Teachers are people that we either love or hate. Teachers are the ones that teach us the things we need to know in life, but they are also the ones that constantly tell us what to do. Almost all of us have or have had a teacher who seemed too bossy or who was mean. What do you do in this sort of situation? Whether you or your child has a problematic teacher, you need to know how to handle teacher trouble.
I remember a time when I was in elementary school and my teacher was always picking on me and using me as an example for the class. My children have had similar experiences in their educations. So what do you do when you have teacher trouble?
Follow these 5 tips for handling a difficult teacher:
1. Think about the problem. Why is the teacher upset? Do they have a good reason to be upset? Perhaps you or your child is the problem and not the teacher. When you have identified what is causing the trouble go and speak with the teacher. It is usually good to speak with the teacher both when the child is present and when they are not. Explain your concerns and let the teacher know that you appreciate what the teacher does. Most teachers are over-worked and very much underpaid. Parents or students who simply come to complain are often met with resentment or anger. Explain that you want to help and that you are not blaming the teacher but make it clear that you are concerned and want the situation to change.
2. Try doing something nice for the teacher. If you seem to have gotten of on the wrong foot with a teacher you can do a lot by just giving them a gift or speaking with them a little. Should your child have a reputation as being unruly the best thing to do to improve the situation is to show some sign of affection for the teacher.
3. Do good work. There is little that disturbs a good teacher more than a student who cannot do their work or who does not want to do their work. A teacher’s job is to make sure that students know certain things. If your child is having a teacher problem, encourage them to produce a higher quality of work and you will be amazed to see just how quickly the situation changes.
4. Help the teacher to conduct class business. You don’t need to be a kissup, but you can do a lot by just helping the teacher throughout their day. Help them to get the class under control or to teach some idea. You will be amazed to see just how much of a change you can make by helping the teacher.
5. If you have tried all of the steps listed above and nothing has changed, you might need to speak with a higher authority. Your school’s principal should always be willing to meet with parents or students. It is important to be upfront with the teacher and not go behind the teacher’s back. Schedule a meeting with the principal and the teacher to communicate your concerns. This will show the teacher some respect and concern. Often bringing an outside authority into the discussion will drastically change the nature of the problem. You will see immediate changes, and if you don’t, contact the principal again.
Parenting viewpoints from parents in the trenches, because parenting doesn’t come with a manual. In addition to
This is the mature way to deal with teacher trouble. Not to generalize but some of the parents nowadays are becoming more and more sensitive about their children, failing to see every angle of the situation. Anyways, thanks for sharing all these tips 🙂