To think DD should change classes?

[busymum17]

DD is taking a class for her final year of school which involves 1 on 1 teaching.
Unfortunately, she really doesn't see eye to eye with this teacher and according to friends of DD in said teachers class (different from what DD is doing), teacher routinely tells students that their opinions are wrong (this is an arts subject - so for example if someone said the Mona Lisa represented femininity, she would tell them that was incorrect).
She wants to ask for a new teacher but is worried it will cause 'drama' (her words) and make the teacher dislike her.

How can I encourage her to ask for a new teacher, and AIBU to think that is the right thing to do?

So she's doing her A-Levels? A bit late to switch now isn't it? What would switching achieve? Is this affecting the grade she is likely to get?

Is there another teacher available, with timetabling space to suit your daughters schedule? Or would it be asking for the impossible?

Could your daughter use the differences in opinion to explore further. Eg if DD thinks the Mona Lisa represents feminism, and is told she is wrong, can she use it as an opportunity to explain why she feels that, and ask the teacher why she believes it is a simple portrait?

mellojello No, she isn't doing her A levels - we are not in the UK and the new school year is about to start here so she would have a year with this teacher. It will possibly affect her grade because the other students doing the class (who all have a different teacher) are getting work given to them and lots of instruction whereas DD is not.

She hasn't asked however it is highly unlikely that no other teachers are available.
Apparently the teacher will shut down any arguments about opinion (not sure how true this is as obviously I haven't seen her in class, however DD usually gets on with teachers)

With my DD's permission, I would talk to someone at the school (HOY maybe) to find out if switching teachers is a possibility. I would make sure this meeting was confidential and discreetly done. Then, is a switch is possible, I would talk it over again with DD.

I'm not sure what school is going to have plenty of teachers with experience in the subject able to fit around your daughters timetable? It seems like the school are already going out of their way to facilitate your daughter doing this subject with 1 to 1 tuition. Could she drop or change the subject or get her a tutor outside of school to support?

Where are you? Before changing I would make sure that another teacher would actually be better. I am in Italy and opinion forming is not high on the curriculum.

Well, if you genuinely think it's affecting her chances and you think there's a chance they might do something, then I guess go ahead - with your DD's permission. It will cause "drama" though (even if only behind the scenes) - without knowing what school system you're in it's hard to know how much that would matter (ie if the grade for finishing high school matters and if it is awarded internally).

If it is true that DD is getting less work given to her that is probably a better angle to go with than the teacher's analysis is different. I suppose you also need to consider whether the teacher has a track record of getting lower grades - though I appreciate that's hard to know! It's just really hard to know what approach is best with teaching. For example, does the teacher know what is needed to pass the final exam and is trying to focus on that? Is it possible your DD's suggestion were a bit too out there and she needs reining in? It's just really hard to know from the outside.

Given the age of your dd I would encourage her to raise her concerns through whatever mechanism the schools has. I'm also not in the UK and issues like this here are addressed through the school counselor, whose role it is to sort of timetabling and provide general advice and support.

My dd is reluctant to raise concerns - she'd much rather suffer in silence (well with moaning at home only!) but we're trying to get her to resolve issues herself (she is in grade 10 so a couple of years of school yet before she hits the outside world). She had a timetabling issue this term and I did go with her to see the counselor, but I made her book the appointment and do the talking. Her slightly older brother in the meantime had already met and sorted out his issues on his own - I'd no idea he even had any problems!

It is hard to get a more anxious child through this sort of issue I think, but they need to learn that there almost always are solutions if they ask for help.

Oh and on your AIBU yes I think seeing if there are potentially other teachers and she could transfer is a good idea.

icklekid the school definitely does have enough teachers to do this, also DD isn't being facilitated through 1 to 1 tuition - this system is the nation wide standard for this particular subject. She wouldn't drop it as it's her favourite subject.

Her teacher is new to the school which may be part of the problem, but DD knows all the other teachers in the faculty and believes any of them would be better.

mellojello some of the marks are awarded internally but her work would be marked by several teachers so she wouldn't be marked unfairly, however it would be hard for her to avoid the teacher and she thinks it will be awkward (and it probably will be)

Also just for clarification it wasn't DD's suggestions which were called wrong, it was 2 of her friends who are in the teachers class (they were talking about it in the car while I was driving), but apparently she does this a lot and several students have transferred out of a larger class she teaches because of it

Then it doesn't seem like you are actually after advice. Just go and ask them too swap if you know it is possible. Surely it is worth it for a better grade even if the teacher is put out?