I got promoted.. no biggie. I wasn’t about to let one jerk spoil a great career.

Anyway… maybe you can pick bosses if you are willing to switch jobs every time you are confronted with an abrasive personality. However, you don’t get to do much client picking if you want to have a successful business or career. I have a couple of very lucrative accounts where I have to deal with real jerks. Again, I use my hard earned coping and social skills to finesse them into behaving. I learned some of those skills in 4th grade Catholic school where I had the most hideous, evil nun teaching me… she even killed my sea monkeys. Bad year, but I survived (in stark contrast to the poor sea monkeys) and learned a lot in the process.

I just don’t believe in sheltering my children to the point of requesting teachers in normal circumstances. I love my children more than life itself and am very concerned about what is going on with them. It’s just important to me that they learn to stand on their own two feet and realize that the world is not perfect and that they are not some sort of royalty entitled to special treatment.

If they are having problems, I will do everything reasonable and possible to help them through it including requesting a transfer if the situation warrants it. I am always there to help my kids through their problems and spend a lot of time talking with them. I’m on the school council at my kids’ school so do know what’s going on there.

Well, to be honest.. if that 4th grade nun ever ended up at my kids school I would have to fall at the feet of the principal and beg for my kid not to have her - ugh!

By Picky Parent

July 24, 2006 04:02 PM | Link to this

I think that a lot of these parents who want to pick their child’s teacher are fooling themselves. Unless they work at the school or have previously worked with a specific teacher, they really don’t know what they’re picking. It seems to me that these picks are made based on a lot of word of mouth from other parents.

The one teacher my son had that I couldn’t stand was well-loved by several parents. There were kids in her class who were younger siblings of previous students and she was probably picked. After a year of dealing with her, I couldn’t believe anyone would pick her on purpose.

Recently, in discussions with friends who are teachers, I’ve heard about the parents who may be giving lip service to “the best match”, but are really picking teachers they can cajole or bribe into higher grades. That’s scary.

By Swangirl

July 24, 2006 04:08 PM | Link to this

Jill, I truly appreciate your desire to get what’s best for your child but I have to ask what you’re going to do when your child goes to college or applies for a job. Are you going to control what professors they have, what bosses?

There’s a time to step up but there’s also a time to chill out.

By Gwinnett Teacher

July 24, 2006 04:09 PM | Link to this

Picky Parent - The last two sentences of your post say it all!

By Picky Parent

July 24, 2006 04:16 PM | Link to this

Gwinnett Teacher After the scary year I spent with that teacher, I did make some suggestions about what qualities in a teacher might best serve my child. The next year, he got a wonderful teacher — WHO I DID NOT PICK.

The parents who really think they are helping their children with all this interfering need to think about how much they are allowing themselves to be influenced by other parent’s opinions.

One parent’s “strict teacher” might mean Nazi to you. Or one parent’s “caring and nurturing” might mean a coddler and pushover teacher.

By frank123

July 24, 2006 04:22 PM | Link to this

I have not gotten involved in the teacher selection for my 2 kids, but I can see the difference between teachers.
My daughter’s 3rd grade teacher was getting married and that is all my daughter talked about at home. Then the teacher was out the last 1/3 of the year due to pregnancy. My daugher got D’s and F’s in 3rd grade. (So possibly the teacher was just talking about her wedding and pregnacy plans to the kids)
This year, 4th grade, my daughter liked the teacher and she got nearly straight A’s.
So next time I would get my kid away from a teacher who is so distracted by her own personal life that she can’t teach.

By Gwinnett Teacher

July 24, 2006 04:25 PM | Link to this

Picky Parent - I wish we could hire you to do a Public Service Announcement that we could show the parents during Open House!

By Picky Parent

July 24, 2006 04:37 PM | Link to this

Gwinnett Teacher Thanks for the compliment. :)

I have a different perspective dealing with public school since my older child spent years in a small private school before we ever dealt with public school.

There is an entitlement philosophy in public school among parents like nothing I ever saw in Catholic school. Even though those parents were paying, they did not think they could order teachers and administrators around like I see parents do in public school.

