Moving into a new school year, the chances are your child has at least one new member of the teaching staff. Whilst most of these new relationships will be positive and supportive, there is always the chance that your child doesn’t gel with their new teacher. If this happens, it’s important to stay calm and clear-headed – the worst thing that can happen is that both the teacher and your child end up upset and feeling unsure about how to interact with one another. Read on for these simple and easy tips on how to deal with this tricky situation.
Talk With Your Child
Make sure you and your child are both clear about why this new teacher isn’t working out for them. If your child is younger, it’s possible that there has been a misunderstanding, or perhaps your kid got told off for talking in class. If this is the case, it may be worth bringing this up with their teacher in private. The idea isn’t to accuse, but to frame it as making their job easier for them – if you can explain that your child is feeling a little put out, the teacher may understand better how to deal with them in class. If your child is older, perhaps the teacher’s teaching style doesn’t suit them, or maybe they’re stressed about the workload and expectations. If your child reports something that sounds wrong or surprising, pass it on to the headteacher who will investigate further.
Talk With Other Parents
If there are parents who have kids in your child’s class, check in with them. Again, you will want to tread carefully, and make sure it doesn’t come across that you are seeking to badmouth the new teacher behind their back. If other parents share your concerns or are reporting similar issues with their kids, it may be worth arranging for one of you to speak to the new teacher. Make sure this is a supportive conversation, if possible. It may also be worth letting a well-established member of staff who you know well that your child is having difficulties with their teacher, as they may be able to drop a kind and supportive hint to the teacher.
Arrange A Meeting
If things don’t seem to be improving, ask for a meeting with the teacher and their senior. Again, it should be stressed that the aim is not to point fingers and accuse the new teacher of bad practice – teaching is a work-intensive, pressurized job, and if they are new to the profession they may well be struggling to find their feet. At the meeting, ask to work out strategies between all of you that will ensure your child is happier in class and that the teacher is well-supported to meet their needs.
School is about learning, socializing, and finding one’s way in the world. If your child isn’t enjoying it, it will make it harder for them to settle in and focus on lessons, so do make sure to follow up on any concerns you have.