Firsts are always hard work and the first week back at school is particularly exhausting. At our school they don’t actually allocate classes until a couple of days in, so we’ve had the angst of ‘wondering’ to add to the first day back nerves. The good thing about this system is that for the first couple of days it’s always back to last year’s class, back to the familiar and the safe.
Well, the teacher ballot came in today and we seem to have done… okay. Only one of my children’s teachers this year would be my first choice and that’s really hard to deal with. These are not bad teachers, not at all, just not the ‘best’ (in my opinion, which is built entirely on rumour and suggestion and not at all on my experience of my child in the class… perhaps it’s best that others do the choosing?). I do think it seems entirely unfair that such an important decision in our child’s life is taken entirely out of our hands. Which teacher a kid get makes a HUGE difference and it’s hard to trust that others will get it right. But trust we must.
Have you ever had a teacher that you had no good reason to not want for your child but you just… didn’t? Did you do anything about it or did you just suck it up and get on with it? I have always found that shaky allocations in life often turn out to be the best thing that ever happened – we make the best of what we receive and when we are not entirely happy we usually work harder to make things even better.
The most important thing, of course, is that my kids always believe that I think the teacher they’ve landed is THE BEST teacher for them. How LUCKY they are to have that teacher! Etc, etc, etc. And so it goes up here, back in the saddle, staring into the yawning new school year, just wondering…
Other things that had me this week:
Reading – I’ve put Human Croquet aside for now as I want to make Kate Atkinson last, so I’ve started on The Virgin Suicides by Jeffery Eugenides. The man sure can pen a wonderful character (as evidenced in his later Middlesex, one of my favourite books ever).
Writing – still plugging away at my little ebook. You would think I was writing War and Peace.
Making – a little car wash for toys. Have a go.
Wishing – I had just one kid who jauntily sailed through life. I think I used to, but now I’m not so sure.
Loving – all the darling finds I picked for the DTLL newsletter this week. Want them aaaaalllll…
Wondering– if it will all turn out alright in the end…
If you haven’t met Babs yet, you’d best click on over right this minute. She is a one-of-a-kind, full-of-beans, come-as-you-are dynamo. I’ve loved her blog ever since I first clapped eyes on it and I’m pretty sure you will too.
Happy reading.
x
PS – Yippee, I’m going to the Sydney Problogger meet up on 10 March – tix were sold out in hours, but did you manage to snag yours? Hope so!
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THANK YOU for joining the Weekend Rewind list, hosted by Maxabella loves, Life, Love and Hiccups, Sonia Styling, Kelly Exeter and Patchwork Cactus. To join in simply link up your favourite post and visit a few other bloggers for a read and a chat. A link back here on your post is appreciated.
Amy @ HandbagMafia says
One of ours had a shocking teacher last year. He wasn’t bad- just threw his opinions around. A lot. Such as- climate change is leftist rubbish, Julia Gillard is awful, Tony Abbott is great, Phillip Seymour Hoffman died “with a needle sticking out his arm, a junkie” and….well, you get the picture. Not a fan!
Helioiskpal says
Gasp! Just NO. x
Maxabella says
WhWhat a
Maxabella says
What an appalling teacher, Amy! I do wonder how teachers like this can get away with it… x
Emily says
I’ll be at the Melbourne PB event. Wasn’t going to go, but when there were still tix left when I logged on that afternoon I figured it was a sign. It also falls on the only free day I had that fortnight. FATE!
I hope it all works out. I still remember most of my teachers fondly. Just one that I don’t, and that was more to do with some particular advice she gave rather than not enjoying her classes. That said, I was one of those model student types. Groan. x
Maxabella says
‘Course you were! I would expect nothing less than model student from you, Em. Do share the terrible advice you were told… I’m so curious! x
Emily says
It’s about to come out in an article! It was subject selection advice from my careers guide. I hated science. HATED it. But she insisted I continue studying Chemistry to ‘keep my university options open’. What she SHOULD have said was ‘If you hate science that much, don’t even look at courses with science prerequisites because you’ll hate them too.’
Kate @ From Katie to Kate says
Oh, it is hard. Only four years in the whole schooling thing, it is hard to hand over a child for five days a week, for a year, to someone else. It is. And this year, I am handing over two! At a new school. Without any knowledge of rumours and reputations. And it is actually much easier, not knowing. But ask me again next year, when I am wiser …
Maxabella says
It’s interesting that it’s easier not knowing – reminds me that our own silly prejudices most often cause us more angst than reality. I hope your newbie settles into school life with ease, Kate. Enjoy your new school! x
Rebel Without A Pause says
This is the first year in all my parent-of-a-school-kidding that I have had one in a composite class. Cael (Year one) is in a K/1 comp class.
He is really happy and loves his teacher. I’m very interested to see how it all works out – with two ore coming up the ranks in future years I’m sure we’ll see it again!
Maxabella says
We’ve so far dodged the composites, I’ve heard mixed feelings. I’d be a bit pissed if my kinder kid was in a composite, though! At our school all of Stage 3 (5 and 6) are composites – there are four 5/6 classes. x
Alyson says
I have had a few false starts with Middlesex, but you’re the second sign in a week that its time for another go. Good luck with those unknown teachers…sometime you find gems in how a teacher relates with your kid in particular, and no one could have told you ahead of time that the chemistry would be marvellous. Fingers crossed.