Gotta run!

By hs sped

July 24, 2006 04:39 PM | Link to this

I’m a teacher and I’ve NEVER hand-picked the teachers of my children, even though I could have. They get who they get and I PICK UP THE SLACK (if needed). Some parents need to both grow up and become less self-centered (not wanting to spend any time working on skills with their children at home). I’m sure we’ve all worked for a**holes before, and we’ve learned to deal with it if we want a paycheck. I’ve had teachers that I didn’t like. Guess what? I got through the year anyway. And..to all you parents out there that want to pick your child’s teacher…do you know how many teachers make specific requests to the principal to NOT have certain kids on their roster? Those requests aren’t always honored either. We have to deal with it as well. Good luck to you all.

By Lisa

July 24, 2006 04:52 PM | Link to this

Well I’m probably going to be the outsider after this comment.

I am a parent of a 15 year old girl. She has time and time again asked me to have her moved from one class to another because her “teacher didn’t like her”. I called BS and it turned out that BS is exactly what it was.

When it comes to Teacher/Student relationships, my daughter is guilty until proven innocent. I have witnessed too many parents go off the deep end on a teacher or demand to have the child moved to another class because of something the child said.

Teachers are not paid to pick on kids and the kids would probably like the teachers better if their grades were better. That is where we come in as parents. My daughter knows she is there to learn, not socialize. She gets two for one punishments. Get punished at school / get punished at home.

What are these kids going to do in the real world when their bosses tick them off? We are raising a society of blamers and we have to stop somewhere!!

By luvs2teach

July 24, 2006 05:11 PM | Link to this

My son’s elementary school allowed you to write a statement about you child’s personality and what type of teacher might make a good fit, but not request specific teachers. My son was very quiet and shy but loved outgoing teachers. The teachers themselves then put togther suggested lists for the following year - separating kids who were problems together, that type of thing. My son had terrific teachers (including one first year male teacher - he was wonderful) and enjoyed elementary school (unfortunately that didn’t last through middle school).

While I do think some of it is silly and motivated by other unspoken concerns, I would like you all to keep in mind a study done a couple years ago that showed a good teacher could get a child ahead, and that effect would last a year or so. However, a bad teacher could negatively affect a child for 2 or more years, maybe never catching up. You should be involved; you should know the teachers; you should know and talk with your child and their friends.

Tina at 10:18 - I, too have been asked about my plans on getting pregnant! Isn’t that illegal in a job interview in the real world?

TS at 11:44 - my guess is that you weren’t a teacher in Georgia, or you would know we don’t have merit pay. We do have longevity pay - the longer you teach, the more you make. We also have pay increases for additional degrees. So, we don’t all make the same - a 10 year veteran with a Master’s makes a lot more than a first year with a Bachelor’s. You also can get fired for being a bad teacher - I have seen it MANY times - your contract is simply not renewed (we don’t have tenure). The problem, IMHO, is that we have too many mediocre teachers - not bad enough to get fired, but not outstanding either (my kids have had a couple of those).

Thomas at 1:30 and HS TEach too at 2:20 - the Georgia rule for gifted is that a child can qualify basically on mental ability alone (99%ile on a nationally normed test in K - 2, 96%ile 3 - 12) - OR - qualify through a blend of high test scores (but not as high - 90%ile) and two out of three other areas - including motivation and creativity - it gets fairly complex. What parents (and some teachers) don’t realize is that “gifted” does not necessarily mean “good” - there can be as wide a variety of bad behaviors in a gifted class as in an on-level. There is something called “dual-identified” meaning gifted AND some other issue - gifted and ADD, gifted and LD, gifted and BD (behavior disordered).

By luvs2teach

July 24, 2006 05:14 PM | Link to this

Lisa - too bad I teach middle school - I would love to teach your daughter!

By Lisa B.

