Child scared of teacher

[youarenotkiddingme]

What do you do when a child is actually genuinely scared of a teacher?

Now I'm not aware or familiar with this teacher other than she has a reputation for being extremely strict.

Ds has ASD and can be very sensitive and anxious to some personalities.

I don't think the teacher is being unkind but I'm wondering what approach I can take with this if ds continues to obsess and lose sleep over having her for lessons - she teaches him 4 days a week!

I've obviously told ds she's new to him and him to her and give it a chance.

Has this been going on all year? If so, there's only a few weeks left so I'd be inclined to stick to telling him to give her a chance. If it's new then when did she start teaching him/ how long has it been going on for?

No his school start the next academic year timetable early when year 11 start exams and year 10 go on work experience.

So she's new to him.

Oh so he's got a whole year of her?! Your poor DS. If he's losing sleep and that stressed, I'd ask to meet her. You don't have to be heavy handed or critical as you could explain his ASD, etc. I doubt any teacher would want to think she's causing a child that level of stress. Especially a child who isn't misbehaving or causing trouble in class (I'm assuming he isn't!). You don't have to tell your son if you think that might stress him too. She might be able to have a quiet word with him and show him she has a human side...

Or failing that, discuss moving sets (if relevant) with SENCO or HoD?

Maybe you could speak to her and say that your son has ASD and is getting excessively anxious about doing the right thing in her lesson and ask if his behaviour is ok so you can reassure him he'll be fine as long as he sticks to the rules, and that you will speak to him about what he needs to do. Then make sure you help him always take the right equipment/homework and speak to him about what he needs to do in class ie. Listen/don't chat/don't call out. Say he'll be fine if he does that to reassure him?
Dd's form tutor was a bit of a dragon in year 7 and the first half of year 8 and i told dd it benefits her as if the teacher is the one ruling the roost it stops any dominant kids having too much power and starting to bully.

With a subject teacher it might be more relevant to say it benefits them as it stops kids messing around so they can concentrate and learn more.

I've said that to DS.

I've told him that he gets cross at children talking when they should be working and messing about and at least he knows they won't in this lesson!

He's still unsettled by it and I'm trying to reason with him and show positives of her policies. Except he comes back with things like she shouts all the time (it may just be her tone?) and he got told off today for asking a friend for help but he'd put his hand up as had others for ages and she doesn't respond as she's on her computer.

Then he gets anxious when I say just Lee hand up then until she responds because that's her rule and you have to get over the fact it annoys you because you think she should handle it differently.
And then he gets worried he'll get a before school detention as she does them before school for half hour.

I've talked it through and said he's to follow her rules as laid out. As long as he does that I can get involved if needs be because of work isn't completed.

Luckily there's lots on his EHCP about things like this so I have that on my side but I want to give ds a chance to get use to someone with a different style of teaching and learn to manage it iyswim?

I think you've got a constructive approach, trying to help him to adapt to the teacher.

Is the Senco someone of a type to have a discreet word with, and ask him/her to pass on to the teacher your sons info, and what might help, and what he'll find difficult. I would be asking point blank if Senco would speak to teacher as a professional heads up, and not mention that you've had a word- just because its likely to be better received, and not seen as a complaint, by that teacher IYSWIM.

Oh I can get his keyworker to get involved - she's brilliant and will stand up for him if a teachers not following his plan.

Just in this case I think ds is feeling it's bigger than it is - she has a reputation for being strict but also for being fair.

It's more he's scared of her approach and personality rather than she's doing something wrong from what I can gather!