How would you take the following comment concerning your child from their teacher?

Question

" (child's name) is a job to have in class. We are still working on listening and following directions but overall great job!"

*Note - He has an excellent in conduct for every six week report and is exceeding expectations in his academics.

I should add that he doesn't get out of line home, church or at my job.....He generally is very good boy....but I know for a fact she didn't mis-type "joy" for "job".... I have a conference with her and I just wanted to get some viewpoints before I left.

I know he is not a saint...lol....But please don't tell me to calm down....this is my only child...and I am a single father...and raising a young man in this day and time is no joke.

Answer 1

I think it's a typo. It's is meant to say "Is a JOY to have in class"

My kids gets that all the time. Joy, not job. Unless your kid is so exhausting for teach......

Answer 2

Well...I did not come up with this on my own so I cannot take credit for it. There is one problem now a days with raising children. We want to believe our child before we believe the person who deals with our child all day long. Children can be a little two faced also, remember that. Your child is not an idiot, they know there is a certain level of stuff that they can get away with at school with a teacher that they cannot get away with @ home with their parents because the parents can use physical means to enfore the rules or take away priveleges. What can the teacher do? Give him detention? I will tell you that never stopped me in school, that just made me want to piss the teacher off more. If he is exceeding the ciriculim than he could be bored. Remember, he is a child and childen like to be entertained so if he isn't challenged than he's finding ways of entertaining himself. Children also need to learn patience however so being bored is not an excuse. Sit down with him and ask him point blank while mantaining eye contact but do not be mean or harsh, "What are you doing that the teacher says you are job to have in class?" Of course he'll be scared so he'll probably lie and say, "I don't know, she's just saying that." that's when you need to say, "Ok, good, we'll just sit here all day, every day until you can remember or figure it out." he'll have a temper tantrum because children don't like to be held accountable for anything that goes wrong. Think about it, do you like to be held accountable as an adult? Just don't lose your cool because through it all when he finally does fess up if he really is doing something wrong and you were calm about it through the whole thing, it will make him trust you more so he'll be more open in the future with you.

Answer 3

To think outside the box here i would like to share a story with you.
When I was in high school my teacher made a comment like this to my dad. My dad was a little shocked to say the least, because I was never anything but wonderful! He started asking around to other teachers, and they all said something similar. When he asked why it always the same answer. For no other reason then I was hard to get to know. I was quite in most classes, since I didn't have friends to talk to. The teachers found this difficult because they didn't know if I was understanding the information they were giving me or not. So they had to go out of their way to ask me if I was grasping it.

I hope that offers another prospective. The best way to find out what is going on in your son's scenario to to ask the teacher, of course.

Good luck

Answer 4

I would be concerned. Children usually misbehave at home and are little angels in classrooms and around others. That is what you want. If you've got it happening a different way, I'd be concerned.

Children naturally feel comfortable at home being little monsters. That is a good thing. But when they go out in public, you want them to behave themselves.

If this is a flare up in behavior, I would look at what might be going on. Maybe some kid is picking on your kid or something is going wrong in your kid's life. You didn't tell us how old your child is.

I would consider taking the child with you to a follow up conference once you find out what is going on. I would make it clear what you expect from your child and hold him or her accountable. I'd have regular contact with the child and the teacher about how he or she is doing.

But I'd be concerned and I'd look into this. But remember, this too will pass. Everything they do is just a phase early on. It's up to you to get it headed in the right direction.

Good luck.

Answer 5

I tend to agree that this is a typo. But even if it isn't, it's good that she pointed that out. Listening and following directions are crucial social skills, and could affect academics.

I will never forget grading a batch of papers (of college students), and the students who didn't follow directions were not excused for their mistakes, marked as wrong, and consequently most of them failed or got D's on that exam.


SAD lesson for college students to have to learn. May as well learn it early.

thumbs up for your child!
but check to see if it's a typo. I don't think a teacher would say that a child was a "job" to have in class. I doubt it...sounds pretty wild.

Answer 6

I would not have taken it as well as you did. Since we are hearing about it from you and not a teacher who says a crazed parent attacked them. I would talk to the teacher and explain to them that you don't understand how you child can be such a job in class and still end up with an excellent in homework. Actually, If you have this on paper from the teacher, I 'd take it to the pricipals office with the grade in conduct attached. It sounds to me like it may be something personal with the teacher.

Answer 7

I really believe it was a typo. However, as a former teacher, I would not be offended if a parent brought this to my attention and asked for clarification. Boys take a little longer to develop good listening and following direction skills than girls. I just can't see her saying he is a "job" to have in class. That's an odd way to put it. Ask her.

Answer 8

it means he is having some problems with following directions but the teacher(s) are working to overcome the problem. Your note would seem to follow from the part where the teacher wrote overall great job.

Answer 9

Why don't you call the teacher and ask him/her what he/she meant? Obsessing about something like this is just wasted time.
You are the parent and have a right to question this in an open dialog with the teacher. Just don't approach this in a huffy manner or you will just create walls of resentment. Don't discuss this with your child until you find out what occurred.

Answer 10

I would just ask the teacher exactly what she/he meant by the comment. Take a minute to absorb her answer objectively and then respond based on your knowledge of your son and your gut instincts. Overall, if his grades are good, he is happy and you are happy, who cares what the teacher thinks!! Some teachers are just incapable of dealing with or managing children who don't fit the "perfect child/student" mold.

Answer 11

lol calm down, shes saying that he is the normal child for his age range.. means he/she is not different from the "average" child their age, all teachers know that theres no "perfect" child, they all are going to have to be told to follow directions or to pay attention rather then talking... and they cut them slack depending on their age knowing that at especially young ages that its very hard for children to stay focused and to have a long attention span, so all she's saying is hes not out of the normal , he does have have to be talked to from time to time be reminded to stay focused or to listen but other then that hes a good child... he gets an excellent because they count on the fact that a child is going to do certain things that are age appropriate, but that he's not being constantly reminded to listen, etc, and it very well could be that just that day that she spoke to u, that she may of had to remind him/her to not talk to the friend next to them and to pay attention..

Stop wigging out, it gets much worse as the years go by lol..