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July 31, 1996
Talk to the principal, she doesn't want to make a class assignment that will give her and the teacher a disgruntled parent.


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If you have a question or concern about a work-related topic, send it to us in an e-mail message, and we'll forward it to Susan and Tom.

Kindergarten Conflict

Question My child is starting kindergarten this fall, and I'm already concerned. He's been assigned to a teacher about whom I have heard bad things. The problem is, she is the only teacher doing "full-day K" this fall. The other two are teaching half-day kindergarten. If I switch my child to half-day, I will have childcare expenses for the rest of the day. How can I tell if he would be better off in childcare half the day and avoiding this teacher?

Answer You need to start by gathering more information about the teacher and by carefully analyzing your child's needs and your own expectations for your child's education.

Different Strokes
It's good to know what other parents have to say about a teacher. But you can't rely on that alone. One problem is that what's right for their children may not be right for yours. And you may prefer a different style of teaching than they do. At our daughter's elementary school, we're constantly amazed by the divergence of parents' opinions about individual teachers.

The conflicting views probably stem from the variations in kids' learning styles. For example, one child might do well in a very structured learning environment while another might need to have things more free-form. It's hard for teachers to meet all the needs of all kinds of kids.

Make an appointment to talk to your school's principal or administrator. Say you want his or her opinion about how well your son's personality will fit with the full-day kindergarten teacher's methods. Be frank about what you have heard. Say this has caused you concern, but you don't want to reject this teacher out of hand. Explain clearly your assessment of your child's personality and educational needs.

Go to the Principal's Office
Listen to the principal carefully and keep an open mind. She isn't likely to criticize one of her staff members in a discussion with a parent. But she does want to put your son in the learning environment that's best for him. And she doesn't want to make a class assignment that will give her and the teacher a disgruntled parent to deal with for the next year.

Ideally, she'll tell you the teacher's strengths and describe her teaching style. If you can describe your child's learning style clearly enough, the principal may be able to offer an opinion about whether this teacher would make a good match. You'll have to take it from there and decide what's right for your child.

The teacher assignment is just one element in the decision you have to make. You also have to think about whether your child would be better off in full-day or half-day kindergarten no matter who the teacher is. And you must consider the quality and cost of the childcare available to you if you opt for a half-day in school.

Be True to Your (Child's) School
If your son is used to being in a daycare center, full-day kindergarten won't seem like much of a change; he already copes with a full and varied schedule and interacts with several children. If, however, he's been with a nanny or a family daycare provider--and expects lots of cuddling and a two-hour nap--he may have difficulty adapting to a full day in school.

You'll profit from what you learn in dealing with this teacher-assignment question now, because it will come up again year after year. School officials welcome parent input more than they used to. When we were growing up, luck of the draw seemed to be the major factor in class assignment. Now principals try to make the best child-teacher fit.

That's one of the many reasons it's good to volunteer at school. Even if you work during school hours, try to use lunchtime, or take an occasional vacation day so you can visit the classroom. Attend open houses and the evening parent-teacher association meetings.

By being in the classroom or working on a schoolwide activity, you'll get a firsthand look at the teachers your child could have in the future. Being active and helpful to the school also makes it more likely that your input will be considered when class assignments are made in the future.

Send us your IdeasYour Turn: How did you make child-teacher fits? Send us your tips and we'll post them on Family Planet.

About Susan Crites Price and Tom Price.

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