Bad Teacher

[kbud]

Just curious for those of you who have had the misfortune of a bad teacher how did you handle it? What steps did you take? How high did you take it? Any other helpful advise?

I've had numerous meetings with the teacher, the entire 3rd grade teaching team, and the principal and asst. principal. The principal and asst. principal even agreed with our concerns. The concerns are basic teaching skills. The teacher is older in age but it is her 2nd year of teaching. I have an elementary ed license (although no teaching experience beyond student teaching) and my mom is a retired teacher. We are appalled! Anyhow, I am soooo frustrated. While there have been small improvements we only have 2 months of school left and it's taken this long to see any change. It feels that 3rd grade is almost a loss at this point. I think adding to the trouble is the principal has been out on leave about 1/2 of this year, 1/2 of last year, and 2 months the year prior. I don't know what to do anymore. I just keep communicating my concerns with specific examples. My DH things I should just stop as we aren't getting far. I refuse to accept this quality of teaching though.

Here's an example copied directly from the study guide she sent out. This is only the second study guide we've received. The principal has now requested she do study guides.

"A living thing's environment is everything that surrounds it. An environment is everything that surrounds it. An environment has living parts and non living parts. Living parts would include animals and plants. Non-living would be the Sun's rays, air water and soil.
All living things get energy from sun.
A population is a number of something living in an area. An example would be; the number of coyotes or prairie dogs living in a given area.
Community all the living things together make up a community. The population is a community that depends on one another.
Ecosystems are the living and non living parts interacting in an environment.
Types of Ecosystems
Grassland; an eco system that has grasses. Bison and grasshoppers are animals that you might find there.
Desert - little rain. Plants you would find would be yucca and cactus. Animals would be Sidewinder, bobcat.
Tundra - Cold Dry grassland. Near northern part of the world. Has an under layer of permafrost. Animals you would find there would be. Caribou and Wolves.
Three kinds of forests;
Coniferous- grow mainly North America. Trees are evergreen and produce cones.
Deciduous - Trees lose leaves in fall.
Tropical - Near equator rain forest."

[Tondi G]

I am curious as to why the principal wasn't willing to move your child to another teachers classroom earlier in the year if they agreed with you about your concerns. As you said, there are only a few more months of school left, not sure if there is much you can do for this year. I hope after dealing with this, that your DD gets a much better teacher next year... the principal should know better now than to place your child in a class with a subpar teacher.

My DS1 had a very mediocre teacher in 1st grade and then again in 3rd. The 1st grade teacher was retiring at the end of the year and just seemed to have given up... she was over it. At least I knew that she wouldn't be dragging other kids down the next year. The 3rd grade teacher was a nice enough guy but he just didn't do ANYTHING besides the basic curriculum ... lots of work books and work sheets. My DS was SO bored. He would get in trouble on a regular basis because he would finish his classwork and pull out his homework and start doing it to fill the time.... or chatting with his tablemates ... or would do his tablemates work for them. I tried to explain to my DS that there will be other teachers in his school career who might be difficult or boring ... he will have to learn how to deal with it and try to make the best of it.

I am having a different kind of problem this year. We have a principal who really needs TO GO! So many parents are upset or dislike her and the way she conducts business. A large number of teachers are unhappy and are considering leaving the school because of the way she treats them and some of their students. We should be working together as a community to give the kids the best education possible. If teachers are coming to school unhappy or feeling like they need to avoid as much contact with the principal as possible to prevent getting on her bad side or having an issue, that is a problem. They cannot be effective and enthusiastic teachers working under a person like her. I am actually in the process of gathering information about her and figuring out how to go about writing a letter so we can e-mail the superintendent of the school district and our school Board member for our area. I am thinking we may have to wait for the end of the school year though. I know she is vindictive ... I don't want her taking anything out on my son.

[misshollygolightly]

Eeek! That "study guide" is atrocious! Is there any chance this teacher is just a sloppy writer but is dynamic and effective during class?

