Finding the “right” teacher

I remember anxiously waiting for the letter to arrive announcing the teacher my son would have for next year. So many times, it seemed like I didn’t get the best option. Now, as a teacher, it’s interesting to sit across the desk and wonder how many of my students’ parents think they could have done better.

In truth, most of the time I was disappointed with my son’s placement, I was proven wrong. Once given the opportunity, the teacher reached out and gave my son an excellent education. It is very easy to get caught up in rumors and speculation and believe that your child MUST have a particular teacher or they will be doomed. However, there are many factors that go into creating a cohesive classroom and they are generally considered to be in your child’s best interests.

For example, would your child be better educated by a teacher who will push them to work harder, or is a gentle approach better? Will the other children in the class form a complementary unit or are there children who are more disruptive? In the end, it’s part teacher, part students, and part how it all works together that makes a class a success.

Where I teach, we go to great lengths to create the most effective classes, getting input from the child’s previous teacher, the preschool director, and sometimes the parent themselves. If we think that two students are preventing each other from being more successful, we work to separate them. If we think a child is better served in a smaller class, we make sure he is placed there. If there are children who need additional support, we place them in a class with an additional teacher.

In other words, it’s not just the teacher who has to please you or not when they receive your child’s homework. Give it a shot even if you don’t get your first choice. Maybe her son got the best option for her instead.

And, in the worst case, even a not-so-great teacher is a learning experience for the child. One year, my daughter had a really bad teacher. I think she caused my son to have more doubts about her abilities. While I wish she hadn’t experienced that, she did force our family to work harder to instill confidence in our son. She taught him that sometimes you have to make a bad situation work, which is an important life lesson at any age.

So when you open your letter, stay positive. Have faith that your child will have a wonderful year.