Problems with Kinder Teacher?

Question

Our daughter has started Kinder and I'm already getting bad vibes from her teacher. At first, the teacher seemed perfect. She has a kind face and looked like the perfect person to be teaching children. Then the trouble began. My daughter began acting out and throwing tantrums and becoming the kid that gets sent to the office (even on the 2nd day of school). I have been to several conferences already and have been working non stop with the counselors and teacher to get her on the right track. At first I was putting everything on my daughter since she had never been to preschool and didn't think twice about the teacher. It seems lately though that instead of being patient like a Kinder teacher should, she's been rude, giving us the cold shoulder, and unwilling to communicate at all. I dropped my daughter off this morning (fresh start) and right away teacher GLARED at her, smirked at me, and then walked away without even a "Good Morniing".

I'm thinking of switching her. Any advice?

sr78, thanks! I felt better after reading your reply.

Thing is she doesn't really have anything negative to say about her teacher. She seems to like her ok, but then again she never says anything negative about anyone. She thinks everyone is just great. So I am kind of in a struggle as to what to do. On one hand, the teacher has become rude to us (the parents), but on the other hand switching her may not do anything. I am afraid she may still act the same way in another class. I don't want to have to switch her from room, but I WILL if the teacher can't have a bit of patience.

Answer 1

read the signs ur granddaughter(and the teacher) are giving u, switch her ASAP

Answer 2

First off, you are well within the right to switch your daughter's teacher. She is an educator who, even though teaches the youngest age, needs to uphold a certain amount of professionalism. That stupid game she is playing is high school BS and she just needs to learn to grow up.

Moving along, have a talk with the principal. The teacher may be present at this chat or not, it is up to you. Better if you have the meeting with the teacher present. Discuss what you dislike about the treatment you, your daughter and whoever else is being subject to and what the three of you can do to keep calm waters.

I am basically saying that if you feel you need to switch your daughters teacher, then do so.

Remember it's not about you or the teacher, but rather the child. This is her first experience in the educational system. Don't let it be one that will turn her off from academics all together.

I hope I could be of some help.

Answer 3

I would definitely switch her to another classroom. The teacher should be better than what you have described. And to be rude to the parents is really wrong. Talk to her and if you are not satisfied then go to the principal. If you are still not satisfied there is the superindentant and also the school board. Just because she is a teacher does not mean there are not ways to get the explanation you deserve. Being a kindergarten teacher she is setting your daughter up for what may come in the following years of school. And this teacher is doing a bad job. I firmly believe that it is within the first 4 years of schooling that will make your child love or hate school. They need nurturing teachers. Especially in kindergarten. The teacher should tell you what she sees in the classroom and what she is observing.

Answer 4

Before you switch your daughter's class, you should probably make sure that the teacher is the problem and that it's not something else. As adults who have been through the school system and had teachers we dreaded, the first question we might think to ask our kids is "what's wrong with your teacher?"

Try to ask your daughter open ended questions like "How come you get sad and angry and throw tantrums when you're at school?". Make sure you let her express exactly what is on her mind, and don't try to lead her in any way. Maybe it's simply seperation anxiety, maybe she is scared to be around lots of older children in the hallways, maybe she's just taking a while to adjust to the structured environment of school, and following the instructions of an adult other than her parents.

If, after all of this, you find out that there really is a compatability problem between your daughter and her teacher, then by all means switch her. You might even want to talk to parents who have children in your daughter's class to see if anyone else is experiencing the same thing. Just be sure that it really is the teacher before you make the switch. If it's something else, you might just be making things worse for your daughter. If she is moved so soon from one classroom to another, teachers might be quick to unfairly label her as a "problem child".

You're right to be concerned about your daughter and wanting to make her school experience the best it can be. Just make sure you're addressing the correct problem before you rush to make changes.

Answer 5

Have you talked with other parents about the teacher? Just a suggestion. Although, when we had a problem with our child in preschool, this did not help much. Our son's preschool was a part of the school system, which ended up being a blessing. He enjoyed going until the director left. He suddenly came home saying he did not like the teacher that had been there, but he had not spent as much time with her prior to the director leaving. They began saying (this was 4 years ago, can't rem. all) things about him that just did not seem right. He never really denied what they said he was doing. I should have supported him, but believed them. Now I know that he was just too young to understand that he did not do some of the things they said he did. Once they said he bit another kid. I knew something was up because he did not bite as a sign of defense or aggression. He stomped, pushed, grabbed, but never bit nor hit.