I have no idea what I would do in a similar situation, other than try to make sure DC continued to learn and master the grade-appropriate skills and knowledge outside of the classroom so as not to fall too far behind. What a bummer, though! I think I would be inclined to agree with you and keep lodging specific complaints in hopes that this teacher will be replaced or given additional training so future students (and parents) aren't put in a similar situation. I'm sorry you're dealing with this!

[Katigre]

I agree with your dh. You cannot improve this teacher or make her change. I would instead push for the best 4th grade teacher for next year.

I WOULD do afterschooling in key areas to fill in the gaps from this year. Especially in math and writing/reading. Continue this over the summer of necessary.

Sent from my Android phone using Swype

[kbud]

I am curious as to why the principal wasn't willing to move your child to another teachers classroom earlier in the year if they agreed with you about your concerns. As you said, there are only a few more months of school left, not sure if there is much you can do for this year. I hope after dealing with this, that your DD gets a much better teacher next year... the principal should know better now than to place your child in a class with a subpar teacher.

My DS1 had a very mediocre teacher in 1st grade and then again in 3rd. The 1st grade teacher was retiring at the end of the year and just seemed to have given up... she was over it. At least I knew that she wouldn't be dragging other kids down the next year. The 3rd grade teacher was a nice enough guy but he just didn't do ANYTHING besides the basic curriculum ... lots of work books and work sheets. My DS was SO bored. He would get in trouble on a regular basis because he would finish his classwork and pull out his homework and start doing it to fill the time.... or chatting with his tablemates ... or would do his tablemates work for them. I tried to explain to my DS that there will be other teachers in his school career who might be difficult or boring ... he will have to learn how to deal with it and try to make the best of it.

I am having a different kind of problem this year. We have a principal who really needs TO GO! So many parents are upset or dislike her and the way she conducts business. A large number of teachers are unhappy and are considering leaving the school because of the way she treats them and some of their students. We should be working together as a community to give the kids the best education possible. If teachers are coming to school unhappy or feeling like they need to avoid as much contact with the principal as possible to prevent getting on her bad side or having an issue, that is a problem. They cannot be effective and enthusiastic teachers working under a person like her. I am actually in the process of gathering information about her and figuring out how to go about writing a letter so we can e-mail the superintendent of the school district and our school Board member for our area. I am thinking we may have to wait for the end of the school year though. I know she is vindictive ... I don't want her taking anything out on my son.

They actually did ask in Feb if we wanted her moved. I am wishing now we had moved her. They administration felt they could work with the teacher and get her up to par. Now I am thinking it is hopeless after this study guide! I don't know how feasible moving her would have been though as it is a charter school and they are full with 18 kids in each class.

I think the fact that the principal has been out so much (husband has cancer) is part of the bigger problem, so much has gone downhill recently. I am going to start attending our board meetings to get more information about the future plans and how things "work".

[kbud]

I agree with your dh. You cannot improve this teacher or make her change. I would instead push for the best 4th grade teacher for next year.

I WOULD do adjustability in key areas to fill in the gaps from this year. Especially in math and writing/reading. Continue this over the summer of necessary.

Sent from my Android phone using Swype

Yes, I will be insisting on a particular teacher for her next year! We are doing a lot of supplemental things at home. Luckily she loves to learn and we "play" school a lot at home.

I don't think that we can improve her either now....I had hope because I truly wanted her to do well but that study guide is after they principal set some clear goals for her! I still feel though that the administration needs to be informed of what is going on to ensure it doesn't continue. We are a Charter School of choice with a very good reputation. With teachers like this though our reputation will be hurt.

Thanks:)

[kbud]

Eeek! That "study guide" is atrocious! Is there any chance this teacher is just a sloppy writer but is dynamic and effective during class?

