As a provider of private tuition, there are times when parents come to us making cliams that their child's teacher is difficult. We at Grade A have heard stories about unsupportive and absentee teachers who neglect kids. From our experience, in most cases, these statements were not true. But what happens if this is true? What happens it your child's teacher is difficult? We have put together a few tips to help you when facing this situation.
1. Go to the Teacher First. Speak with the teacher first before contacting the principal. The first question the principal will ask is if you spoke with the teacher about the matter, and if you didn't it will reflect negatively on your part. Follow procedure and give the teacher a chance to remedy the situation first. 2. Arrange a face to face meeting with the teacher . Schedule a meeting in person. At the meeting, follow the following steps to ensure that the meeting is a productive one:
Don't walk into the meeting and start making accusations. It isn't going to do you, your child or the teacher any good if you walk into the meeting filled with accusations and yelling insults. Respectfulness will get you much further than yelling.
Listen while the teacher gives his perspective on things. Don't interrupt. Ask him or her to tell you about your child, how he or she is doing, and if there are any areas he or she is concerned about that you need to be working on. This will allow him/ her to share his/ her fustration and make him/ her easier to deal with when it comes time for you to talk.
Once the teacher has had his or her say, share your perspective. Try to enlist him/ her as an ally rather than an enemy. Ask him/ her how both of you, working as a team, can move toward a solution.
Keep it between you and the teacher. Bringing up stories about how your child prefers another teacher or how he had never had this problem before will only make the situation worse.
Take notes during your meeting. If the teacher behaves in a way you aren't comfortable with or says something you aren't happy with, write it down.
If the teacher refuses to meet with you: Keep Documentation. Document attempts to reach the teacher, especially if they do not respond. It will be easier to plead your case if you have documented communication attempts. Remain Positive. Never speak negatively about the teacher in front of your child, because if he sees you don't respect the teacher, he will feel it's okay for him to show disrespect in the classroom. Promote Patience. If your child complains, remind him that he will have many different types of teachers in his life and that part of the journey is learning how to be successful no matter what the circumstances. Make Learning Fun. Maintain a joy of learning in the home. Find ways to supplement the curriculum and make sure the light for learning does not dim in your child's eyes. Having a difficult teacher can be frustrating, but with patience and some effort, the situation can be rectified.