PRIORITY SUGGESTION: GO TO HER CLASSROOM. Do NOT announce your visit. If they do not allow these visits, attend school board meetings, campaign to change it because it's very important. One day my son came home from school and said the teacher grabbed his arm and jerked him. I believed he was exaggerating, BUT I had not been comfortable with the whole situation so I stuck around after dropping him off one day. The lady was so stupid. She did not even see me in the room. I saw her JERK kids around by grabbing their arms. I snatched my kid up and went straight to the superintendent's office. That mostly took care of the problem. She started her own daycare, which recently went out of business.

SUGGESTION 2: Try to understand your young child. Remember that they can be easily influenced. If they push another kid and are told that they hit the kid, then they will believe they hit the kid, etc. (not that pushing is better than hitting). Something little can be turned into something big, and these youngsters don't have a clue. They will believe their caregiver because they are forced to have trust in them. If the adult knows that they have damage control to do, they have many years of experience of how to manipulate little kids. Other people believed that this lady was wonderful.

Anyway, I know that most people are not like this, but if your child is having problems, listen to them, talk to them. Be careful not to put words in their mouth because the same thing that I explained above can happen, and what you want is the truth. Most importantly, and this is hard, try to do this without the child getting too stressed.

If something is wrong with the teacher, that needs to be addressed. She/he does not need to do this to every kid. They could just have one or two that they do this to. If that's the case here, that person needs to be removed or learn how to work with children. Since this has happened, my son has not had another problem with any teacher he has ever had. They've all been great.

Good luck.

Answer 6

It is time to switch teachers. Some people just shouldn't teach. It is hard for children to go from being at home all the time and boom school. That women needs to have more patience and should never glare at your child. What you should have done was ask the teacher why she glared at your child and then grab you child and marched straight to the principals office and told them that they will put your child in another classroom and that there is no way in hell that you will send your daughter to school when you believe that the teacher is being cruel to your child. The fact that you have worked with the school to fix the problem and then drop your child off and that is how the teacher reacts. That woman has some nerve! No wonder your child is having problems at school and all the adults are blaming the child. Poor kid!!

Answer 7

Yes, switch her. Alot of times teachers don't understand that when your kids are starting trouble at school it can be very stressful for the parent and you want to try everything to alleviate the situation. They think you owe them something and start acting all stuck up and rude and it makes you feel like your child is a second class citizen or something. It seems like you care and are trying to do something about your daughter's behavior.

On the other hand, sometimes a misbehaving child can just make a teacher's day so much harder and they just wish the kid wasn't around. My son is very aggressive and he bites and he was finally kicked out from daycare because of that. I was angry but when I recalled observing the classroom I would see that he was draining and it basically made their day unpleasant and very frustrating. It's part of teaching of course but it still is after all your/my that is the trouble maker. I just started really working on him to make him a more patient and manageable child. It's sort of working but it is a lot of hard work.

Good Luck!

Answer 8

Well basically you have two options... sit back and let her be in her class and see what comes of it (which will probably be the teacher holding her back ) or do something about it! Call the school explain your concerns and don't leave til they switch your daughter, but remember the other teacher could be worse too.. eveidently this teacher doesn't care enough about your child to make it her own problem... I would switch ehr in a heartbeat and make the school deal with it.. Your child will only get help if you seek it from the school ...

Answer 9

I'd call the school's office and arrange a meeting between yourself, the principle and the teacher. Talk with the parents of other children in her class, too. Maybe they are seeing a similar reaction in their kids. Personally, I've had to get after a few teachers. For some reason they think they are the 2nd Coming and forget they are employees.

Answer 10

It seems to me that the first step would be to ask your daughter if she is having problems with the teacher. Then ask the other parents if they have noticed anything unusual. Sometimes it is just a case of the child and teacher not being compatible. If that is the case, definitely change her class or teacher. But if you discover that it is just the adjustment to school that is the problem, give the teacher a little more time to work things out with your daughter.

Answer 11

If your school is big enough to switch I would do that, it might not hurt to get a look at her records or ask for copies just in case she has anything in there.
You said you have conferences.
Have you had one with the teacher that goes like this
"Amy seems so upset? have you noticed and do you know of anything that it could be? Maybe another child or is she adjusting well?? This way it will not follow her.
Just in case. I have found once this starts it seems to never end.
However I wish you all the best. I never had the option to move mine we came from a small place