I have no idea what I would do in a similar situation, other than try to make sure DC continued to learn and master the grade-appropriate skills and knowledge outside of the classroom so as not to fall too far behind. What a bummer, though! I think I would be inclined to agree with you and keep lodging specific complaints in hopes that this teacher will be replaced or given additional training so future students (and parents) aren't put in a similar situation. I'm sorry you're dealing with this!

I don't think she is dynamic during class. I am just not seeing anything to indicate that. She didn't until recently go over tests with the class. My dd consistently comes home with her spelling list misspelled! I mean like 4 out of the last 5 weeks. I have been pointing this out and requesting the list be reviewed or just handed out since Sept. and it still keeps happening.

It's hopeless...just trying to decided if we should request she be moved at this late date.

[ahisma]

Yes. I would definitely move her, even at this point. At least that way you can gauge where she is in relation to the other 3rd graders and help her catch up over the summer if need be.

I don't know the specifics of your school, but it would concern me that the principal had been out that much. Was there strong leadership during the times that the principal was on leave? With a leave that long, it doesn't seem appropriate for decisions / action to be postponed until the principal's return.

I guess I'm questioning how this teacher even got hired. These things should have been apparent in the hiring process. And, why is the teacher still on staff now? Even when my DH had tenure (still does, but it's meaningless in MI now), he would have had serious repercussions and possibly job loss had he continuously performed on that level. Hiring aside, why did they keep her on after the first year?

[minnie-zb]

I would move your child, but only if you know the other classes are better. You should question the quality of any of the teaching at the school if what this teacher has been doing is acceptable.

[MamaMolly]

At this point I think you are going to have to do everything you can to supplement at home. It sucks, but I think it is the best thing going forward for your child.

And as a former teacher, that study guide is a hot mess! I'm curious what text books she's using? Is there a Teacher's Guide? I wonder if, at this point, you or some other parents could volunteer in the classroom and create study guides and spelling lists for her? I feel for the teacher, she seems overwhelmed. It is such a hard job (even when you have your crap together!!) it sounds like she really, really needs help.

[Katigre]

At this point I think you are going to have to do everything you can to supplement at home. It sucks, but I think it is the best thing going forward for your child.

And as a former teacher, that study guide is a hot mess! I'm curious what text books she's using? Is there a Teacher's Guide? I wonder if, at this point, you or some other parents could volunteer in the classroom and create study guides and spelling lists for her? I feel for the teacher, she seems overwhelmed. It is such a hard job (even when you have your crap together!!) it sounds like she really, really needs help.

Ditto to all of this.

Sent from my Android phone using Swype

[kbud]

At this point I think you are going to have to do everything you can to supplement at home. It sucks, but I think it is the best thing going forward for your child.

And as a former teacher, that study guide is a hot mess! I'm curious what text books she's using? Is there a Teacher's Guide? I wonder if, at this point, you or some other parents could volunteer in the classroom and create study guides and spelling lists for her? I feel for the teacher, she seems overwhelmed. It is such a hard job (even when you have your crap together!!) it sounds like she really, really needs help.

They use the Core Knowledge curriculum. I can find things online for it so it's there. I sent an email last night to the principal and asst principal and included the study guide. I questioned just what you did.

I do know it's a hard job for the best teacher. I have volunteered to type spelling lists, help her with an email distribution list, etc. She never took me up on it. At this point I think she cringes when she sees my name;)

[hillview]

we've had issues this year (other issues) it is FINALLY getting better. Honestly without knowing the specificis I'd say you are not at all likely to change the teaching going on in the class (you've tried a ton!). So you can either
- write off the year and supplement at home etc
- ask her to be moved

Sorry that sucks!

[kbud]

Yes. I would definitely move her, even at this point. At least that way you can gauge where she is in relation to the other 3rd graders and help her catch up over the summer if need be.

I don't know the specifics of your school, but it would concern me that the principal had been out that much. Was there strong leadership during the times that the principal was on leave? With a leave that long, it doesn't seem appropriate for decisions / action to be postponed until the principal's return.

