My dd's teacher is driving me nuts

**butterflygreen** · 04-21-2009, 07:21 PM

They are doing group progects in class and there was no instructions. At all. this drives me nuts. This kind of thing happens all the time. she has to make the trees to fit into a box that another child is bringing how are we to know how big to make them. I am so counting down the days till the school year is over. I have had issues with this teacher all year. There are only 25 days left.

**frugalwarrior** · 04-21-2009, 07:31 PM

I don't miss elementary school or middle schooldays w/ my kids at all. We had one teacher like this. She thought we had nothing better to do apparently than her lesson plans.
-One night several brains teasers
-one night blind folding my kid for several hours (blind empathy)
-Gave me a hard time about DD drawing in class then asked where we got the cool markers in the next breath
-Took my daughters sweater and put it in the lost and found to teach her resposibility (my DD has ADD)
-Criticized her homemade game because the pieces were too big
-has other elem. students grade papers so she can make quilts
-advertised her summer (personal) tutoring classes during school functions
Like I said I feel for ya. Been there. Never looked back.

**JustMegan79** · 04-21-2009, 07:54 PM

Butterfly, that is just ridiculous. And you know what I would do (aside from scheduling a p/t conference to discuss this kind of stuff) I would grab the phone book or the Google search engine and find her home number. I then would ask her for detailed instructions to the project so that my daughter to complete it...and sweetly say Im so sorry for calling you at home, but because there were no instructions or guidelines for the project, I was unable to help her with her project or guide her in the right direction.

Good Luck!!!

**mauimagic** · 04-21-2009, 08:32 PM

Originally Posted by frugalwarrior

I don't miss elementary school or middle schooldays w/ my kids at all. We had one teacher like this. She thought we had nothing better to do apparently than her lesson plans.
-One night several brains teasers
-one night blind folding my kid for several hours (blind empathy)
-Gave me a hard time about DD drawing in class then asked where we got the cool markers in the next breath
-Took my daughters sweater and put it in the lost and found to teach her resposibility (my DD has ADD)
-Criticized her homemade game because the pieces were too big
-has other elem. students grade papers so she can make quilts
-advertised her summer (personal) tutoring classes during school functions
Like I said I feel for ya. Been there. Never looked back.

I saw red when I read your message. No child (or parent) should go through any of the issues that you described. Unprofessional, boardering probably on illegal - just plain wrong!! Hope she isn't still teaching.

For anyone who, Lord forbid, should ever be in this position - call the teacher on it, call the principal - put your concerns in writing - go to district.

**mauimagic** · 04-21-2009, 08:34 PM

Butterfly - your concerns are all too common. I know we went through it with our DD from 5th grade on up. Don't know why teachers don't realize that they need to actively teach students how to do group projects. Ugh, makes me crazy - and I'm a teacher.

Yours is not an isolated situation, happens everywhere - it's still not right.

**LynnLC** · 04-21-2009, 09:29 PM

I can sympathize. My kiddo's teacher thinks 3 projects a month is just fine. They know when I enter the school to hide.

**butterflygreen** · 04-21-2009, 10:04 PM

This teacher has been a pain all year I have been there about 20 times this year. So its just me counting the days till the end of the year. I have fought with her about all my dd's medical issues and everything so I know its not going to help.

**frugalwarrior** · 04-21-2009, 11:36 PM

What has happened to teachers? I remember most all my teachers w/fondness. My daughter was so traumitized in school she says she doesn't remember most of elem. I'm mean I understand time frames,curriculmns, but what happened to caring about the kids.

**mauimagic** · 04-21-2009, 11:38 PM

If your daughter has an IEP or a 504 plan, she has rights.

If not, she still has rights.

I suggest to all parents who have problems with school personnel to write a letter to the principal and or district. They cannot ignore something in writing.

Hope you find some remedy for this soon. Let us know.

**Parksfamily5** · 04-22-2009, 09:02 AM

Sorry to hear about your troubles with the teachers. Sound like they need a different job. I do have to say that I have not had any issues with my dd's elementary teachers. ( one is now in 7th grade and one in 1st grade) . I am involved in my childrens school stuff so I don't just think they are good because I don't pay attention, they really are good and a couple have been great teachers. We are in a rural public school.
Now middle school teachers for my 7th grader have been a whole different story. Wow, I don't know where they picked some of them up from but they need to go back. Some are just downright horrible.
Luckily for you, the school year is almost over. Hang in there.

**frugal.lass** · 04-22-2009, 10:42 AM

My mom is a teacher and she says she has noticed a change in the newer teachers. She says a lot of the newer teachers (not ALL...there are still dedicated people becoming teachers) got their B.Ed as a "back-up plan" or because teaching would be easy (get off early in the day, you don't work summers, etc). They don't do much in the way of lesson planning and encourage "individual study" so they can get their marking, planning done during classroom hours. And children who are having problems mastering subjects are still given good grades...so the parents will just assume everything's fine instead of asking questions.

Unfortunately, at least up here in Ontario, teachers are unionized so that all the school boards can do with these bad apples is switch them to a different school if they receive a lot of complaints.

I'm sorry to hear your having problems with this teacher and hope that next year your DD has a GREAT one!

**Nana2two** · 04-23-2009, 01:53 AM

Some teachers not all, need to re learn the proper teaching skills. My kids 8th grade and 11th will come home and say well such and such gave us homework and we no clue about it.My daughter had to write a 4 page report about the proabition. But she could not look up in ency,computer. but they could look through magazines and stuff. How stupid is that.

**Nishu** · 04-23-2009, 03:22 AM

I am such a deadbeat parent. I hate it when teachers give me homework. Hate it. They have the kids for 8 hours a day and then they feel the need to take up our evening family time too? No thanks. If I wanted to teach my kid at home I ... well we'd still be home schoolers.

**jmd5294** · 04-23-2009, 08:55 AM

Just remember there are 2 sides to every story.

A lot of the complaints I see on this thread could just as easily be the child's fault for not paying attention in class, not knowing how to use library resources, etc etc. I know it's hard to think that our children are the ones at fault, but sometimes that is the case.

There was nothing illegal that the teacher did in frugalwarrior's post.

Many teachers are told by their principals that they CANNOT give a failing grade. Ever.

I understand that there are some not so great teachers out there, but come on, people. It's not always the teacher's fault.

Try working WITH these "problem" teachers as an ally instead of being so hostile, and you'll probably be surprised with the results.

**ShellyB** · 04-23-2009, 09:03 AM

Ya know what else I can't stand - PJAS Science projects. They are mandatory at my daughter's school. My oldest is 32 and my youngest 14 and I've been helping with science projects for too many years. Every year when science project season starts it is so stressful. Everything is done at home and in steps and most of the time the teacher isn't happy with what's being done and you have to redo and redo and redo. Science projects have just become a money maker for books and supplies. I ABSOLUTELY HATE PJAS.