July 24, 2006 05:31 PM | Link to this

I have a neighbor who frequently tries to have her son moved from one teacher’s class to another. This has been going on for the eight years I’ve lived next door. Lucky for the boy, all three schools attended have refused to cave in to her wishes. The mother is a very capable nurse who changes jobs about once per year because she ALWAYS has unreasonable supervisors. Hmmmm. Turns out the nurse’s own mother had her moved out of numerous teachers’ classroom because of personality conflicts. Thankfully, local school policy won’t allow the nurse to make the same mistake with her son. By the way, the son is a delightful boy!

By Competitive

July 24, 2006 06:20 PM | Link to this

The Math teacher on our team was hated (as a teacher) by many of our students, and many complained to me about how she couldn’t teach. Almost all of our kids passed the Math Gateway, though. Another Math teacher at our school was loved by his students, but he had by far the highest failure rate on the Gateway test. Those kids bragged in Summer School about how great he was because they just sat there and talked, always made high grades, etc. I, of course, told them I would hate to have a teacher who made me have to go to summer school and possibly be retained because he didn’t do his job. That made them think a little.

Most parents know about teachers from the students, either directly or indirectly. Parents need to consider their source, does the kid want a teacher because it is good for their education or because it is the easy/fun class.

I never have been able to choose the students in my class, but I have chosen a parent before. We had a girl on our team whose mom was absolutely crazy (everyone in the school knew her well) and the mom had several more kids coming through the system. One of my APs came to me one day and told me that I had done my tour of duty with this parent, and I was to refuse to have any of her kids in my class again. Luckily, one of the kids hit a teacher and the family moved before I had to make my refusal. But I would not have had one of those kids again.

I have never heard of a personality conflict between a teacher and a student when the student is behaving properly and making an effort to be successful. Parents, maybe the problem really isn’t the teacher in all situations.

By CobbDad

July 25, 2006 09:13 AM | Link to this

The principal of a top Cobb County Elementary school cost me $50,000 when she refused to even consider our request for a certain teacher. My wife immediately called a local private school which was more than happy to accommodate us on a first-come basis. 10 years and 3 children later we are poorer, but all much wiser, for the private school experience.

By thomas

July 25, 2006 09:43 AM | Link to this

I finally read that article Patti was talking about. I think this whole request nonsense is ridiculous. It has gotten out of hand. After reading that article I blame administrators for part of the problem. They bend over backwards to cater to these people. In fact my own principal says that she takes parent requests into consideration in forming classes.

School is no longer about growth and preparation to become productive citizens. It seems that all certain people care about is getting their way, their little accolades to feather their nest (A’s and B’s), then get the h* on. It’s all about me. Be d*ed if you can read, write, think critically, work cooperatively with others, and have compassion for your fellow man. These people are like spoiled brats. How arrogant. If you don’t know what whis is really all about,read my earlier posts on requests and tracking.

And to think you have people swimming over from Mexico to get here. At the rate we’re going we’ll be swimming across the Rio Grande to get into Mexico.

By volmom

July 25, 2006 10:13 AM | Link to this

I have been volunteering in my children’s classes and schools for eight years. Our system places students on teams, which are determined by the math class placement. My youngest is in the highest math, so he will be on a certain team because it is the only one that teaches geometry. I am not happy because all I have heard from other parents is this geometry teacher doesn’t teach, she assigns work and doesn’t explain concepts - it is basically a self-taught class (in 8th grade) and most students have to have tutors to pass the class. Since my son is very strong in math, I think he will do fine. If I had decided to avoid the rumored atmosphere of this teacher’s class, he would have had to repeat Algebra I, where his grades were high A’s, and it would have been a wasted year of math for him.

On the other hand, volunteering in the front office for five years has given me an inside view of the administrators, faculty, parents and students. Our principal has instilled a negative attitude throughout the faculty and school in the one year she’s been there. She avoids parents at all costs and constantly criticizes the students - I’ve seen it first hand many, many times. I have never seen her be friendly nor smile at anyone other than the front office employees and other admin.