I guess I'm questioning how this teacher even got hired. These things should have been apparent in the hiring process. And, why is the teacher still on staff now? Even when my DH had tenure (still does, but it's meaningless in MI now), he would have had serious repercussions and possibly job loss had he continuously performed on that level. Hiring aside, why did they keep her on after the first year?

I think we will have to try and move her too. I'll need to talk to DH about this tonight. We gave the admin a month to help her and this study guide is what we got!

We have all the same questions about how she got hired, is still there, etc. I know she was a teacher's assist at one point.

I am concerned too about the principal's absence. The asst principal was in charge but the school is pre-k through 8th grade. They need both of them. The asst. was just treading water and putting out fires. I thought the health issues were behind her and she was back for good so expected things to be improving but she informed me this week her husband was in the ER and she would be at the cancer center with him today. She clearly is unable to devote her time to the school. I understand as my died had cancer but the school still needs a leader.

I am on the school advisory council but we haven't met but 2 times at the beginning of the year. I am going to be following up on all of this a concerned parent and advisory council member.

[squimp]

That study guide doesn't bother me that much. What I would be really concerned about would be math, reading comprehension and writing. Are they staying on track? Are they doing what the other classes are doing? Have they made progress since 2nd grade?

My DD is in 3rd. We have been very happy with her teachers, but last year one of the 2nd grade teachers went into retirement mode 6 months early. Our kids were learning multiplication, division, algebraic thinking, doing a science fair project. According to parents, this other class was working on a play for the second half of the year. These kids are noticeably behind the other kids in 3rd grade math, reading and spelling. So I think a short time with a bad teacher can have a real impact. I would seriously consider moving her if she is going to be behind and if you have the option. If not I would supplement.

[pinkmomagain]

IMHO, at this point I would not move her. They offered to move her earlier in the year and you declined. It completely sucks that things have not improved despite the fact you have complained several times about the teacher. I agree with others about supplementing and summer enrichment. I would really leverage this experience with the principle to get the best 4th grade teacher in the building. To start saying now that you want to move her with two months left, I think, does more harm than good in your relationship with administration and getting what you want for your dd in the future.

[glbb35]

I am curious if you are in a state that has Standards of Learning? (SOls) if so your state or at least your county should have study guides or test materials available and that is pretty much what the teachers are teaching to these days. I am a former teacher who taught for several years both second and third grades. It can be a daunting thing these days. While an older person will bring experiences from the real world to the class sometimes they lack the creativity of a new teacher who is young. On the other hand if you are teaching in an SOL state the teaching materials are provided for and she would have had to more recently graduate with her teacher's license and pass the standardized tests to receive her license. These are pretty rigorous. I agree with others that this close to the school year your shouldn't move your child and that unfortunately you are going to bite the bullet and use some summer time to do a lot of review. I would also request a teacher if you know of one for next year so you feel your child is more caught up. I think your principal isn't handling thing well and she has reason to be distracted. Our county is so strict with their teaching policies, what can be taught and how things are taught that it is actually turning good teachers away. They spend so much time running reports for the county to show improvement and all these stupid goals charts and really unnecessary and time consuming things on the side that teachers hardly have time to teach.

I am sorry you are going through a bad situation. It shouldn't be that way. Education in the states is sliding downhill fast and in the end our kids are graduating really not knowing anything compared to other countries. The burden is definitely falling on the parents right now. BUT, there are a lot, a lot of good teachers who truly love their jobs and care about their kids and want to see them successful. You just need to get in good with one! I now run a business that is struggling right now in our economy. I take all the classes I need to keep my teacher's certification up to date. But if my business fails I don't know what I would go back into teaching these days.

Good luck, be grateful the year is coming to an end and I hope you can find some great materials for review for your child to use over the summer. Ask the school for some!

