What happens when your child and his teacher are polar opposites? Do you spend the year watching your child suffer or do you request that he be moved to a new class?
Personally, I don’t find either option very inviting. However, it’s a problem faced by thousands of parents each year… including my best friend.
My extremely non-confrontational best friend.
Her son recently started all-day kindergarten and he dreads going because his teacher is a yeller. The kid has been raised by one of the sweetest, gentlest, kindest souls on the planet. I’m not sure his mother’s voice reaches a decibel level over a loudish whisper. So, imagine my friend’s son’s reaction when he was struggling to zip up his jacket before recess last week (actually every day last week) and suddenly found himself on the receiving end of this: “LET’S GO BOYS AND GIRLS! WE HAVE TO MOVE OUT, NOW!! HURRY UP!”
Granted, I wasn’t there to witness the event, but according to my friend, the teacher felt that by raising her voice she would attract the attention she wanted and “encourage” the kids to focus on getting their jackets on and their bodies out the door.
Apparently, speaking in a calm, reasonable tone to a bunch of five year olds during their first week of school didn’t seem like an acceptable option for the teacher.
So, what’s a parent to do?
Does my friend push the subject with the school principal? She has already confronted the teacher by telling her that her son is shy, quiet, sensitive, and reacts, much more positively when approached in a less forceful way. To which the teacher replied that students need to make adjustments when they come to school. According to this “educator,” students need to modify their behavior when they are part of the group. It is not her responsibility to cater to each and every child.
Nice, huh?
Given that my friend is so non-confrontational I am not surprised that she didn’t give the teacher a fat lip by the end of their meeting. I am also not surprised that she let the teacher have the last word. My friend is not “that” parent. I am.
I suggested that my friend have a talk with the school’s principal and see if anything can be done to salvage her son’s first foray into formal education, because at this rate someone’s going to contract an ulcer before the end of the semester and I have a feeling it won’t be the drill sergeant teacher.