There is a male teacher that I would not wish for anyone to have in class, nor as a coach. He teaches by intimidation, is very rude and insulting to parents and students. Many times I have handed him a message to call a parent (because he never returned emails) and he would tell me he wasn’t calling them, and throw the message in the trash right in front of me. I have known some of these parents and they were not the “hover mothers” being lambasted in this blog. He once told another coach, with me standing there, that parents are stupid to think the school physicals mean anything, and then he laughed while saying the kid could drop dead. I went to the principal with this incident; I don’t want some jerk like this teaching any student, much less my own. The principal blew it off by saying he’d speak to him, he’s a new teacher (he had been teaching three years at that time), and he would let him know that was inappropriate. He hasn’t improved, and they won’t get rid of him. Lucky us!

By don't suffer fools

July 25, 2006 10:50 AM | Link to this

Cobb Dad

Given Cobb’s top schools, I expect your children are no better educated than they would have been in public school, but they (and you and your wife) are much more coddled. That should serve them well in life.

At top schools, every parent makes a request. Was your wife that clueless? Didn’t she realize that top schools get that way because of involved parents and a concerned community? Did it ever occur to her that every parent would be making a request if the principal let anyone do it?

By SNY

July 25, 2006 11:02 AM | Link to this

don’t,

I just read your post to Cobb Dad and I really just have to ask, why is it such a bad thing for parents to want their kids in the right enviroment for them? Why are parents continually bad mouthed for wanting their kids in safe environments?

Volmom, obviously gave us insights into behaviors that teachers and administrators do not want us to see. Why is it a terrible idea to want to keep your kids away from situations such as these?

By Just Wondering

July 25, 2006 11:19 AM | Link to this

Cobb Dad - sometimes, you don’t get exactly what you want! That is just a simple fact of life. Were you able to choose all of your childrens’ private school teachers? If so, what was your choice based on?

Volmom - sounds like you have your children in a very hostile environment. I wouldn’t keep my children there!

By don't suffer fools

July 25, 2006 11:29 AM | Link to this

SNY

I realize that you had a terrible experience this year. I suspect your child was not at a TOP Gwinnett school. (I think you said it didn’t make AYP.)

Bad teachers, especially at the elementary level, don’t last long when there are demanding parents around. Same with bad prinicpals.

One of the biggest challenges in public education (and really private) is parents who don’t take the time to assess the situation and understand the reality.

Did you see the article in Sunday’s paper about how affluent children are struggling so much with mental health issues? I suspect that parents like Cobb Dad don’t get the damage they do to their kids when they coddle them so much.

I wouldn’t want to be a coworker of a kid whose parent picked every teacher they ever had. You don’t always get to pick your bosses.

By Just Wondering

July 25, 2006 11:37 AM | Link to this

don’t suffer fools - Well, let me clarify - SNY first lambasted all Gwinnett County schools and claimed that her daughter’s school didn’t make AYP on July 12. Then, she was caught in her lie on Friday, when she said that her daughter’s school DID make AYP!

Anyway, you’re right - her daughter was not at a top school. She also asked why parents are badmouthed for wanting the best for their children. What she fails to realize is that most teachers are parents too! We are professionals and should be trusted to make certain decisions. I’m sure she wouldn’t appreciate someone questioning her at her job at every minute. The parents who are badmouthed are those who aren’t making REASONABLE requests. You have to realize that your child is not the only one at the school, and the needs of the masses outweigh those of one child with a neurotic mother!

By Nja

July 25, 2006 12:15 PM | Link to this

Wow, the principal at a Cobb County Elementary School cost a parent $50,000 because they weren’t allow to choose their childs teacher. Ha! Take responsibility for your actions! YOU CHOSE to throw a tantrum and go elsewhere! That’s the problem with the children. It’s always someone elses fault!!! But you see where they get it from-the parents.

I say NO to allowing parents to choose teachers. Treat school administrators and staff as PROFESSIONALS they know which students can handle which teachers! So what they have a math teacher who is not the friendliest or the greatest. Wait until they get to college and in their department there is the dreaded professor that everyone hates. Oh well. Suck it up and do the work. It’s only temporary! A bunch of brats!

