Heartbroken about DS's teacher

[Bluetie]

DS is a great kid. He's smart, funny, musical and sporty. He is also incredibly polite and has a caring nature. He is always winning awards at school, and is liked by all. DS attends a lovely small school with only 2 year-groups.

His previous teachers were OK but in year 3, he's had the most wonderful teacher, Mr T. Mr T is DS's first male teacher and they also share a hobby. Mr T has really helped DS develop his confidence, pushing him more in academics. DS has had a great year.

DS is now moving to year 4. Mr T is also moving to year 4. But they won't be together. All the classes have been mixed to mix abilities, sexes and SEN.

One morning this week, I went to ask Mr T if this class allocation was final. The head came to join our conversation, and he said he will only move DS for an exceptional reason. The head added that the new teacher has made the best progress in her year group across the whole school. I really want DS to stay with Mr T.

Can anyone think of something?

Nonsense! I’m happily married with loads of children, as is Mr T.

I'm pleased that yours are being home-schooled and I would imagine that all your local 'sub-standard' teachers and schools agree!

So we say they agree and move your DS. Then then need to swap him with someone. So If you think your DS is being punished. Does that mean said child doing the swap is being punished and that's fine with you?

Give your head a wobble. It's good for them to experience different scenarios, different Authority figures, different people. How else will they cope in the real world.

Don't be a helicopter parent! One of my DS had 3 different teachers this year due to maternity leave, temporary contracts and illness. He didn't like one of them but so what, he got on with it.

What will he do if he doesn't like someone in the work place. Or someone he likes moves.

Teach him some resilience.

I've had this in reverse. I taught one A level group and a colleague taught the other group. My colleague had a dreadful car crash and was out of school for almost 7 months then returned on a phased return with you get groups. Whilst my colleague was absent her group had a supply teacher. My A level group did very well at the end of Year exams and the other group did very badly. It became apparent they had huge gaps in knowledge. Their teacher returned for the beginning of the following year. My group that was all up to date was given to the teacher who had been injured and I had to teach her group that were all behind. Out of 16 students in my former group 11 parents complained they didn't want my colleague who had been injured so badly. It felt fairer for me to teach the group that was behind through no fault of their own because it would have been a lot of pressure on my colleague coming back from such big injuries and having her students lagging behind. Both groups did well in their final exams.

This is a truly bizarre thread. Your jealousy of the other kids shines through. Why should one of the ones placed with this teacher miss out for your child? New teachers are part and parcel of schooling.

Please don't go in and complain about this - we had a parent forum meeting this week where new classes were discussed, the head took the opportunity to confirm that teachers don't mix classes for their own fun or without thought. It takes endless levels of criteria and factors to take into account and at the end of the day, parents have to trust their judgement.

The headache teachers get over classes is just yet more crap they don't get paid to deal with

"I am DBS checked anyway due to my line of work.

However, happy to help set up an afternoon club! I have a few ideas."

Omg don't do this 🤣. Poor Mr T, forced to go to your club, you're sending out stalker vibes.

"Don't worry Mr T, I'm fully DBS checked". He'll be running for the hills

One can only hope that this is a bog standard Sunday afternoon wind up Fred

@nightmaries it's Saturday 🤣

It's lovely they have had such a good relationship, but I think it's very important to build relationships with lots of different adults. My youngest had the same teacher for 2.5 years who was absolutely amazing, but the transition to a new teacher was then extremely challenging and she was scared to go to school which wasn't great!

She's going to hide in his backseat with her club plan until he agrees, isn't she 😂

Oh dear, poor Mr T!! I’m now wondering if Mr T asked for OPs DS not to be in his class next year 🥴

I am going against the grain to most posters here, but I am with you OP.

Some teachers can have such a positive impact on a child that it makes all the difference in their future education and career. Sadly, these occurances are rare and you will likely never see it again.

I had such a teacher when I was 7. She really propelled my to new heights both socially and academically, but after a year she left for a different school in a different city and I never encountered another teacher who was able to inspire me and to build up my confidence the way she did.

In your shoes I would have tried to do the same. Some children just really respond well to a particular individual and no other teacher (no matter how good their performance is overall) is able to replicate that affect with that child.

Education for some children is not a one size fits all.

I feel like DS is being punished for being a good kid.

Why is he being punished?
Is every other child who was in Mr TA's class last year but isn't this year also being punished?
Or is it only your child who is bring moved out of his class?
Are all the other children not in Mr T's class not good kids?

You say they've mixed both classes to give a better allocation of sex, abilities, needs, etc. Only one class can have Mr T. Just happens that this year yours won't be, like 29 other children.

It's normal that they move on to a new teacher you are being dramatic about this. My year 2 daughter has had such a lovely teacher this year and of course its always a little disappointing to know they won't have that teacher again but who is to say the new teacher won't be just as lovely and bring a new dynamic into play. Please don't be an overbearing helicopter parent all his life cut the apron strings a bit and let him get on with it as his classmates will have to. Part of life is moving on to new chapters and he needs to learn that things will change in life. We had to move our children to a new school as they were in two different schools and it was becoming difficult to do two school runs. They've had to just deal with the disappointment and move on to new pastures...he'll be fine.

Is your child the only one who's not going to be in the teachers class from his current class? If so, I could understand, otherwise surly all the children who had the teacher this year and won't be having him next year are in the same position as your son? Why is your son more special than other children? I'm sure there are other children that are disappointed too.

Teachers and headteachers spend vast amounts of time and effort to ensure the best balance for classes, as well as considering the best placement for the needs of individual children. It’s not done carelessly.

I mean this gently, but there is a possibility that you are the reason that the head is reluctant to put your child into Mr T’s class - you are coming across as obsessed.

This. We were genuinely very upset when DD's teacher died during he summer break. They'd had him in year 5 and were due to have him again in year 6. His early and sudden death was genuinely heart breaking.

Even those children coped having to have a different teacher at last minute notice. Two infact over the year as first one was only temporary.

The club could actually be called "The A-Team"

Mr T in charge obvs. And only very talented, musical and sporty A team style children can attend.

To be fair this is the normal scenario anyway. Nothing to be heart broken over. A little disappointed initially perhaps but nothing more.

Before I opened the thread I thought your sons teacher may have been diagnosed with cancer or passed away or something serious to be heartbroken for…no your sons just been moved class 🙈

Do you fancy the teacher?

I feel like DS is being punished for being a good kid.

WTAF

This post and your comment above has got to be up there in the top 10 of absolutely ridiculous things I’ve read.

You are aware of how school works right?

It’s also not a healthy dynamic for the children to have the same teacher for long periods of time. That’s why they change yearly.

Also, your child is perfect so it actually shouldn’t matter who he's taught by.

My children's school have an amazing teacher who is head and shoulders better than all the others (in my opinion). Both of my children had her for one year. Instead of being heartbroken they moved on I was glad that they got their time with her.

You never know, the new teacher may be better.

There are a couple of male teachers at our primary, some of the mums and nans (most of them happily married) seem to love them more than the kids. They're not as discreet with their crushes as they think.

In all seriousness OP (assuming you are) in my experience interfering in this type of thing can often backfire. Schools generally put a lot of effort into getting the class mix right.

I meddled when my DS went into year 7 as he wasn’t in a form with friends. In my defence it was mid covid and I was slightly bonkers, I should have posted on here beforehand!! School actually listened to me and moved him, although they clearly thought it was unnecessary. It turns out he’d have been much better in the form he was originally in as that’s where all his now close friends are. Karma 😞