A number of parents I know, including colleagues, freak out when their children get a “bad” teacher. As a teacher myself, I’d like to reassure such parents and offer a few tips.
- First try to stand back and get a bigger picture. You’ve had bad teachers yourself and you are not a failure. Most kids can get over one year of poor teaching and still do well. Especially with a little help from parents and/or grandparents.
- Don’t try and be your child’s teacher. You are a parent, not his teacher. If you attempt to replace the teacher you’ll probably lose a lot of energy for very little result. Your kid goes to school every day and even if he doesn’t learn as much as he should he still learns something. Like his peers, your child needs to rest and relax after a full school day. However there are lots of things you can do to develop your kid’s potential.
- Books: read to your child, go to the library with her and encourage her to choose both books you can read and books your child can read herself.
- Art: give your child paint, papers, scissors, glue, play-doh and encourage your child to develop his artistic skills, even if you don’t feel artistic yourself. Similarly don’t hesitate to show your child how your camera works from time to time and let him take a few shots.
- Go to the zoo, the museum, an exhibition and use these visits as opportunities to teach your kid a few facts about science, history or art.
- Take your kid to the movie, to the theatre and sometimes sit with her while she watches TV. Talk before and after the show. Encourage her to express her opinions about what she has seen and help her formulate her thoughts beyond “I loved it” or “I didn’t like it”.
- Cook with your child. Cooking is a great way to juggle with figures, measures, temperatures and volumes.
- Look at family albums and talk about your childhood, your parents and ancestors. Name the places and times where you or they lived. Don’t hesitate to use a map or an atlas. Point out to objects that are no longer in use. Tell them who was president or king/queen at the time you mention.
- Use your imagination and welcome unexpected opportunities: a guest from abroad, a religious or secular holiday, anything that can involve your child in talks and preparations.
Excellent advice. My family were great at this, with the exception of the family history part – which I am now only truly realising the extent to which much has been hidden.
I had a couple of appalling teachers at various points in my student ‘career’ and I still seem to be in in one piece (although I would loved to have done much better in Physics…).
Physics is also an area where I wasn’t the best of students.
What a nice list. I’d like to add – learn to deal with frustration. An important life lesson that some parents want their children to skip, but no one can skip this one.
“use a map or an atlas” – I have an atlas I bought in the 1980′s – even the borders in Europe have changed since then. It’s fun to spot what’s new.
Thank you Leora for your addition.
learn to deal with frustration. An important life lesson that some parents want their children to skip, but no one can skip this one.
So true, on both accounts.
Great post!
When our kids have had bad teachers (over the years, only two specific examples come to mind), my husband and I tried to make sure that the child in question understood two things:
1) We are on the child’s side and are there to help, to listen, and to advocate for him/her in any way we can.
2) However, no matter how awful the teacher is, the child must still treat him/her with respect.
I totally agree with you here. I only wish more people tried to instill these things.
Your words are wise and filled with strong standards.
The photo is lovely, adding dimension to your prose.
Thank you Lorri. The photo was taken at my niece’s pre-school but she isn’t on the picture.
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