subject: What should I do when I don't like my child's teacher? [print this page] What should I do when I don't like my child's teacher?
What should I do when I dont like what is going on with my childs teacher?
There are a number of steps that a parent can take and which ones are appropriate depend on the nature of the disagreement. However, a general rule of thumb is to document every step taken to resolve the problem including saving emails, creating summaries of telephone conversations and meetings with the teacher and summaries of correspondence and meetings with an administrator.
Here are several tips that are useful:
1. Dont sit on a problem. As soon as you are uncomfortable with something going on with your child, contact the teacher and request a telephone or face to face conference.
2. On the phone or in person, conclude the conversation with a summary of each individuals point of view and a review of whatever action steps (with time lines) will be taken by parent and teacher.
3. A parent must live up to their end of the agreement in order to maintain credibility.
4. If the plan is not working, or if the teacher does not agree to a specific plan, inform the teacher that you will be taking the issue to an administrator (principal in an elementary school or a subject supervisor in a high school).
5. Correspond with the administrator summarizing the issue and what steps you have taken and request a meeting with the administrator and teacher to resolve the issue.
6. If your complaint or concern is of a more general or program level, seek out other parents with similar concerns and present the issues to the Superintendent and/or the school board as an organized group.
When a problem is immediate and serious (physical assault on your child, suspicion of inappropriate comments or behavior by the teacher of a sexual nature) a parent must immediately contact the teachers supervisor. Unfortunately, the only legally binding agreement that a parent can enforce for their child is an Individualized Educational Plan (IEP). IEPs are produced only after a child has been determined to be eligible for special education services and are enforceable at the state and federal levels. Therefore, if your child is not eligible for special education, your diligence and persistence in resolving problems is even more essential.