B

DS 03, 06, twins 09, 11

[dogmom]

OK, am I the only one failing to see the issue with the study guide? To me a study guide is just some notes to job the child's memories of things they talked about in school or things in their books. Besides that I am not clear how she is a bad teacher. I get the spelling errors, but I don't think the completely wipes out a year of learning.

As far as the original issue, I consider a bad or mediocre teacher a life lesson. Like a PP said, to me it would matter if my child was staying withing one standard deviation from the mean and was happy with the teacher. I realize I am in a distinct minority on these boards, but my attitude is it is 3rd grade, they aren't even in double digits yet, I am not that concerned if their basic reading and math skills are good. I don't think a the vast majority of 3rd graders can really understand large concepts I feel so much of the stuff they teach are just place holders for more in depth understanding later. Which, IMO, most of the population doesn't get to. But that's not because of their 3rd grade teacher.

[kbud]

My issue and concerns with the study guide are that is poorly written and very unorganized. Sure it covers the points but it is very poorly put together. What I posted was just a small part of 3 pages that looked like that. I took the info and put it in a format a 3rd grader could use. This is what I put together and would expect:

"1. The science that studies the relationship between living things and their environment is called ecology.

2. An environment has living parts and non living parts. Living parts would include animals and plants. Non-living parts would include the sun's rays, air water and soil.

3. All living things get energy from the sun.

4. A population is the number of something living in an area."

Anyhow the principal emailed me back thinking the study guide was fine:irked: Not sure where to go from here.

[Ceepa]

My issue and concerns with the study guide are that is poorly written and very unorganized. Sure it covers the points but it is very poorly put together. What I posted was just a small part of 3 pages that looked like that. I took the info and put it in a format a 3rd grader could use. This is what I put together and would expect:

"1. The science that studies the relationship between living things and their environment is called ecology.

2. An environment has living parts and non living parts. Living parts would include animals and plants. Non-living parts would include the sun's rays, air water and soil.

3. All living things get energy from the sun.

4. A population is the number of something living in an area."

Anyhow the principal emailed me back thinking the study guide was fine:irked: Not sure where to go from here.

Unfortunately you may have to reformat all the study guides for DD. No one is going to change this teacher's approach in two months. I would stay on top of the material expected for the third grade at your school and keep supplementing. And I would definitely push for the top fourth grade teacher for next year.

[ahisma]

The study guide would irritate me, but to me, reading the OP's post, it's symbolic of the larger issue rather than the issue itself.

As to the study guide itself, my gripe would be that it's poorly written and a grammatical nightmare that goes far beyond typos.

That said, I'm sure that the teacher is overwhelmed and lacks resources that she truly needs in the classroom. We have a friend who is a brilliant, well educated woman who literally had a nervous breakdown trying to teach in a charter school. She literally had nothing for her classroom (including not having enough chairs for students), had a ridiculously low salary and had an overcrowded classroom. Trying to reconcile what she *could* do with the resources available with what she knew that she *should* be doing literally pushed her over the edge - and into an inpatient program for a while. That's an extreme situation, obviously, but from the sounds of things this teacher doesn't have the support system at the school level that a new teacher should have.

[squimp]

OK, am I the only one failing to see the issue with the study guide? To me a study guide is just some notes to job the child's memories of things they talked about in school or things in their books. Besides that I am not clear how she is a bad teacher. I get the spelling errors, but I don't think the completely wipes out a year of learning.


You didn't see my post because I didn't have issues either. I'm an ecologist and I have no major issues with the study guide - I see one mistake (there are hundreds of forest types) and it may not be brilliant technical writing, but those are the points I would have gotten across were I coming to talk to 3rd graders (which I do).

ETA - OK two mistakes, there are organisms that get energy from chemical reactions and not the sun.

[BunnyBee]

I was too distracted by the crazy formatting, typos, and awkward phrasing to actually notice facts. It looks like it was written BY a third grader, not for third graders by their teacher.

