Your perfect teacher

[MissKeating]

Hello everyone,

I am a trainee teacher and about to start my first post in a primary school (year two). I will be teaching them full time next year but am about to visit them for the first time next week. I am really excited and looking forward to it but understandably also a bit nervous.

I have had a lot of training form university what they think a good teacher is, what they believe contact with parents should be like and so on. But I would like to hear a bit from the other side. What do you think makes a good teacher? If your kid is in primary school, what do you think a teacher should do to make you and the children happy? Even if it's quite general I would like to know.

I'd be really happy if you could share stories about good and not so good teachers, what made you happy, what you would like to never happen again. I just think it would be nice to hear from families rather than just from my tutors.

We have a lovely teacher in yr2. Lovely because she's so quietly patient and calm, and she always gives the impression that she cares about all her class. 1st class mother substitute! All the children adore her.

Someone who is kind but firm, knows my child well and what his/her educational needs are, is approachable and easy to talk to about concerns from both me and my child. Someone who is fun and happy to be around and makes learning fun and inspiring for the children.

As a parent of a child with a chronic illness it has been helpful to have teachers who are willing to understand the condition and know what to do in an emergency. I'll describe the contrast between the best and worst teacher we've had.

The worst teacher had the attitude of her role as teacher is to educate my child, she is not a nurse and has no interest at all in knowing any details about my child's condition. I should speak to the TA as that will be her role.

The best teacher set aside half an hour with me to discuss my daughter's condition so she would know what to do in case of an emergency, know who to contact and what signs and symtoms to look out for whilst she was teaching incase my daughter was running into trouble with her condition. The TA would also help with my daughter if help was needed but the teacher wanted to know herself too. The teacher later in the year obtained a teaching pack from the charity associated with my daughter's condition and incorporated that into the curriculum so that all children in my daughter's class were aware of the condition and what it was all about. She did it in such a way as not to single out my daughter but for the others to gain an understanding, the educational pack was well received by everyone in the class.

First of all please call them children, they are not baby goats...... Or is that just me being pedantic?
Get to know all the children as individuals.
Remember that the parent does know the child better than anyone else.
Also, if a child has a SEN that you don't know much about, take the time to read up about it.

Thank you very much everyone!

Moomoomie, where I am from we usually say kids but it's good to know it might be offending some people. I wouldn't say it out loud in the school though anyway, just short hand typing.

I would like to get to know them all as individuals, but I guess that will take some time. I only get to see them for 3 days next week with their year 1 teacher around. But I do genuinely care and will do my best to do so and be caring.

Sophia, so you wouldn't mind me inviting you to a short meeting and asking some (personal) questions?

Kissingtoads (ew): Considering you got a child in year two just now you might be able to answer another question. I would like to bring something fun in on the first day. For key stage one we thought about bringing in a class pet, some sort of fun stuffed animal that can become a bit of a class mascot. It can be introduced alongside me next week, we can name it etc. Do you think your child would have liked that?

I would say understand child development for primary school aged children (or is that covered in teacher training anyway?)

If something isn't working, try something else.

And most importantly keep the attitude you're showing here, of wanting to learn more yourself!

Don't dismiss the quiet sensitive souls in the class. Yes the more confident, not backward in coming forward are easier to understand, but give the quiet ones a chance.

Don't use the TA attached to a SEN child as your classroom assistant they aren't
Make sure you build a good relationship with the parent of the SEN child she will be an expert on his or her needs and is a valuable source of information.
Learn how to write a SMART iep, involve the parent beforehand rather than presenting an iep for signing without discussion.
Remember if you have told a child a hundred times and the child still doesn't grasp it, it isn't them who is stupid

MissKeating, no I wouldn't mind you asking questions. Most parents will already have a good idea what information you need to know and will be happy to share it with you if it's for the benefit of their child.

Your idea about the class mascot is a nice one. When my children were in Year 2 the class teacher had a class mascot called Barnaby Bear. The child who was selected as "star of the week" on a Friday got to take Barnaby home for the weekend and the following week. Barnaby had a diary (A4 size scrapbook) in which the child could write and paste photos and other items like leaflets in to show what Barnaby had done with them over the weekend and during the week after school. They would talk about and look through Barnaby's diary at the end of the week (before the next star of the week was announced) which was good for encouraging discussion and turn taking in conversation. It was also interesting for us as parents to see who had previously had Barnaby and what he had been up to with other children from the class! His activities ranged from simple things like playing in the garden or reading a book together, going to after school clubs with the child to the more exciting activities like going away on holiday with the child if they had been awarded star of the week over a school holiday.

I remember in Reception DS1's teacher had a glove puppet. He used to 'accidentally' get things wrong (Sooty style) and the children had to correct him.

Someone who knows something about SN and if she doesn't will ask and be willing to consider that parents might know a thing or two about their own children.

Approachable, caring almost to the point of being a second mother - at least one day per week the teachers at our school see my boys more than I do . firm but fun. Organised, makes an efforts to get to know parents individually.

We were really lucky with the teachers and TA's my boys had this year - all have been really lovely and we will miss them all - especially as one is leaving to go to a new school :(

Hello,

thank you very much for all the posts. I am sorry I have not been back earlier, I had some internet issues lately and was gone for the weekend. I really love coming back to so many tips though!

HighNoon We get a bit of training on child development but not much. I did a psychology degree and have a bit of background knowledge but it might be an area to look into to refresh my knowledge.
And thank you for the compliment. I do want to be a great teacher if possible and I am trying to improve, even when the truth sometimes hurt I think we have all been there. I really appreciate the advice from parents though, I think it will be very useful!