By Leia

July 25, 2006 12:24 PM | Link to this

Cobb Dad - that was one expensive hissy-fit you had!

I hope you saved some money for your kids to go to that college that allows you to choose professors!

By volmom

July 25, 2006 12:53 PM | Link to this

Nja:

My guess is you don’t have children, much less any in school yet. I totally agree with you that the PROFESSIONAL admin & faculty deserve no less than to be treated as such, but for the non-professional others, and there are many more than you may realize, don’t deserve to be coddled just because they are a ‘teacher.’ They should be held to standards they expect of us parents, too. They shouldn’t be exempt from incompentence.

Each of my children has had at least one bad teacher, but I am an involved parent who makes sure homework gets done (and no, I don’t check it for accuracy to make sure they always get 100% on everything). When asked for help, we research together for the answer. A bad teacher won’t harm an ‘A’ student like she will a ‘C’ student, who may never bounce back from a year when they weren’t taught the necessary elements in class.

I had my share of teachers in school, professors in college and work associates/bosses just like this; it’s a fact of life. But thank goodness Georgia is not a tenured state, so the bad apples can be let go by a strong principal who has the best interest of the students at heart.

By volmom

July 25, 2006 01:01 PM | Link to this

Nja:

My guess is you don’t have children, much less any in school yet. I totally agree with you that the PROFESSIONAL admin & faculty deserve no less than to be treated as such, but for the non-professional others, and there are many more than you may realize, don’t deserve to be coddled just because they are a ‘teacher.’ They should be held to standards they expect of us parents, too. They shouldn’t be exempt from incompentence.

Each of my children has had at least one bad teacher, but I am an involved parent who makes sure homework gets done (and no, I don’t check it for accuracy to make sure they always get 100% on everything). When asked for help, we research together for the answer. A bad teacher won’t harm an ‘A’ student like she will a ‘C’ student, who may never bounce back from a year when they weren’t taught the necessary elements in class.

I had my share of teachers in school, professors in college and work associates/bosses just like this; it’s a fact of life. But thank goodness Georgia is not a tenured state, so the bad apples can be let go by a strong principal who has the best interest of the students at heart.

By SNY

July 25, 2006 01:33 PM | Link to this

Just,

First of all I don’t know or like you or anybody on this blog enough to lie to you. As I explained the other day when confronted with two stories, I was given incorrect information by someone who works in the front office of the public school. That person was actually looking at the scrores from her own childs’ school and gave me incorrect information. But whether or not the school made AYP, I still was not satisfied. That should not make me a bad person, nor should it mean that you need to take every comment that I say and snap back at it.

Trust me, I am TOTALLY over the bad Gwinnett County experience. It is almost time for another school year to begin. My comments and questions now, are just like that of anyone else on this blog.

I know this may be hard, but if you want parents to respect teachers, maybe teachers should start repecting parents. Another thing, if you keep referencing our children as “brats” and such it is going to be even harder for us parents on this blog to really believe that you care about our children. No one wants their child to be called “spoiled” or “brat”. Those are negative words and they leave a negative impact with the child.

By SNY

July 25, 2006 01:34 PM | Link to this

Just,

First of all I don’t know or like you or anybody on this blog enough to lie to you. As I explained the other day when confronted with two stories, I was given incorrect information by someone who works in the front office of the public school. That person was actually looking at the scrores from her own childs’ school and gave me incorrect information. But whether or not the school made AYP, I still was not satisfied. That should not make me a bad person, nor should it mean that you need to take every comment that I say and snap back at it.

Trust me, I am TOTALLY over the bad Gwinnett County experience. It is almost time for another school year to begin. My comments and questions now, are just like that of anyone else on this blog.

I know this may be hard, but if you want parents to respect teachers, maybe teachers should start repecting parents. Another thing, if you keep referencing our children as “brats” and such it is going to be even harder for us parents on this blog to really believe that you care about our children. No one wants their child to be called “spoiled” or “brat”. Those are negative words and they leave a negative impact with the child.

