How to avoid horrendous year 2 teacher?

[fircone]

I have noticed that one of dd's potential year 2 teachers is AWFUL and I couldn't bear her to be 'taught' by this individual.

Ds has gone through the school and had a variety of teachers, some brilliant, some average, but certainly nobody that has made me shudder. I have never made any waves at the school and being quite solitary (friendless!) I don't indulge in playground gossip.

I volunteered to buy some books for the school and had to meet this year 2 teacher. She was inarticulate, unintelligent, uninspiring... I mentioned a few authors and she glared at me blankly. She started every sentence with 'basically' and droned on about 'learning objectives' and whether books would be 'received positively'.

I am thinking I must start plotting to improve dd's chances of avoiding this teacher next year (there are three classes per year). I know it's an absolute no-no to request certain teachers, but are there any seeds I could sow at parents' evening?

Thanks for useful suggestions!

I know, I know...

I'm sorry people took exception to the 'lumpen drone' comment. (Mental note that this is an insult to hold in reserve as one with much effect!)

But I still can't stomach someone who includes 'basically' three times in every sentence and answers "'definAtely" instead of "yes".

she might be fine, I dreaded dd having a certin teacher, she had been short with me and less than understanding, so I thought she was horrid.
so I was full of dread, she turned out to be the best teacher dd has ever had.

I agree with Reallytired.

My DS once had a very mediocre teacher for a year when he was at primary - unfortunately for us, it was her last year before retiring. Although DS progressed very little that year, I don't believe it did him any harm in the long term (she was a lovely person, just not a good teacher).

I would focus on the fact that your DD has a 66.66% of NOT getting her.

a 66.66% chance, that should say

ds's year 1 teacher was truly awful, a proper lumpen drone I freely admit on my first meeting with her I judged her, and found her wanting. Playground gossip confirmed that judgement.

Shit happens, dd will have her when shes older (if she hasn't crosses fingers and wishes extra hard... retired)

Only one class per year so she had to be endured

I am lol'ing at the outrage on this thread.

Cat64,

IMO the 'over-reaction' is because the OP is isolated from the other parents at the school. She won't communicate with the them for fear of them 'slagging off' the teacher. So, she's ignored the fact that they actually might have something constructive or useful to say on the subject.

I wonder what they have done wrong? Not recognising a children's author or saying basically and definitly a few too many times???

I would think that the first thing to do is stop being unfriendly and actually talk to the other parents-especially those who have had DCs in the class.
You have to bear in mind that some people who are brilliant with 6 yr olds and terrible with adults. She may be intimidated by someone who is going to make snap judgements on one conversation! Teachers can find parents scary!
I can't think what sort of plotting is going to ensure that you get another teacher.
Why not volunteer to help in school and then you would get a better picture?

Oh, and I like 'lumpen drone' fircone

When my eldest went to a Montessori nursery the Headmistress didn't look very good, she was getting close to retirement and had a bit of a squint at times. Her people skills were poor but the 3 yr olds adored her and she was excellent with them. It doesn't pay to write someone off on the strength of one conversation.

Piscesmoon - I totally agree.

Fircone, my first thought when I read your op was 'I bet that poor teacher is shy with parents and yet fine with 6 year olds.' But you won't know unless you ask around.

The whole 'how to go about changing class' question will totally depend on your school head and the school circumstances. It's not something that MNeters can easily help with!

Ds's first year one teacher was lovely with parents and children - everyone loves her. Yet she taught absolutely no maths at all and did all the children's art for them so it would look good. Lovely lady though.

Ds's second year one teacher is famously appauling with parents, yet the boys all love her, respond well to her and she teaches them effectively and passionately.

As a teacher I have worked with a couple of teachers like this- close to retirement, not really a clue, etc etc. I really don't think that any child should have to put up with rubbish, just hope they do what the ones in my school did and go off on long term sick!

It's not weird to want to feel more positive about the person your child will be spending 6 hours a day with - I would happily 'write off' an applicant for a nanny job, for example, on the basis of one conversation/interview. However, it's true that I don't think you can do anything. I also think that your opinion MAY alter with time - my hackles were up after a teacher at ds's school arrived, and i was totally wrong about her, she's amazing. If your child does end up in her class, spend some time there as a volunteer by any means possible, try to pin down what you are unenthusiastic about in her teaching (by the sound of it, maybe lack of creativity) and make extra efforts to fill that gap with your child, or better still by running a school club. That's all you can do IMO. She may have hidden strengths. I don't blame you for being allergic to her though.

I really hope you are overstating things by saying that you are solitary. TBH making friends with at least some of your child's friends parents is IMO part of your job as a parent - my mother is the most unsociable person known to man and she gritted her teeth and made good friends with parents of 3 of my primary school friends. All three are still my friends now I'm 40, and those parents have also been a major part of my life. Partly because when my dad went bankrupt and my mother had to step up to work full-time, those parents were the ones who made a school-run rota with her and generally made a difficult time functional for us all. A thread a few weeks ago has made me nervous about saying that some friendships may be 'useful' - obviously friendship has its own value beyond what people can do for you! but still, mutual benefit is quite likely to crop up in the school years, and IMO that's a good thing. Sorry to go on for so long.

I wouldn't expect to know my ds's next year teacher until he actually starts in that year and I doubt that I will have a conversation with her prior to parents' evening. All I know is playground gossip and that says that one of the teachers is quite scary. When I asked my ds about this teacher he said how nice she is! I tried to get him to express a preference and he said he likes them both. Unless the teaching is poor I'd have no concerns about whether I liked their use of grammar or not and I wouldn't base my judgement on one conversation.