Teacher Placement - Help with request

[janette]

I need to send a teacher placement request in for my 9yo DD. I'm not very creative with this kind of stuff and I'm hoping for some help.

She'll be going into 4th grade next year, she has a Learning Disability so she's in Special Education for reading & language arts. In the regular classroom for all other subjects but the reading will be even more of an issue next year. She reads at about mid 2nd grade level and her writing is a little lower. She has no trouble with comprehension or content in her reading / writing just the mechanics. One the plus side she's very creative and artistically talented.

She is also very intense / emotional and determined (strong willed).

With someone very strict she rebels and when her back is against a wall she may melt-down. With someone lenient she walks all over them and they tend not to reign her in until she's out of control.

Basically it's very important that she have a teacher that is patient, not rigid, understanding but firm. To add a complication her teacher this year is going to teach 4th grade next year. There have been some issues this year and they haven't gotten along great but seem to have worked though most of them. Although she might not be the best match there would be an advantage of not having an adjustment period with a new teacher.

Any suggestions on how to ask for this perfect teacher but also say that her existing teacher would also be a good option.

Thanks so much for your help!

 

[amid chaos]

Janette...I think what you have written here is fine...it's very specific and that's good.

 

[clh2]

Janette,
Do you know which teachers will be teaching 4th grade next year? If you respected any of her other teachers, i.e. her 1st or 2nd grade teacher - would you be comfortable asking them for their opinion. With respect to her 3rd grade - moving into 4th grade teacher - you may not be as comfortable getting an opinion from this teacher.

I would write the letter, and describe exactly what you put in your paragraph starting with: Basically its important to have...etc.
If you have a preference of which teacher you would like her to have, (we can't mention specific names in our placement requests) mention a few specific traits of your preferred teacher.

Good luck!

 

[shortbun]

Our school loops(kids stay with teachers two years) unless
specific changes are requested. We love it-no period of
adjustment-just learning from the very first day. We and most other families are there because of it and a few other components
of an informal classroom. It's difficult to find a perfect match,
if you can live with the teacher she has, request that they be
together next year if possible.
How many 4th grades are there?

 

[Tiger Fan]

My daughter will be "looping" this year as well. She's going from first to second and we are thrilled. I've read alot of research and it seems great. I like the idea of not having the adjustment period as well. Good luck to you. I agree that what you wrote seems like a good start to your letter/note to the school. Best wishes - teacher stresses can be tough.
Lisa

 

[lindamg]

As a teacher, I agree with the posters who said your original post was a great way to approach the school. If you do decide to ask your child's previous teachers, please remember that in some schools it is considered inappropriate and extremely unprofessional for any teacher to specifically suggest another teacher to a parent. If the teacher seems uncomfortable with the conversation, please don't pursue it. It would have saved me a LOT of grief this past week if some of the parents of my students had thought about this. I tried to politely tell them, but they didn't seem to care that I could get in trouble for doing this!

 

[janette]

Thanks, I know her special ed teacher doesn't think she should stay with this teacher. Not sure of all the reasons. My DD right now wants to stay with her teacher but they have been doing lots of projects she's really enjoyed.

Her 2nd grade teacher was very good with her, I'll try to see if she has any suggestions.

We can't ask for a specific teacher but can request a type.

My oldest DD looped in 1st & 2nd grade, it was great and that is one of the reasons I don't mind her staying with the same teacher. It is so nice for them to start the new year where they left off without the adjustments.