By Nja

July 25, 2006 02:29 PM | Link to this

So much for assumptions. Surprise! I am a parent of a school aged child! Coddling and treating a teacher as a professional are not synonomus.

In every profession there are those who aren’t the greatest. So what do you do in a school situation? Let the parents decide who they “think” are the good teachers? How do you decide which parental requests are granted? The rich kids? The athletes? The well-liked kids?

And I was the one who called students AND parents brats, not Just! I make no apologies for what I said. Let’s not live in fairy tale land and think that every child is the most loved student in a school setting. Regardless of your profession- do you like all of your clients? Not necessarily; yet you deal with them as a professional. The students and the parents that I don’t care for are those who think of the school staff as their hired help. The ones who say, “What I say goes or I will sue you or throw a tantrum.” The ones who want their children in IB classes because it looks good to everyone and when the child fails its the teachers fault.

By warmbody

July 25, 2006 03:24 PM | Link to this

SNY It is best to keep ones mouth shut and be thought of as a fool, than to open ones mouth and remove all doubt. You have no credibility on here girlfriend. I do feel sorry for your daughter though.

By mnt

July 25, 2006 03:29 PM | Link to this

First, agree with volmom. As someone who spent much time at school as a volunteer before becoming a school system employee, spending time in the inner workings of a school shows you some attitudes that are less than pleasant, and sometimes downright frightening. (And very often it is trickle down, as others have intimated, from a negative – or constantly changing – administration.)

I have never heard of a personality conflict between a teacher and a student when the student is behaving properly and making an effort to be successful. How about a personality conflict between a teacher and 90% of her class? How about (the same) teacher who gives two grades on quizzes (0 or 100) and who screams at students that they’re cheating when they’re comparing their tests after the graded tests are returned (because the same answer will be marked correct on one test and incorrect on another)? She also subtracted points from oral projects when students had excused absences, which had significant impact as it counted 40% of the grade. At the end of the school year, in at least her freshman classes, she sent home textbook damage charges to 90% of her students, on a sliding scale of $5 to $25, apparently based (according to the students) on how much she disliked you.

Bad teachers, especially at the elementary level, don’t last long when there are demanding parents around. Same with bad prinicpals. This teacher has been pulling this with students for several years and, despite contentions that there is no tenure in Georgia, continues to teach in a (high-performing) high school. (Also, my kids attended a very high-performing elementary school, and there were a few atrociously bad teachers there for no other reason than the principal protected them.)

(No, she’s not a good teacher to offset those weaknesses. There was a striking disparity between the preparation of students who’d had her as freshmen and those who’d had the other teacher when they got to the next year – easier to compare as it was foreign language. Several students will not be continuing in the fourth year of this language as she has often taught that level as well.)

*I don’t have any kids of my own, but when I do, I will not pick thier teachers and I will not pick thier school, either. * Those of you who say you’ll never interfere with selection of your kids’ teachers and that your kids will have to just deal with what’s dealt them on their own, watch your words, you may have to eat them when they’re not so palatable (as when your child may be failing a class primarily because the teacher hates him).

By SNY

July 25, 2006 03:39 PM | Link to this

warm,

What did I say in my last post that was foolish?

By teach overseas

July 25, 2006 03:39 PM | Link to this

I’ve got to go back to a long ago comment about teachers and students having “personality conflicts”. Let’s try a little logic here:

Fact: People have personality conflicts with peers.

Fact: Teachers and students are not peers.

Therefore: Teachers and students do not have personality conflicts.

Parents and teachers are peers- they may have personality conflicts- but as the teacher is your child’s teacher and not yours—- it isn’t really your problem- now is it?

To the parent of the child who “angered very easily and doesn’t like to be ordered around..” You really think that was a personality conflict with the teacher? I think it sounds like your son is not used to taking direction from an authority figure- it’s probably not a skill that is practiced in your home seeing as you have some concern over his “angers easily” issue.

By Just Wondering

July 25, 2006 03:44 PM | Link to this

SNY said - *First of all I don’t know or like you or anybody on this blog enough to lie to you. *

So, you have to like me or know me to lie to me? Wow - you’re crazier than I thought!

