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Tuesday, August 14, 2012

Parent Request?


So today was our 1st day of school! So for kindergarten this meant parent and student meeting with the teachers to discuss the Kindergarten Survival Guide! Basically anything we thing parents need or should know about kindergarten!

I was extremely excited to see that all of my students showed with the exception of one, but I did meet him at Open House on Sunday and mom had asked if she had to be there because she had a meeting she could not miss. So I reassured her it would be fine and that I would be sending all of her son's paperwork home on his 1st student day.

So typically I have a few students who get excited and want to play and explore the room and distract me and the other parents. NOT this year! I was sooooo happy with my kids. Most of them stayed with their parent and a few wiggled over to carpet and quietly sat and looked at books! I know this will change and they will come out of their shyness, but I was very happy with their behavior!

I was saddened though by a parent who had requested another kindergarten teacher and for whatever reason was not granted. She sat through my entire meeting with a frown on her face, then after the meeting went to the office to attempt to get her child moved to the classroom she wanted. 

Background to this story: Our principal grants most parent request if done prior to school starting. We A few teachers have begged and begged for either NO requests OR nonrequests (you may pick ONE teacher who you do not want your child in. We average at least 3 classes per grade level.)

Well, she sat in the office waiting to speak to the principal. The principal to my knowledge did not let her move. So I hope that she will be able to put this behind her and trust that I am a professional and will do a great job teaching her child! 

Parent requests are also a pet peeve of mine because if some parents don't get their way, they will move their children to another school that WILL grant their requests. I am sorry but just need to vent to people who may understand. 

Now please let me note that yes I do have a few who DID request me to be their child's teacher this year. 

On a side note it was very nice to find out from my husband who was a parent in our parent meeting and was able to over hear conversations about the teacher's their child got! I found out that I am the skinny dingbat of kindergarten(because I stood at the front of the group and twisted around and kept moving my head around. Hubby agreed that I need to stand still) I can't help it I am nervous and can't just stand there! I am also a very fast talker and it is 10 times worse in front of parents. I slow down for the kids. 

Also hubby overheard a conversation about a parent wanting to transfer their child to a different room. Another parent agreed with her stating that we should be able to hand pick our child's teacher since we pay taxes and therefore their salaries! We are a PUBLIC school, not a private one. This statement infuriated me!

So I am curious as to how things are done in your school. 

Do you allow:

Parent Request, Nonrequest, or computer generated and never changed?

So here is a picture my daughter has previously taken of herself. She goes to school for her 1st full day tomorrow!

4 comments:

Penny Lundquist

Parent requests for first, second, and third choices. It is a nightmare every year! The school starts taking requests the day after spring break and moms start lining up at 7 in the morning! Crazy!

kimcollatos

We do not accept parent requests. However, they do try to accept teacher requests (but not always). It becomes too chaotic if all parents have the right to choose.

Jennifer K.

our principal considers requests - but generally parents don't know who their kids got until the night before school at our Meet the Teacher night, so usually the switch happens that night or the next morning. I have to say that as a parent I've gone to her and asked for my children to be in certain teachers' rooms - mostly because of personalities. I think we all know that there are certain teachers who maybe shouldn't be in the profession - sorry, I'm not letting my child be taught by someone who thinks of this as a great way to get her summers off and could care less about making sure that her students learn what they need to. Also, there have been times when I knew that one teacher was great in a subject area my child struggled in - you can bet I asked for that teacher! So, in a way I agree that parents should have a say in who teaches their child - so a case by case basis would be better for me than a nonrequest or 1st, 2nd, 3rd choice!

By the way, totally love the idea of your hubby going "undercover" for you and reporting the feedback - going to see if mine can do that lol!

Jennifer @ Herding Kats In Kindergarten

Heather Shelton

It would be different if the parents were making their request based on what was best for their child, but 90% of the requests in my school are not based on student best interest. We have really good teachers but since they are not as showy or crafty they don't get requested as freq. Our classes get stacked due to it.

Hubby being undercover was completely accidental. He was their as a dad but since most of the parents don't know him because we live in a different county from where I teach, they didn't know to sensor ther thoughts. I really enjoyed the insight though.

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