What do parents want from their primary teacher?

[TraineePrimaryTeacher]

Hi Mumsnet,
I am just asking for some advice, I am a trainee teacher just starting my PGCE year to become a primary teacher. I have spent the past three years studying pedagogy, policies and teaching methods during my undergrad degree in Sports Education. Between my lectures I worked part-time as a teaching assistant with a specialism in SEN, but, worked in practically every type of school imaginable (PRUs, SEN residentials, mainstream, early years, colleges and high schools).

The idea of having my own class is so so exciting to me, I am quite a confident person and very secure in my own teaching style and am confident I will be a good teacher. The only bit that does make me nervous is you guys, the parents and guardians... I read a lot of threads on here about teachers upsetting you and I really don't want to be that type of teacher. I would love for a sentence or two from a few different parents that explain good and bad examples of practice so I can get the feel of what parents really want from their child's teachers.

TIA, :)

Don't go into it thinking you've got it all sorted and know how to teach. You are just setting yourself up to be shocked at how hard it is

This. Please don't assume you already know everything. Those trainees are the hardest to help because what you do know is a very, very small part of teaching.

Yes yes yes to please never give homework the child cannot complete without multiple hours of a parent's time, parental artistic talent and a trip to hobbycraft! And to no 24-hr Elizabethan courtier costume requirements.

As a parent who uses after school club, we do miss a lot of information that is handed out in person to parents collecting DC. Emails would be wonderful. Texts too but emails could just have the sheet of paper as an attachment and we'd have everything we need.

Beyond organisation: I suppose we want everything from teachers! For me, important things (that have been missing on occasion) are to know my DC and stretch them when they need it, to run the classroom so that behaviour is good without making the ones who just mainly do as they're told feel like they'll never get celebrated, or that they are constantly penalised for others' bad behaviour.

And I'd cast my vote for no homework at all except for reading. Totally pointless in early primary imo. Just makes DC without super-organised homes feel bad, if anything. We're usually mostly organised, but with working FT, regular late hours (DH), and especially when DD2 was a tantrum-full toddler, it didn't always happen. Now with two sets of reading books, book bags, library days, PE kits, random trips and forms to sign, activities, music practice... travelling for work ... I'm feeling tired just listing all this... .

Good luck OP! Those saying you can't please all the parents are completely correct. You can please the ones whose opinions and ideas you agree with, that fit your own teaching style and needs. And some of the others too, if they're reasonable.

Be kind, make the effort to find the good in my child and in every child in your class. Don't have blatant favourites as its obvious to both parents and children.

Bring me solutions not problems and I will gladly support you with them. I.e don't say 'little bookbahnis struggling to listen' and then look at me as though I have the solution. Instead say 'little bookbag is struggling to listen so I've moved his desk nearer to me and I'm implementing a reward chat etc.

Work collaboratively with me as a parent. If I suggest that my child could cope with a higher book and or is finding the homework too hard then maybe just maybe I am right. Yes you are the professional but know one knows my child as well as me.

I would like a teacher who puts forward all children at assemblies and not just the most able/oldest in the class.
I expect rigour in everything they do: no typos in homework or lazy ways of speaking (Ie: "we were" and not "we was")
I would also like them to have plenty of suggestions for books my DD might like.

Yes bookbag40, teachers have actually had me in tears by off loading everything that is wrong with my DC on me without a single suggestion as to what should be done about it, as if they've done their bit by telling me DS can't write/sit still. Don't do that OP!

Sounds odd but I will need them to understand son quite well. My DS has sensory issues and I need them understood as certain things are very uncomfortable for him/ downright painful.

When DD had just started yr 1 she was given a homework task to make a medieval village in a shoe box.

The only colleague I've had who has set this kind of homework had no children (and not much life outside teaching) and thought it was an entirely reasonable thing to do

I want you to be smiley and approachable.

to run the classroom so that behaviour is good without making the ones who just mainly do as they're told feel like they'll never get celebrated

in many parents' eyes, is incompatible with this:

little bookbag is struggling to listen so I've moved his desk nearer to mine and I'm implementing a reward chart

(Both from previous posters)

I want my child to like you and enjoy being in your class.

Agree I like teachers to be approachable. But beware because this means some parents will take the piss and expect you at their beck and call every day.

I like teachers to try to be fair and not favour certain kids. It's ok and natural to like some better than others but not ok to treat them differently based on this.

