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Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

Primary education

What if my child seems to dislike the new teacher?

20 replies

Fiona2011231 · 14/09/2016 22:14

Could you pls advise?

During Year 1 and Year 2, my son has been a good pupil, which was acknowledged by the teachers' comments and reports. In Year 2, he was even recommended for the 'More able and gifted children' programme at the school, which tries to provide more challenging opportunities.

However, although the new school year has just started, he was already discouraged and does not seem to like the lessons anymore.

I tried to talk to him and he said he was scolded by the new teacher on the first day. Afterwards, it seems he became scared by the teacher.

I intend to talk to the head teacher for more information.

But has anyone been in a similar situation? What would you do?

Thank you

OP posts:

Report

user789653241 · 14/09/2016 23:07

I think going straight to head seems a bit OTT.
Why was he scalded? Did he do something wrong or was it misunderstanding?
He doesn't know the teacher fully yet, since the year has only started.
My ds was afraid of one teacher at first, because she was quite strict.
I kept telling him how I think she is a great teacher(I truly believed so), she only tell him off to make him better person, etc. And shown him her encouraging comment on the contact book..
In the end, he agreed she was indeed a great teacher.
In my case, she was actually great, but I don't know about your ds's teacher, so I may be wrong.
Can't you have a chat with her first, if he keeps on being disengaged and unhappy?

balletcats · 14/09/2016 23:08

If he was scalded by the teacher then yes, go to the Head

Talk to the teacher first. See how that goes :)

RubyJack · 14/09/2016 23:13

School complaint policy will suggest talk to teacher first before HT or Governors.
But I am not sure you have a valid complaint from the information you have given.

zad716 · 15/09/2016 05:56

I would try to talk to other parents first to see what view they had been given of the new teacher. Would help to understand if the problem is with the teacher in general or just with your DS.

louisejxxx · 15/09/2016 07:11

I wouldn't go straight to the head when you don't seem clear on why he was actually told off in the first place...it may well have been warranted!

SuburbanRhonda · 15/09/2016 07:15

Unless you're genuinely concerned that your DS was unfairly treated I would give it a couple more weeks before you go in. He probably just needs time to get used to a different style. I'd work on his resilience in the meantime.

rollonthesummer · 15/09/2016 07:15

What was he told off for?

t4nut · 15/09/2016 07:37

Oh for goodness sakes.....

Teachers are extra strict at year start. Standard technique. He did something he shouldn't have and was told not to. Don't waste the heads time!

BertPuttocks · 15/09/2016 09:38

If he's just started Yr3 then it's likely that the school are making it clear from the start about the expectations for behaviour in KS2. It tends to be more strict.

I always explain to mine that most teachers will start the school year being a bit tougher on the children so that they know that there will be consequences for bad behaviour. Supply teachers will also tend to be far more strict for the same reason.

I wouldn't talk to the head. If you have a problem with the teacher then the usual protocol would be to speak to the teacher first.

Personally I would just explain to your DS that teachers have to ensure that everyone behaves so that the other children in the class can get on with learning. If he gets told off he needs to take on board what the teacher has said and try not to do whatever it was again.

Yokohamajojo · 15/09/2016 10:58

My son was terrified of his Y4 teacher who also told him off on one of his first day, this was last year, give it time at the end of Y4 he absolutely loved her and still misses her in Y5.

corythatwas · 15/09/2016 13:58

If you handle this gently you may be able to make a big difference here. My ds was in a similar situation about this age: terrified of his new shouty teacher who seemed so cross with them all. I went in and had a little chat with Mr X, who turned out to be lovely- but very hard of hearing (I could actually hear his voice booming out through closed windows as I came up the road). We had a pleasant chat about ds settling in in general and I was able to go back and reassure ds. Mr X went on to become his favourite teacher and ds was in tears when he left.

imnervous · 15/09/2016 14:03

It is tough but I think there's a big step between yr2 and yr3. DS has just started year 3, a lot of his friends are the eldest child in the family so their parents haven't the experience of the difference and they are not happy!!! One pushy parent is not happy that their child isn't being lavished with stickers and extra stamps all day as they're now just expected to behave, hard work is still rewarded though

BodsAuntieFlo · 15/09/2016 16:54

It's pretty standard to be extra strict at the beginning of the term. You're getting to know your class and they they are getting to know you. I have very firm boundaries in class and quickly establish what behaviour is acceptable and what's not. I don't understand why your going to the HT OP when you haven't spoken to the teacher, the teacher should be the first person you speak to!

Fiona2011231 · 15/09/2016 17:06

Thank you for all your kind replies. So I will talk to the teacher first.

I feel so anxious as things seems different than last year. So I don't know if Year 3 is different, or whether the teacher is different. Is she a good teacher? There are all sorts of questions.

For example, I notice that the children have homework since day two.

However, in my son's notebook so far, the teacher gave no comments, whether on his homework or anything. She just signs to acknowledge that she has seen the notebook every day. That is different from last year, when the teacher would say something in the book.

I know it is just a few days into the new school year, but since things are different, so I feel anxious.

Thanks,

OP posts:

BoaConstrictor · 15/09/2016 17:12

Can you speak to a parent of a child who was in this class last year and find out how they got on? DD has just gone into Yr2 and we've got similar issues. However, I was expecting this and regularly remind DD that the children who had her last year loved her at the end of the year but were nervous at this stage.

Isthatwhatdemonsdo · 15/09/2016 17:44

As an ex Year 3 Teaching Assistant, Year 3 is different from Year 2. Expectations will be much higher.

Witchend · 15/09/2016 18:03

Teacher would write in every child's book once a day Even if it only takes a couple of minutes that's an hour that could be better spent.

BodsAuntieFlo · 15/09/2016 19:03

I don't write in home link books every day unless there's an issue in class. My LA checks the books every day, brings the ones to me with comments in from parents and either I respond or my LA does on my behalf. I don't have time to write in 30 books every day. I have one child I only need to look at and he bursts into tears, it transpired I'd spoken to him on the first day of term about his shouting out in class and I've 'scared' him. I don't shout, I never have. I have a different approach from his teacher last year and don't allow children on my knee when I'm teaching. which was the norm in last years class

user789653241 · 15/09/2016 19:37

My ds just went into yr4. There were definitely a big difference from KS1 to KS2.
Teacher doesn't interact with parents as much as we did in KS1.
No comments from teacher, unless there's something important.
Most of the communication seems to be expected through children.
Expectation of good behaviour is so much more.
My ds always had good comments/reports about his good behaviour, but he get told off occasionally, they are still kids!

jamdonut · 15/09/2016 23:09

Every year group is a little different from the last. Year2 is quite a big step up from Year 1 and in Year 3 they have technically gone from being infants to Juniors. They are expected to be more 'grown-up' year on year, which is why there is less interaction with parents from teachers in the morning/hometime as they move up.

And even the best behaved children can get a ' telling off' now and again!

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