July 12th, 2011 
Courtesy of Darwin's Finance
Everyone knows the date that teachers for the upcoming year are revealed; phone calls are made to the school, emails are opened, and envelopes are shredded in anticipation. But what can you do if you learn that your child doesn’t have the teacher everyone is hoping to get: the creative young teacher, or the math legend, or the inspiring teacher who makes everyone love reading?
1) Think before you act.
Evaluate why you’re concerned about the match. Is it because everyone else says how great the other third grade teacher is? Less-heralded teachers often have much to share with students as well. Have you heard the teacher is “mean”? Seek out concrete stories, and see if any of them actually sound as though they would impact your child’s learning. What do you know about this teacher and his pedagogical philosophy? Don’t be afraid to call the school and ask about his instructional approach. Think about how it will work with your child’s learning style. If you see a potential for conflict between the two, meet with a school official to discuss your concerns, rather than to demand a change.
2) See the opportunity.
Have you loved every boss you’ve ever had? Every colleague with whom you’ve had to plan a presentation? Your child will benefit from working with someone who will challenge him. School is about learning both content and social skills, and a tough teacher can help your child grow in ways that even a favorite teacher can’t.
3) Don’t let history repeat itself (or do!).
Many schools have policies around families and teachers. If your older child had a tough year with the teacher in question, you can often get the assignment changed. Even better, if there is another teacher whom your older child loved, you can have your child switched into that class. But keep in mind that your children are different. What may have worked for one may not work for the other. Think about your child’s specific needs before requesting any changes.
4) Wait and meet with the teacher early in the school year.
Or, if your child is in high school, encourage him to do so. Try to learn about the teacher’s approach, and share about your child as a learner. Use specifics, such as
-my child needs to see something to process it
-my child often needs extra time to complete tasks
-my child is easily distracted by friends
-my child responds well to private conversations about behavioral problems
-my child is a hands-on learner
Building a professional relationship early on can help smooth out any wrinkles that might emerge.
5) Politely request a change.
Speak to the administrator responsible for assignments about a possible change. Acknowledge that such changes are complicated, and go into detail about why you think a switch is necessary for your child’s education. Be prepared to discuss his learning style and why you feel it doesn’t fit with the teacher’s approach. If you are told a change isn’t possible, ask for suggestions on facilitating a productive relationship, and find out how a change can be made later if things really don’t work out.
The most important thing is to stay as involved as possible in your child’s education: ask her about what she is learning, support her with her homework, and facilitate a positive relationship with her teacher. This way, you’ll both learn a lot!
Thank you for this article! In your experience, are teachers still willing to accommodate different learning styles, etc. when the child reaches high school age?
Thanks for your question, Karen!
Absolutely! As a high school teacher, I always found that my colleagues and I were eager not only to accommodate different learning styles, but also to help students get to know themselves as learners. Students who understand their own learning profile are going to be best equipped to get their needs met in the classroom. Knowing their strengths and areas for improvement helps them take charge of their own education and ask for what they need (or seek it out independently, which will be a useful skill in college).
Thanks for reading and responding!
Wow! Thank you for your quick reply. Perhaps it is too detailed for the comments section, but could you provide a little more detail on what you mean by their “learning profile”? I.e. if I (or my child) want to have such a conversation with her teacher, what sorts of specifics should I/she be providing?
Great question, Karen! I think I’ll do a more extended post on this topic, but in general, think about how your child learns best. Is s/he a visual learner? Auditory? Kinesthetic? Social? Independent? Does he/she learn best from lecture? Discussion? Projects? Group work? Reading? Presenting? Note-taking? What type of assessments help him/her showcase his/her talents and knowledge?
Have a conversation with your child, and then encourage him/her to share this information with his/her teacher.
Look for an article on this issue soon!
I think that one can not over-estimate the value of #2 – See the opportunity. If you are an active guide in your child’s life, you can counter the negative repercussions that might impact your child’s interest in the given topic. The opportunity to teah your child to adapt to the potential social adversity is extremely valuable.
I have a problem with my daughter’s teacher. She had the same teacher for kindergarten and now again for 2nd grade. There was no consistency, the teacher ended up leaving half way through the year saying it would be a week then a month then another month and finally through the school year. We finally had a long term substitute for the last 2 months. My daughter did not learn as she should have been, I had to take up teaching her at home so she wouldn’t be behind for first grade (this was true with the whole class). I sent the principal, vice principal, and superintendent an email as soon as the classes were posted (the Friday before school started after office hours) but have not received any response. Today school started & I went to speak with the principal as soon as the office opened but they would not let me speak with her. I filled out their official form for requesting a transfer. The problem is several other parents who’s child had the same teacher in kindergarten were also requesting a change. Come to find out this problem has been going on for at least 8 years!! I don’t know what I can do to get my daughter out of this class. Any suggestions?