What do you want from the school? There are two and a half months left. Would you want her switched now? What about asking for written academic expectations for the beginning of fourth grade? (E.g., what will she need to catch up on over the summer?) Will the school provide you with copies of the necessary materials to use over the summer? Will they guarantee her placement with a good fourth grade teacher? Do you trust the school now after they've shown poor judgment in hiring and keeping this teacher?

[bisous]

I personally wouldn't move her now. I think it does give you good leverage to get a great 4th grade teacher. I would put my resources into afterschooling.

The study guide doesn't look great but the facts do look okay. I'm with others though, in that I'm not as concerned about sloppy science facts as I am with sloppy math, reading and writing! That's where I would concentrate my efforts at home.

You have a long couple of months ahead of you but you are almost done. Hopefully your pleas have not fallen on deaf ears and this teacher can be helped so she doesn't hinder the academic progress of future students.

[egoldber]

I'm not as concerned about sloppy science facts as I am with sloppy math, reading and writing

:yeahthat:

I would personally be more concerned about reading and math skills and if she is on grade level for those items.

But FWIW, 2 weeks ago we moved older DD to a different teacher. It was her homeroom teacher who was also her math/science teacher. I was hesitant because it was so late in the year, but we are all now incredibly happy that we did it. It was an out of the box solution suggested by the principal but I am so, so happy we did it. I just wish we had done it in December when I first had real concerns about this teacher. Our school year goes until late June, so I think we have a longer haul to get through than you do.

We did it mainly because of a personality conflict, but I was also concerned about the essentially non-existent teaching he was doing of math and science. Her math performance this year affects her MS options.

[dogmom]

My issue and concerns with the study guide are that is poorly written and very unorganized. Sure it covers the points but it is very poorly put together. What I posted was just a small part of 3 pages that looked like that. I took the info and put it in a format a 3rd grader could use. This is what I put together and would expect:

"1. The science that studies the relationship between living things and their environment is called ecology.

2. An environment has living parts and non living parts. Living parts would include animals and plants. Non-living parts would include the sun's rays, air water and soil.

3. All living things get energy from the sun.

4. A population is the number of something living in an area."

Anyhow the principal emailed me back thinking the study guide was fine:irked: Not sure where to go from here.


IMO you are being too picky. It's a study guide. A study guide is an extra as far as I am concerned and not required on the teachers part. Study guides need to eventually come from the students from the material given to them. I realize 3rd grade is too early for kids to come up with a good study guide. However, I think the one the teacher provided had the basic information in it. It was a study guide not a essay for college. I'm sorry, I wouldn't care it if has correct grammar. My notes for a class are fragmented sentences and the like, it IS notes after all. So you expect the teacher to do it up all nice and highlight/bold it like you did? Well, some kids don't need that, some do. So why can't you or your child do that? Why does the teacher have to do that work for you or your child?

I found the basic study guides my kids get, which are usually in a simple form they can cut out and make flash cards on, are similar information designed to reflect the information on the test. I actually wish they put in more in the format you had because it would force the students to start arranging the information on their own cards. So in my opinion, with what you have shared in this thread, I would not call her a bad teacher. And I certainly wouldn't go running the principal asking for her to moved to another class in March. There may be lots more that I'm not getting and she is horrible. By to me you seem to want it both ways. You want the teacher to do this work for your child, but you also want to complain if your child is getting enough academics. Part of academics is doing the work yourself. But then I find myself disagreeing with more than half the parents I know when they whine about the schools, so I realize my opinion is not the majority, but sometimes the minority opinion needs to get out there.

[dogmom]

ETA - OK two mistakes, there are organisms that get energy from chemical reactions and not the sun.

Yeah, I would put that in advance science class. :) Since I'm pretty sure many adults don't get that......

[dogmom]

I am curious as to why the principal wasn't willing to move your child to another teachers classroom earlier in the year if they agreed with you about your concerns. As you said, there are only a few more months of school left, not sure if there is much you can do for this year. I hope after dealing with this, that your DD gets a much better teacher next year... the principal should know better now than to place your child in a class with a subpar teacher.



