How crucial is it to a child to have consistent teachers/instructors...?

Question

Let me clarify: How crucial is it to have one teacher or a team of teachers that stick around with the same group of students for an extended period of time? When you change around teachers, does it affect the child's ability to develop a trust and a bond with that person? I'm involved in an organization that works with children, but we are rotating the staff around so much that I think students may be dropping out because of it. Is this a valid point?

Answer 1

It absolutely is a valid point. When I think about what I expect from children, I like to put it into terms that are analogous in the adult world. (A short digression to illustrate my point: When parents have a second child, they often tell the first child that "we love you so much that we wanted to have another child." Then they do things like giving the firstborn's favorite blanket to the new baby and say, "You are too big for that now. You have big girl blankets. Look how cute the new baby looks wrapped up in your old blankie. Oh, she's so cute!" How would you feel if your husband said, "Honey, I love you so much that I've brought home a new wife! Look how cute she is! You know you've put on a bit of weight so your favorite dress doesn't look that great on you any more, but look how cute the new wife looks in it!")

So anyway, having hopefully given a reasonable example of giving kids the same consideration I would expect, how well would I do, as a teacher, if my assistants were rotated frequently, so whenever we found common ground and were ready to make progress, I had to start all over again.? Would I keep coming back day after day if I had a choice about it? Ummm....NO! And considering that I have been a teacher since the dawn of time and have considerable self-confidence, there is really not an analogous situation in regard to young kids, who don't have the experience and resulting resilency.

So I think you have a really valid point. If you should have a grouping in which a particular child doesn't mesh with the staff member assigned, then by all means make a change. But otherwise, I would go by the old adage of "If it ain't broke, don't fix it."

Answer 2

I just started working for an organization (not a school) which tutors children and the children have different teachers while of course I will eventually work with the same students but not on a consistent basis. I asked them about this and they said that the students are exposed to different things by having different tutors. Each of us has different teaching styles and knowledge and they feel it is helpful to the students. I just started this job a few weeks ago so I don't know about students dropping out, I kind of doubt it, they appear to have plenty of business.
From my point of view going in I know that by working with the same students I get a feel for them and understand their progress and personality, etc. They do it differently and what they are doing is working. If you are in the same sort of organization as this I don't think you have a valid point as to the reason for dropping students. There must be some other reason for business going elsewhere.

Answer 3

It is absolutely a valid point. Children need to feel connected to really prosper, especially in an academic atmosphere. It is very disconcerting for them to have a constant stream of different teachers entering and exiting. In the school district where I teach, we were short several hundred teachers for this school year. The lucky classes got a specific long-term substitute teacher. The unlucky ones end up having a string of teachers. The kids with rotating subs really get cheated with their education. The evidence is in the behavioral issues which are present and the lower academic gains made. If at all possible, limit the rotations of the staff.

Answer 4

Children crave consistency. That's hard to achieve with a rotating staff. Perhaps you should all get together and figure out a more suitable time frame for switching teachers. On the flip side, my school is currently participating in a remediation/enrichment program in which the group of students stays the same, but the teacher changes. I personally like getting to work with new students (just for this program, not for the whole day) because it keeps things fresh for all of us. Plus it's super nice to know a student's name when I'm calling them down for running in the hall. :)

Answer 5

A lot depends on the culture you live in and what you want of your child. diversity is good to a point and too much the same is not good. Don't be so worried abvout that part of it but do pay attention to the qwuality and honesty of the teachers. Just because they have teaching crudentials does not make them a good teacher. Especially those teaching tyhe very young. It is a fact that teachers that are not up to [ar are p-laced with th younger children and also in places like special education classes. This is wxactly the opposit of what it should be. The very best teachers should be with the very yung. Be aware that bad teachers are hard to get rid of after they have been teaching for a while. Place them in the losest grades and hope no one complains.

Answer 6

I agree. One single trusted point of contact if quite important to a child. Even if there are a few different teachers throughout the day, it is much more secure for a child to have a main teacher and a home room that they always come back to.

Answer 7

yes it is a valid point, children doesn't like changes like that,