I want communication - problem? Tell me.

You could also trawl old primary threads on here.

No homework, other than reading books in infants. Then only reading and also a maths and English sheet on a Friday. No other homework or projects , ever. Thank you.

Please write to your children's headteachers and let them know your opinions on no homework. Lots of teachers agree with you (and it isn't about the marking!)

Then in juniors I meant.

Lol been doing my sons starting reception homework today.

The homework bothers me because there is zero evidence primary homework improves GCSE grades. After school I want my school to relax, play , attend clubs, chat with me , help make dinner, even just watch their favourite tv show, not more school work.

I want you to be nice but firm. To not rely on small children to pass information to their parents. To not resort to shouting as the only way to keep control. My personal pet peeve which our school constantly does is to punish the whole class when a select few were misbehaving. Dont always pick the extrovert confident children for performances/plays etc. There will be some parents for whom nothing you do will be good enough. Don't let these few tarnish your view of the majority of parents who are thankful for all the teachers doing a great job in often difficult circumstances.

For my child to come home cheerful and excited about their social life & what they have been learning today.

As a parent and a teacher I would say find something to like about each child, remember you are in loco parentis so you have to care about them. This may come naturally to you but it didn't to some of my ds' teachers and it was very obvious at parent-teacher meetings.

Also my philosophy is that educating is a partnership between home and school so I let the parents know that they must raise any issues that they feel are relevant and I try to let parents know if anything really out of the ordinary has occurred.

Also, try to be sensitive to parents' genuine concerns. Some of my non-parent colleagues can be very dismissive of parents' anxieties and feelings but, having been through it all myself I know how hard it is to send your child to school when you know something is worrying them.

Other than that - be firm and fair, and good luck. It sounds as though they will be lucky to have you as their teacher.

Communication. To see my child's education as a collaborative effort between us.

To know my child as an individual.

If you are handing children over to parents at the end of the day, please ask any parent who needs to speak to you to wait until the rest of the children have been let out.

No elaborate dress up days and certainly not more than 1 per term.

Homework to be spellings once per week with no spelling mistakes or I will write you a passive aggressive note with a smiley face along the lines of "I assume this was a typo..." mildrew and raisons spring to mind from year 1.

For events which parents are invited to attend (looking at end of term project work/assemblies etc), please give as much notice as possible so parents with other commitments/responsibilities can arrange between them who can attend.

Understand that my child is a full year (bar a couple of days) younger than some of her classmates, so though she will be trying her best she will not be as quick to get changed for PE etc. as another child who has been doing up buttons/zipping up a coat for a year longer than she has. Please don't make her lose a house point for it.

For littlies, believe them when they tell you they need the loo

I want a teacher who looks for the good in children and not feel pleased with herself that she has found something bad that she can bring up at every opportunity. I want a teacher that lets me know at the time when my child has done something wrong so as I can deal with it and not six weeks later at parents evening when I'm wanting to know how he is getting on education wise. I'd like a teacher who ensures everyone in the class gets a chance to try things such as a part in school play and not subject me to six years of watching the same kids over and over.....I'd like a teacher who tells me what my child's targets are and not my child....HE WILL FORGET......I'd like a teacher that gives every kid in the class an equal number of races on sports day, so I don't take a day off work to see him do one race then sit glumly on the sidelines, whilst every other kid comes away with six "I ran a race stickers"......I loved my last child's teacher who used class dojo to communicate with us and who took loads of pictures of the class doing activities and sent them to us.....

I want a teacher who:

Sees good qualities and potential in every child, and nurtures those strengths.

Has high expectations (of both learning and behaviour) for every child, and helps them to improve.

Notices each child, and makes sure that each one gets a little bit of special attention and recognition over the course of each week/fortnight.

Notices effort as well as results.

Encourages co-operation and kindness between children.

Is fair and consistent, but able to adapt to unexpected situations.

Is welcoming and communicates with parents.

Informs parents of potential problems in the very early stages so that the teacher and parent can work together to solve them.

Work to your own strengths and be yourself in the classroom. Work in a team with colleagues who have different strengths to you.

I would never expect a trainee or NQT to be able to do all that. But they are things that the very best teachers do.

Please don't punish the whole class when only a few kids have been naughty. This annoys my kids a lot as they see that it is very unfair. I think it is unfair too and find it hard to support the teachers when they do this.