Well as someone who doesn't go running to the principal and figures out how to make it work I really resent when all the parents who do get special accommodation. I'm not saying an IEP, I'm talking all the parents out there who think someone if they make enough ruckus they get stuff. IMO that's what's wrong with our society half the time. I am constantly amazed by the attitudes on this board about how every thinks their kid is the center of the universe. Yes, this is a very emotional and baiting thing to say. I don't know why this freaking thread is getting to me and not the hundreds of others. It's not even this OP or the thread.

My children an the center of my universe. I do not think they are the center of the school or the outside universe. I wait my turn. I suck it up for team sometimes. And I have to believe in the end Karma will out. Maybe I'm just sick of these attitudes from my work. But I have had it. Someone has to say sometimes, you are being selfish. (And that is a general you that I think is aimed at many, many people I run into, before someone starts accusing me of picking on a particular person.)

[minnie-zb]

Well as someone who doesn't go running to the principal and figures out how to make it work I really resent when all the parents who do get special accommodation. I'm not saying an IEP, I'm talking all the parents out there who think someone if they make enough ruckus they get stuff. IMO that's what's wrong with our society half the time. I am constantly amazed by the attitudes on this board about how every thinks their kid is the center of the universe. Yes, this is a very emotional and baiting thing to say. I don't know why this freaking thread is getting to me and not the hundreds of others. It's not even this OP or the thread.

My children an the center of my universe. I do not think they are the center of the school or the outside universe. I wait my turn. I suck it up for team sometimes. And I have to believe in the end Karma will out. Maybe I'm just sick of these attitudes from my work. But I have had it. Someone has to say sometimes, you are being selfish. (And that is a general you that I think is aimed at many, many people I run into, before someone starts accusing me of picking on a particular person.)

I hear you and I understand. I frequently feel this way too, but don't we all feel like our kids are the center of our universe and the universe? I think it is pretty common and I believe I'm my kid's advocate and have an obligation to make sure they get the best possible. I try very hard not to step on other parents or their children, but if something is not right I feel like I have to advocate on their behalf.

In the OP's situation I think the study guide is the straw that broke the camel's back. There's a lot we don't know about this situation, but like other posters on this thread I would only be truly concerned at this point if the teacher is impacting the learning of the core information which could have a detrimental impact in the future. The science stuff can be caught up, but math, reading and writing would have me concerned if the class is lagging behind the rest of the grade.

[kbud]

Thank you all so much for the comments. They really help me think this through.

I think nearly every comment is one that I have felt through this "journey" of third grade.

She has been at this school since kindergarten and this is the first time I've had concerns and the first time I've gone to the administration for anything. In fact I really don't want my daughter to have special treatment. I want the teacher to have the support and guidance that she needs as a new teacher.

And yes, this study guide was one of the things that broke the camel's back;) There is much more than this study guide. I do know I am not the only parent with the same concerns in the class.

I do think teachers (especially at the 3rd grade level) need to model good skills in everything they put out. I think the study appears to be written by 3rd graders.

Anyhow, I do appreciate all the thoughts and comments. It is not an easy thing as a parent to balance being an advocate for your child but to not put your child at the center of the universe. I am not only concerned for my child but all the children in that class.

For the moment I am going to supplement at home as we've done all year and be more positive. There have been some improvements in the teacher over the last month after we brought our continued concerns to the principal. She can't change over night, it will be a process.

We only have 7 weeks of school left!

Thanks again!

[mctlaw]

Late to the thread, so just wanted to offer a :hug:. BTDT, last year we had a truly awful, lazy, and unethical teacher. Went to the principal and the situation was dealt with and a change was offered. We chose to ride the year out at about the same time as you, though I think if I ahd a less sensitive child who is not as resistant to change, it would have been a mistake not to change.

We did get a phenomenal teacher this year though, to make up for it. Good luck.