Primary Teachers

[pollypocket123]

Hello! I wondered what parents look for in a primary school teacher; other than being someone there to ensure your child makes the expected progress, cares about your child's needs and chats to you in the line? Who are your favourites? Do they have something extra? Are they motherly/reassuring?

I think I would like someone for whom every child matters. I have met teachers who seem to favour the loud children or the bright children or even the troubled children but have not yet met one who seems to put the same amount of effort into every single child in their class. I would like a teacher who could be honest not just tell me my child is 'fine' when clearly they are not and who will not disemble when asked questions. I would like a teacher who sees parents as people to be worked with and who takes on board the patents views and knowledge about their child - I think too many teachers view parents as the enemy. I would like a teacher who looks for the good in every child and who praises and rewards that.

Genuinely liking children - may be obvious, but I had a few teachers who clearly didn't.

Being strict but still treating the children with respect.

Really getting to know the children in their class. As a parent there's nothing so reassuring as reading a report where you can recognise your own offspring, warts and all.

Being open and honest with parents and regarding them as part of the team.
Sense of humour.

Super-human powers of enthusiasm and cheerfulness.

I would say it is having a bubbly enthusiastic personality. If a teacher is interested and enthusiastic about a topic or school in general then the young children in their class will be too. Obviously they need to know the children, pick up on problems, be good with boundaries and discipline and actual teaching but it is the atmosphere in the classroom which makes children WANT to go to school (or not if the atmosphere isn't good).

Enthusiasm
Firmness
Approachability
Empathy
Openness
Intelligence
Kindness
Passion

A teacher who likes young children, is patient and fair and is able to control the classroom as well as enthusing children.

Impossible to achieve in one person but have met a few who have come close and one who just did not! Hence child did not want to go to school!

Really hard to achieve when thirty kids in a class and lots of pushy parents with unrealistic expectations about their 'snowflake' children.....

Ds3's current teacher is pretty perfect. She is young and oozes enthusiasm. If she doesn't love her job then she hides it very well. She really knows the children inside out (ds had her last year as well and his report was all about him). She listens to parents and takes what they say on board. Every issue was satisfactorily dealt with. She appears to be quite firm with them and yet they all love her. Ds can be a sensitive little soul like his mother and she handles him with great care.