Sparklingbrook, I met my class last week and they were lovely. A few really loud ones and I know what you mean about not ignoring the quiet ones, I guess it's easy to do when others are more 'in your face' if you know what I mean.
I also have a few children that showed quite challenging behaviour, very disruptive, which is probably especially detrimental for the quiet souls. I know I was one at school and children being loud and aggressive would have scared me a lot.

I also introduced the class pet and they liked it. I hope they will continue to do so. The school has very low parental involvement (relatively challenging inner city school) and the new head said giving the pet home for weekends might not be a good idea as it probably wouldn't come back. Not sure what to do about that one yet as I really like the idea of giving the children responsibility. And SophiaWinters idea of having a book to connect the parents as well sounds great. I will see how that works out come September.

I will have a TA but not attached to a child with SENs. I have a few children with SENs, I hope I will be able to support them appropriately. I now have a list of everything and will be able to do some background reading.

If anyone has any other advice I would be happy to receive it There are some systems in place such as reward systems that I obviously can't change, but I can try and adapt everything as much as possible for my class. I am really excited already!

When a dispute arises between children, please take the time to listen to both sides of the story. The child who comes crying to you first is not necessarily the innocent party.

What might seem like a very small problem to you, could be a great deal to a small child or their parents so please take it as seriously as you can.

What sort of pet is it? I have to say I'd be worried about sending a defenceless animal to homes where you don't know how it will be treated. I'd rethink this if I were you, the children can take responsibility for it during the week.

My DD's Yr1 teacher has a fab method for the post-lunch wriggles/graveyard slot - when they are fidgetty/tired/not concentrating. Everyone has to jump up, wriggle fingers, sing a particular song of hers (something about bananas and chopping them with appropriate movements). She doesn't use it all the time but it really wakes them up/gets rid of the wriggles and helps everyone settle back into listening. This teacher's whole approach is fun, she has stuff prepared - pass the parcel games around phonics- that kind of stuff. She has thought about the lesson and inject a wow element to it. My DD has thrived under her and all us parents love her as she so clearly gives a shit.

My only criticism is she can (possibly - only got one-side) be guilty of the ignoring the quiet/good ones if there is a lot of noise/a kerfuffle going on. As above - listen to both sides. And 5/6 years can feel the "small" problems enormously.

It sounds like you care. This surely is 99% of the way to success!

Oh and if you are giving out any projects/homework don't give it out on a Friday afternoon - if parents have a question and only that weekend for DC to do homework you are stuffed! Homework actually should be banned entirely though IMHO.

DH is the perfect teacher, mind you he peddles that image and always calls it being Jason Bourne, i.e. creating your own myth. Telling everyone how fantastic you are and never admitting weakness. In the wrong hands it can go tits up, but if you are any good it's a plan!

Oh an idea they had in DD reception was to have a toy dog they could tell their problems to...so if they were having a sad moment they could go and tell the dog what was upsetting them if they did not want to tell a teacher.

and TBH I don't think he has ever had a moment of self doubt which helps. He is far from arrogant, just a really rare mix of self confidence and self deprecation.

And he is lucky I am singing his praises tonight as he has been somewhat of a twat ref the new iPad.............

I understand the worry about not getting the toy/pet back after the weekend. We sent home a laminated gingerbread person that the children had decorated themselves. With a story about how he had escaped from the fox etc... Every child took one home for the holiday and wrote a diary , sticking in photos or leaves , pictures etc... Not everyone brought it back but there was no financial loss or emotional attachment by me or the class as each gingerbread was personal. It was so lovely to see what they got up to and the variety of ways families filled them in. This might be a nice activity to do with your next class before the summer Hols next year as it can give you a good background. Good luck with your new class .

I have three children in primary school and so far they total 16 years of school between them!
A good teacher is kind but firm. Hard though it is, treat every child equally. Anyone can teach the good, brainy girls but if you can manage the boys in the class you have made it. Boys are generally harder to settle and keep settled and they easily distract the other children as they are harder to keep focussed on one topic. Learn about the problems associated with looked after and adopted children. Good luck.

Everything SittingBull said.

And like Sophia (great name!), I too have a child with chronic illnesses and it was hugely difficult dealing with teachers who acted like his illness was all in his head and/or made up by me. Never mind the multiple letters from doctors and specialists with strict instructions and a list of the awful drugs he was taking. One evil teacher, when ds asked for a few extra minutes to finish an exam as "his head wasn't working quickly" ignored him and told him to turn in his test on the spot. She had been given a long letter from the neurologist describing the cocktail of drugs that ds was taking including a mood altering drug, a narcotic and a pain killer and an explanation that they would make ds slow, dopey and un-alert.

Ds is now at a small private school and his teachers are fantastic from start to finish. They recognize that just because ds is not conventional and has chronic illnesses, doesn't mean he isn't smart and interested in learning. Just because ds has difficulty with handwriting, doesn't mean he isn't brilliant at english (just has to be allowed to type to overcome his learning difference). Just because ds is forever losing his flash drive, doesn't mean he isn't brilliant at computers.

So thrilled that you are asking what makes a good teacher from the point of view of the parents. It has been so wonderful having ds at a school where the teachers ask me, the parent, what I would recommend to help them best teach my child. They respect me and I respect them.

What a great thread. I too think that you will be a really good teacher because you are asking "the other side" and not seeing parents as a problem.
Remember no matter how irritating a child might be in your class that child (hopefully) is someone's adored and cherished son or daughter. Try to see and value what is unique and special about every child rather than having a model of a good child.
Don't ignore the good quiet girls because the rowdy boys are taking all your attention.
Listen and remember what parents tell you about the family. I told my son's year 2 teacher that my father was dying and it was a big deal for our whole family. A couple of months later I took my son in and told her that my father had died the previous day. She looked blank and said " Oh dear. Was he ill?"
The more you keep learning in your job, the more you will enjoy it.