FYI - you did lie. If you don’t believe me, look up the word on dictionary.com for your own edification.

By Just Wondering

July 25, 2006 03:53 PM | Link to this

SNY - additionally, I never called your daughter a brat! Get your bloggers (and stories) straight.

I honestly don’t believe your daughter is a brat - yet. She might become one if you keep it up though.

And, you’re one to talk about words having a negative impact on children! Wasn’t it you who needed a fellow blogger (DB) to tell you how harmful it was to bark orders at your daughter, instead of speaking to her like she was a little human being? Hmmm.

By SNY

July 25, 2006 03:59 PM | Link to this

Just,

Let’s just put it out there that you cannot stand me because of my stance on public schools in general. That is perfectly okay.

My theory about lying is this: You lie to people to help or make them feel better. Some examples are: You tell your child everything is going to be alright at the doctor’s office, even if you are not sure. Situations as such when it pertains to your loved ones. You lie to them to make them feel better. I don’t lie to anyone else because I really don’t care if their feelings are hurt or not. I may not evil about giving them the truth, but I don’t sugarcoat the truth either. Do I sugarcoat the truth for my kids and my husband a little, sure I do because I care about their feelings.

Now, if you want to call me reciting incorrect information, from the school I might add, then yes I did lie. It was not an intentional lie. I gave this blog the information that was given to me by someone at the school. I do take the full blame however, because I could have gone online and found out for myself instead of taking someone else’s word for the test scores. Again, I TAKE FULL RESPONSIBILITY FOR NOT HAVING ALL OF THE FACTS!!

By Just Wondering

July 25, 2006 04:10 PM | Link to this

SNY - I hold no malice towards you. I think you’re misguided, abrasive and have a huge chip on your shoulder, but, that’s your cross to bear.

Off topic - my family doesn’t lie to one another! Your “theory” on lying to your loved ones is pretty twisted to me, but, again - you’re not in my family, so good luck with that method!

By Nja

July 25, 2006 04:42 PM | Link to this

Teach overseas- What an absurd idea! Are you telling me that my childs personality should not be accomodated by every teacher he has in his life? If my child does not like a stern teacher I want the nicest teacher each and every year! What do you mean 50 other parents have already made the same request! I don’t care! I’m calling my attorney! Of course I’m being sarcastic.

Parents and teachers need to make noise and get the worst teachers OUT!!! But then I’m sure they’ll find some other reason to pick teachers.

By HB

July 25, 2006 04:54 PM | Link to this

I agree with MNT — never say never. As a general rule, I don’t think parents should pick their children’s teachers. However, there are times when a teacher is just bad, and if the schools won’t fire him/her, my child will not be subjected to that class.

I had a teacher in high school very similar to the one MNT mentioned. She taught civics and actually gave incorrect information in her lectures. We never moved beyond the basic 3 branches of government stuff that 5th graders cover. Only the kids who remembered from 5th grade did well because we had to learn a double-curriculum. The trick to passing her tests was to determine if she wrote it or if it was copied from the teacher’s guide for our textbook. If it was hers, you gave her answer. If it was from the book, you gave the correct answer. If one of my kids had gone through a semester with her, I guarantee you I wouldn’t let a second child be assigned to her class even if the child knew enough going in to get an A. It’s not about the course grade or passing a standardized test. It’s about learning to be an active engaged citizen! Something quite likely delayed for many students since she told us we couldn’t vote until we were 21 (this was in 1992). She was never fired, though. A couple of years ago, she completed her 30 years and retired.

By HB

July 25, 2006 04:55 PM | Link to this

I agree with MNT — never say never. As a general rule, I don’t think parents should pick their children’s teachers. However, there are times when a teacher is just bad, and if the schools won’t fire him/her, my child will not be subjected to that class.

