I worked at a school, 7 ways to help your kid if they dislike their teacher & why you should NEVER say you hate them too
IT CAN be difficult for any parent to hear that your children doesn’t like their new school teacher for the year.
It can have an impact on their education and their mood if it isn’t sorted, luckily an ex-teacher has revealed what you should do.
Fiona Tapp, was a teacher for 13 years and taught around 400 students in her time as an educator.
While Fiona got on with most of the students – there were of course, some she didn’t naturally click with and students who wouldn’t put her down as their favourite teacher, she told She Knows.
But the former teacher revealed there are seven steps you can take to help your child transition into their new classroom.
Don’t pick sides
Fiona first explained that you should never tell your child that you don’t like their teacher either.
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She added that children take on their parents’ opinions quite easily, so try to speak positively of them to make sure the problem doesn’t get worse.
Listen to their concerns
While you should remain impartial, you should ensure you listen to your child’s concerns about their new teacher.
Talk it out
GinaMarie Guarino, a licensed mental health counsellor from the Greater New York City area, recommended scheduling a meeting with the school to discuss the issue.
She said: “Often, children who don’t like their teachers feel their teachers don’t like them.”
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The counsellor suggested setting up a meeting to discuss expected behaviour, education and classroom rules to help your child get used to the change.
Are they just nervous?
The former teacher revealed that sometimes children say they don’t like their teacher when in fact they are more nervous about the new school year.
She suggested reminding your child that they’ve overcome problems in the past and praise their achievements to help them feel more confident.
Teach them to speak up
Another way parents can help children overcome their dislike of their new teacher is by modelling how they can chat to the teacher about it.
She added it was much better to try and fix the situation by showing them ways to bring up their issues rather than remove your child from the situation.
Give it time
Like most things in life, time is a healer.
The issue may go away as your child settles in to their new routine and they and the teacher learn more about each other.
Get them noticed
Finally, the former teacher recommended taking time to speak to your child’s teacher about their hobbies and interests.
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Fiona explained: “Parents should make a point of sharing information about their child’s interests, hobbies and personality with teachers.
“These insights provide teachers with a small but more complete picture of who the child is.”