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Original poster

Anyone not loving their child's Reception teacher?

50 replies

mummyneedingahug · 12/09/2012 21:49

Ok its only the first full week but she isn't Miss Honey! She is just quite anti social, doesn't really give you much eye contact or seem cuddly towards the children. My DC said thank you, good bye today, she replied ok goodbye! I was expecting "Great day, did a nice painting, see you tomorrow" just a bit of warmth??? AIBU?

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exoticfruits · 12/09/2012 21:53

How old is she?

Original poster
mummyneedingahug · 12/09/2012 21:55

Hard to say.....early 50's?

OP posts:
exoticfruits · 12/09/2012 22:11

I was going to say that maybe she was very young and apprehensive with parents - obviously not the problem.

shattereddreams · 12/09/2012 22:16

Am so glad to see the back of DD's of last year, but she was young and couldn't spell!

JackJacksmummy · 12/09/2012 22:17

I find the younger ones are much more friendly and cuddly. My DD had an older reception teacher and she was definitely as you describe.

cansu · 12/09/2012 22:19

tbh she could be the most phoney fake happy teacher in the world and be poor in the classroom. If your dc is happy,give her a chance. Do you really need her to impress you at home time?

PenguinBear · 12/09/2012 23:07

If you could write a list of 'must haves' for a Reception teacher, what would be on it?

LindyHemming · 13/09/2012 07:23

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Northumberlandlass · 13/09/2012 08:00

DS had a teacher in Yr1 who I found very unsociable, didn't make eye contact, I actually thought looked grumpy, I found her difficult to approach & talk to ...HOWEVER DS loved her! Said she was funny and she really brought him on leaps and bounds.

I think she preferred the company of children to that of adults. As long as your DC has settled and they are being encouraged - I really don't see the problem.

None of DS's teachers have had much to say at the end of the day... Only if they are handing out 'bump' cards or the dreaded..."Can I have a word with you Northumberlandlass?"

Its only been a week - is your DC happy?

learnandsay · 13/09/2012 08:49

Since she's not teaching you, she's teaching your child, your personal feelings about her aren't relevant unless there is a discipline or communication problem that you can't resolve with her because of the way she responds to you.

takeonboard · 13/09/2012 08:54

My DS's reception teacher was like that, quite cross and stern most of the time too! He really liked her and did well in her class. Personality wise she wasn't what I had hoped for but she was a great teacher and DS was very happy.

HaveringGold · 13/09/2012 09:07

We had awful problems with DS's teacher last year, too much to go into on this thread but he was very unhappy and I could have happily throttled her. First week back he told his new teacher (who he is loving) that last years teacher was 'very nice' and came home all made up because she'd stopped in the playground to talk to him about his holidays!
All I'm saying is whatever you think of the teacher ends up being pretty irrelevant.

seeker · 13/09/2012 09:09

"Cuddly? We're not allowed to cuddle children."

Yes you are.

IawnCont · 13/09/2012 09:13

DS' reception teacher was a bit... I don't know... Cold. But he loved her, and then I got wise and started to love her too. I'm not convinced that cuddly is the way to go for a teacher tbh... Teachers should be fair and kind, but not a replacement mother.

swallowedAfly · 13/09/2012 09:16

ds's reception teacher was of the young, talk in a high little voice and say ahhhhh a lot type. used to worry me a bit that she was too flaky tbh and i hoped for the slightly sterner of the two year one teachers. alas we got the flaky young one who once asked me if elizabeth the first was our last monarch 'cos she isn't very good at history' Hmm

tbh i feel like this year is a write off. i've observed her teach and experienced her general intelligence and i can't help but feel like this is a waste of a year of his education. not a nice feeling.

just got to get through it i guess. i wouldn't worry about them not being happy clappy in the playground - so long as they are fair and kind when needed the most important thing is that they are actually capable of educating a class of children.

MsGee · 13/09/2012 09:17

I don't love LittleMsGee's teacher. She is very old school, bit of a matron type, no-nonsense, bit patronising in how she speaks to parents.

However, I think that she is probably a very good teacher and her approach is based on years of experience, so she is probably what the children need. After all, I don't need to be friends with the woman, just trust her to educate my child, which I do even if she is obsessed by four year olds having flicky bits on the bottom of their letters

swallowedAfly · 13/09/2012 09:18

(and as an ex teacher who observed ds's current teacher teach for an afternoon i am clear that she is not capable of educating a class of children effectively)

PastSellByDate · 13/09/2012 16:59

Hi mummyneedingahug:

I was in a similar state with DD1 and really shocked by her somewhat businesslike/ brusque manner after the overly friendly nursery we were at where I really felt part of the family (we still great each other as long lost friends when we run into staff from the nursery on outings).

Most schools have various drop-in sessions (reading mornings/ afternoons, maths mornings/ afternoons, workshops, etc...) which even if you're working you can try and make some time for. I arrange to start work late one day a week so I could attend reading mornings. It meant I got to see the class, DDs were able to show off art work/ more formal class work put on display and I regularly could touch base with her teacher. It didn't solve all issues, but it helped reassure me quite a bit.

HTH

Looksgoodingravy · 13/09/2012 17:26

Although I really liked ds Reception teacher looking back now I wish the ground rules had have been set a bit firmer than they were as Y1 is seeming a bit of a shock to him and from having an exemplary record in YR he's now been moved onto amber (traffic light system) for talking too much.

I don't suppose teachers can win.

unsureunderneath · 13/09/2012 17:33

Dd1's teacher is young and of the cuddly variety. I think she is great and so does dd1 thankfully. She is also Early Years Co-orderinater or something which impresses me as well (whatever it means)

The TA worried me a bit yesterday as after 4 days she was still guessing what my dds name might be. She did say she was determined to learn all the names though hmm

TalkinPeace2 · 13/09/2012 18:02

DDs Year R teacher loathed her. Such that the Head had to warn her about making it so obvious. We got through it.

PenguinBear · 13/09/2012 18:03

That's dreadful Talking peace, hope your dd didn't suffer for it :(

LindyHemming · 13/09/2012 18:14

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

IawnCont · 13/09/2012 18:38

I'm pretty sure they aren't allowed to in Wales either Euphemia- DS went to cuddle his teacher in a parents' evening to say goodbye, and she felt the need to ask us if that would be okay.

exoticfruits · 13/09/2012 19:06

I decided that the day that I was told that I couldn't cuddle a child would be the day I left teaching. I left for other reasons, but no one ever stopped me and I certainly wasn't going to stop picking up a distressed 5 year old and giving them a cuddle.

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