Teachers, comparing apples to lemons

It happens every summer. Parents wait anxiously to hear which teacher their children will be spending the year with. Through the underground network, there are known A+ teachers and others that are well... lemons. It might be your unlucky year that you end up making lemonade, praying that the year will go quickly and smoothly. Unfortunately, these years often end up as what I like to call "marinating years." Your child might not regress but he or she just doesn't progress the way you had hoped and ends up playing catch up the next year. Thanks to our broken educational system, these teachers are protected and even rewarded with tenure.

I have heard some arguments that seem to justify these lemonade years.

"My Principal will not appreciate being told that I don't want this teacher."

"My child will learn to deal with difficult people from this. Every year can't be a winner!"

"If everyone requested a teacher, it wouldn't be fair because not everyone's desires could possibly be met. "

While some of these responses are a positive take on an otherwise negative experience, sometimes they're just not true. No, a Principal won't like being told that you don't want a particular teacher. What the Principal likely wants to hear about is the environment that your child will succeed in. After all, who knows a child better than his or her parent? Do not approach the Principal with negative comments about the "lemon" of the grade. Approach her with positive and glowing remarks about the teacher of choice. Point out specific attributes about that teacher that are a strong match for your child's learning style. This will be far better than approaching the Principal mid-year as you explain why your child needs to be pulled from a particular class.

• Observe all teachers for the grade your child will be entering. Watch for classroom organization, modifications to teach to the individual learning styles, feel and layout of the classroom, discipline styles, workload, attitude and the teacher's willingness to allow parents into the classroom.
• Be sure to send handwritten thank you notes to all of the teachers you observe
• Ask parents about their experiences. This will tell you a lot.
• Be involved. You will get a good feeling for the attitudes and personalities of the instructors if you spend more time with them.

"My child will learn to deal with difficult people from this. Every year can't be a winner!"

Your child will learn to deal with difficult people anyway. I promise that your child will find another peer, specialist or staff member that isn't a match made in heaven. Why make your child's classroom the source of conflict and angst for an entire year? Think about it this way. If you were to take your car in for an oil change and the staff was rude to you, refused to listen to you and left the drain plug out, would you return? NO! Whether you want to admit it or not, we all pay for public education through our tax dollars. So why in the world would you take your children, your most valuable asset, and not demand the same care and attention that your automobile might receive? It's ludicrous! What school year are you willing to throw away? Is second grade not an important year? Is it okay for your child to just slide by? NO again!

"If everyone requested a teacher, it wouldn't be fair because not everyone can have their way. "

Guess what? The majority of parents don't request teachers. From personal experience, I can tell you that most parents aren't involved. I've heard parental involvement referred to as the "STP". The Same Ten People that do everything. Some schools are lucky if there are 10 parents! Not everyone is asking for a specific teacher. Remember that you're requesting something and not demanding it. No, this scenario wouldn't be fair if everyone was asking and it's certainly not fair that lemons are protected by a teacher's union. We're not dealing with a fair world so do not fall victim to this excuse.

My son attended a school that had an impossible Principal. When a parent would request a teacher, this Principal would make sure the student was not placed in the desired class. In fact, he went so far as to place the student in the class parents wanted least. This can happen but it is rare. At that point, go to your school board and present your case. Most parents don't even know where the district office is, let alone do they know the Superintendent's name. You'll likely make large strides if you have to pursue this route.

There will be years that, despite your best efforts, you will end up with a lemon. The best teacher for one child might be the worst for your child. You may not have any other options. If you find yourself in that situation, here are some important things to remember:

• Do not criticize the teacher in front of your child. This will only make your child more miserable and teach him to disrespect authority figures. Your attitude will definitely show on the face of your child.
• Keep communication open. Volunteer as much as you can at the school or in the classroom. Keep up on what your child is learning so you can supplement and enrich these subjects at home. It is your responsibility to teach your child, not the school's.
• Examine the issue closer. Is it you as a parent that has a problem with this teacher or is it your child? A "mean" teacher might really be a teacher that is strict and has high standards. This "meanie" might be your child's best teacher. If your child is doing well and seems to be happy, grit your teeth and keep chugging along.
  
• If it gets bad enough, call a meeting with the teacher. If that doesn't work, include the Principal or other district administrators.
• Consider a different school, even if it's just for a year. If your district allows waivers, check out your options. Private schools might have openings as well. The cost might overwhelm you but if it's just for part of a year, it might be worth the sacrifice. If you're patient enough and have the discipline, consider homeschooling for the remainder of the year.

Although rewarding, parenting is a tough job. The strong Republican in me used to cringe when I'd hear Hillary Clinton explain that, "it takes a village to raise a child." I used to scoff at that remark and roll my eyes. As my children got older, I ate my own words and realized that it really does take a village. I like to refer to it as a tribe. My tribe is led by God. He has put very special people in my family's lives to help us raise His children. It's my job to make sure I seek out those people and make them part of our tribe. Good luck fellow warriors!