to be uneasy about ds having two teachers?

[slavetofilofax]

DS has just started year 5, and he has two class teachers. OOne of them does two full days, the other does one full day, and the other two days they share.

I was a little uneasy about this to start with, but decided to just leave the teachers to do their job, as I am generally very happy with the school.

This morning I asked ds what it was like having two teachers and if he liked it, and he said it 'was ok, but a bit annoying when they swop in the middle of a lesson'. I pressed him on it, and he said that during PSHE yesterday they didn't get much work done because one teacher explained their work so they did a bit, then she left and the other teacher joined them. They had to talk again about the work they had to do to help her, even though the children knew, so they didn't have time to finish.

I realise my ds doesn't always explain things particularly well, so I'm guessing that this is more his interpretation of what happened than what actually did happen.

There is a parents welcome evening tonight, and I'm thinkng about asking the head about it, or the teachers themselves. What would you do and how would you present it?

[fedupofnamechanging]

Possibly something unexpected came up this morning, resulting in one teacher having to leave halfway through the lesson. I wouldn't imagine that this is a regular thing. Teachers don't like leaving in the middle of lessons, because it messes everything up.

I think it would be okay to ask if the job sharing has affected how the class is settling in, but I'd be careful of appearing critical unless you notice your child's standard of work deteriorating.

I have done a teaching job share in the past and it worked because we taught different topics, so weren't overlapping each others work. We met regularly to discuss planning etc, so all the things you are concerned about, will already have been thought through by the teachers and the Head.

[Oggy]

I would get clarification on exactly how the teaching is broken down between the teachers (swapping mid-lesson strikes me as ridiculous but perhaps this is not the norm but due to special circumstances).

I would also want to understand how parent/teacher communication will work effectively, who should you speak to about what / how is information discussed with one teacher effectively communicated to the other teacher.

Are children being "allocated" to a particular teacher (e.g. like keyworker).

How do the teachers compare notes effectively about the progress each child is making.

These are my initial thoughts off top of my head, I am thinking about it too as both my childrfen are in the same situation!

[CailinDana]

That seems like a strange set up. Usually job sharing teachers don't hand over in the middle of a lesson. Perhaps their still working things out? I would let it go for a little while and then raise concerns later if this sort of thing keeps happening a lot.

[CailinDana]

Oops that should be they're still

[Oggy]

x post with karmerbeliever.

I'm sure it has all been worked out internally but if OPs school is anything like my kids school they won't have communicated anythikng to the parents about how it will work.

[slavetofilofax]

Thanks for the replies, I'm glad you think my concern is valid!

There are some good points to raise there Oggy, I think I will ask at this welcome evening as it's quite informal so I think my asking would come across better there than at a specially arranged appointment.

I'd guess that the swopping in the middle of a lesson is a one off, I really am happy with the school and have a lot of respect for the teachers there. My other ds has been all the way through that school, so I feel I kow it quite well.

Any more thoughts?