I had a teacher in high school very similar to the one MNT mentioned. She taught civics and actually gave incorrect information in her lectures. We never moved beyond the basic 3 branches of government stuff that 5th graders cover. Only the kids who remembered from 5th grade did well because we had to learn a double-curriculum. The trick to passing her tests was to determine if she wrote it or if it was copied from the teacher’s guide for our textbook. If it was hers, you gave her answer. If it was from the book, you gave the correct answer. If one of my kids had gone through a semester with her, I guarantee you I wouldn’t let a second child be assigned to her class even if the child knew enough going in to get an A. It’s not about the course grade or passing a standardized test. It’s about learning to be an active engaged citizen! Something quite likely delayed for many students since she told us we couldn’t vote until we were 21 (this was in 1992). She was never fired, though. A couple of years ago, she completed her 30 years and retired.

By Warmbody

July 25, 2006 05:50 PM | Link to this

Please everybody read the instructions about how to post!

By HB

July 25, 2006 07:00 PM | Link to this

Warmbody, I think people know how, but there seems to be a glitch in the system today. When I tried to post, after a few minutes, I got a “cannot find server” message. I did NOT go back and try to resubmit, but the duplicate showed up anyway. Another thread had an unusual number of duplicates this afternoon, so I think it’s probably a site issue, not user error. Now, let’s hope this message only posts once…

By Lee

July 25, 2006 07:54 PM | Link to this

To all you parents out there, there are “some” bad teachers. There are also bad administrators. If your child has the misfortune to be assigned to a bad teacher, get ready for a year of H3ll. Combine that with a poor administrator more interested in hiding behind a rule book and covering his a**e, get ready for a year of absolute war.

Been there. Done that. Course, I lasted about 4 months before I yanked her out of that cesspool and placed her in private school. Best $14k I ever spent.

As others have noted, a bad teacher can undo years of good teaching. My wife and oldest daughter, who are both teachers, can tell you within the first few weeks of school which kids come from a certain teacher.

Funny how some of the same bloggers who say parents need to get more involved in their child’s education get into such a tizzy when the parents question what the teachers and principals do.

By HB

July 25, 2006 07:58 PM | Link to this

Warmbody, I think people know how, but there seems to be a glitch in the system today. When I tried to post, after a few minutes, I got a “cannot find server” message. I did NOT go back and try to resubmit, but the duplicate showed up anyway. Another thread had an unusual number of duplicates this afternoon, so I think it’s probably a site issue, not user error. Now, let’s hope this message only posts once…

By HB

July 25, 2006 08:00 PM | Link to this

Warmbody, I think people know how, but there seems to be a glitch in the system today. When I tried to post, after a few minutes, I got a “cannot find server” message. I did NOT go back and try to resubmit, but the duplicate showed up anyway. Another thread had an unusual number of duplicates this afternoon, so I think it’s probably a site issue, not user error. Now, let’s hope this message only posts once…

By Warmbody

July 25, 2006 08:06 PM | Link to this

HB

sign…….

By Warmbody

July 25, 2006 08:08 PM | Link to this

HB

:(

By Lee

July 25, 2006 08:17 PM | Link to this

One other thing, based on the comments I have read over the past several months, there are some alleged teachers on this blog who I wouldn’t want to be my child’s teacher……

By luvs2teach

July 25, 2006 08:40 PM | Link to this

Ouch, Lee! I guess some of the teachers wouldn’t be thrilled with some of the bloggers as parents of their students either :-)

I just chalk a lot of it up to a little extra bravery provided by anonymity and everyone having a chance to be “brutally honest” - not to mention tone is missing - I know sometimes I’ve been joking and someone else takes my comments seriously.

I mentioned the other day that I read a lot of the blog quotes to my son, and ask his opinion. The funniest thing he said to me was about Jeff - he said, “Jeff alternates between sounding really cool and really frightening - but FUN!”

I think we all come off that way a little sometimes.

By jim d

July 26, 2006 12:33 PM | Link to this

Well why not?

If a parent has first hand knowledge of a teacher that is noted as being able to work well with gifted kids, why not request that teacher? The same would be true if you knew a teacher that was better suited to teach your child with special needs.

Please note I said request—not demand.