Teacher invading pupil's personal space - how should pupil tell teacher to back off?

[Aargh1]

D is 12. One of her female teachers always comes too close when leaning over to help with some work. Invades her personal space. Not only to my D. What should I tell her to say that will not offend or blow it out of proportion? If a colleague did this to me I'd just tell them to back off (in a jokey way) but it's different with a pupil as the teacher is in a position of power. AIBU to be worrying?

There are a lot of posters here who seem to have forgotten what it's like to be 12.
At about that age, a male teacher invaded my personal space every lesson, so I completely understand what you and she mean, op. It was mortifying, kids teased me and I dreaded his lessons. There's a difference between getting close enough to talk one-to-one and breathing down someone's neck. I didn't know what to do at all, I didn't tell anyone and sucked it up. Because I was a shy and unassertive 12 year-old, many are.
I wish I'd had someone to tell like a pp mentioned, was it a learning mentor or something? Sorry can't remember. A sympathetic, objective member of staff to take over and deal with it would have saved me a lot of anxiety.
Hope you find a solution op.

There's a difference between getting close enough to talk one-to-one and breathing down someone's neck
Agree, but I don't think the OP has clarified how much space is being invaded. It's fair to say that everyone has their own threshold, and the OP's daughter may be responding to a situation that others would find reasonable, or at least tolerable.

I am a gymnastics coach and sometimes when we get kids who haven't done gym before they shrink away and hate physical contact, but of course there are no 2 ways about it in gymnastics.They all get used to it very quickly

I am pretty protective of my personal space, but if this is happening the way I imagine, I don't see that it's too big of a deal. If the child is asking for help, and the teacher leans over the desk to help, she's obviously going to be very close. Is the teacher doing this unsolicited?

Goblin I thought you were referring to the teacher as the person who

lacked the basic personal skills needed to get by in the world of work or university

I certainly don't think her 'invasion' would be tolerated in most workplaces. Although I still like to know exactly what she does, I don't see that much (?any) actual physical contact is necessary between pupil and teacher.

Oh I know exactly what you mean. It's possible to be close enough to help without being right in your face. I wouldn't tolerate anyone being in my face all the time. I hate space invaders too. Well done to your dd for wanting to approach it in a sensible calm.and unconfrontational manner.

Aargh - could your dd have a chat with her form tutor or personal tutor about this, and ask for their advice?

Fwiw, I do think there is a difference between the closeness that is necessary for a teacher to deal with an individual pupil, and a level of closeness that invades someone's space and makes them feel uncomfortable. If another pupil had to get off their chair to try to get away from this teacher, that would suggest to me that the teacher was too close, even for a normal teacher-pupil interaction.

I wish that the OP could be specific about how her DD's personal space is being invaded, precisely. I am a teacher and frequently lean over a desk next to a student if they ask me to look at something they are doing. Sometimes I crouch down in front of their desk to look at their work, sometimes I lean over their shoulder if I happen to be behind them.

I don't try to invade anyone's personal space but it's difficult to see what they've written without being next to them.

I'm assuming it's beyond that tbh you can crouch down or lean over without being so close you can smell their breakfast or see their make up tide marks.

Your obviously a teacher who doesn't do that.

op the teacher should not be making your DD feel uncomfortable. Space invasion is a known 'grooming' technique. (though clearly not enough info on this thread to know if this is what's happening) good suggestions would be for you/your dd to speak to somebody in whatever pastoral care service the school offers. Not from the pov of making a complaint but from the pov of this is affecting your DD concentrating at school, how can you work together to resolve.

There are a couple of woman that I work with that do that , they both wear glasses, I wonder if they think I'm nearer to them than I actually am?