Maxabella says
Middlesex definitely took me a little while to settle into and after that I didn’t want to get out! x
Jodi Gibson (JF Gibson Writer) says
We are very lucky that I would say 95% of the teachers at our school are fantastic teachers, so it really hasn’t been an issue. I’m sure your cherubs will be fine. xx
Maxabella says
I can say the exact same thing, Jodi, so I’m sure this is going to be fine. News on one of our teachers is that she isn’t well liked by parents, but is loved by the children… I wonder what that even means. It’s the kids who have to love her, right??
Helen K says
We’re lucky with our teachers – generally – too, and the kids have so far always had great ones (very lucky in the case of Phoebe as she has the same teacher as last year, and as Sam also had her twice, so good we are think so much of her!)
As a daughter of two teachers, I’d heard about the challenges of teaching but was a bit dismissive (just Mum and Dad again ..) until I did weekly lessons for the last two years. I am amazed at how difficult it is to cater to such diversity with 20+ kids in a class – I wouldn’t ever be a teacher!
However – we have had some issues with the mix of kids within a class in the past. Wasn’t thought out well, and clustering the more challenging ones in one class was a bit of disaster. Fortunately they seem to have learned from this. Hope it all works out with your kids’ classes too, Bron!
Maxabella says
I bow to teachers everywhere, every day. How they do it is beyond me and frankly anyone that turns up and faces a class full of kids day in day out is already a bit of a hero in my books. That said, there are some that face those kids with more finesse than others and it will be interesting to see how our year pans out. I think all will be well, it always is in the end. x
Emily @ Have A Laugh On Me says
So happy with my new schoolie’s teacher as she seems all over it, as for my Year 2’s, she’s new to the school but seems fabulous. It’s been an emotional week here and I’ll be happy to just vegetate this weekend! x
Maxabella says
The new teacher syndrome is one we are facing too but our teacher doesn’t start until Term 2 (this is the only reason I am wary of the situation). It’s a bit hard for the Year 2 kids to not really meet their teacher for a full term. Best of luck with the new school year, Em. x
Min@WriteoftheMiddle says
What teacher your child gets DOES make a huge difference to their year. It’s hard that the choice is out of our hands but that’s how it is. I always used to worry about whether my child would still be in the same class as his or her friends too. We had some not so great teachers and some fantastic ones over the years. My kids are at Uni now and I wouldn’t have a clue who teaches them!! haha I grabbed a ProBlogger ticker for the Brisbane visit in March. It will be my PB event – SO excited! 🙂 x
Maxabella says
You’ll love a meet up, Min. I suspect you are quite a social person once you get going.
I quite look forward to not knowing who teaches my kids at Uni… many wins there! x
Lydia C Lee says
That’s a great quote – I’ve not heard it before. It’s spot on tho…
Maxabella says
It definitely sums up how I feel about change, Lydia. x
Deb @ inner compass designs says
Was just discussing this with a friend because sometimes the teachers we hear bad things about turn out to be totally different with YOUR kid… The rumours and chit chat have to do with individuals. A couple of years ago there was one teacher I did not want my younger to get (she was a yeller I had witnessed at a school event). Of course she got her and I was worried and did not catch myself before reacting. She decided she was not going to school. We find out end of school year so all summer she was adamant she was not going. That Australia Day we went to a friends and it turned out her oldest had that teacher before and was one of her favourites. L went to school and within 2 weeks declared it a great class. I learned that year that the yeller was indeed gruff (sounds like a pack a day smoker) but was great with the kids, enthusiastic, took no crap but gave chances to learn how to make good choices- this was grade 3- and perfect for my daughter! Who would have known!!!
Maxabella says
A familiar story and I completely agree. We’ve had enough teachers over the years for me to take a step back and let the dynamic with my child happen as it may. So far the kids are all very happy and that’s all that matters to me. x
Bec @ The Plumbette says
I think it’s only natural to want the best for our children and so I totally get the feelings when your kid gets someone else but you never know, that teacher may be the best for your kid as you say. Hope all three of your children enjoy school this year. As for me, Esther started Kindy and I love both of her Kindy teachers. I also grabbed a ticket to Problogger in Brisbane. I was undecided in going and then just bit the bullet and bought a ticket. I can’t wait.
Maxabella says
Best of luck to Esther starting Kindy, Bec. What a big year for you! x
Sonia Life Love Hiccups says
I have had a teacher I didnt really want for one of my boys but in the end it actually worked out brilliantly for him (sam) and he had the best year ever. I hope your gorgeous midgets settle in ok hun, I have a feeling that no matter who they get, they will be just fine because they are just totally awesome like that and helloo… look at their mum and dad who they have behind them fifty thousand %. Missed out on tickets to Problogger. Booo 🙁 xx
Maxabella says
Bugger. I was hoping we could rock up together. Deep breath.
The kids seem happy so far, so that makes me happy. I’ve no doubt that we can make it work, whatever goes down! x
Lisa@RandomActsOfZen says
I think it makes a huge difference which teacher they get, especially the littlies.
When Bell was in Grade 1 (at a different school), her teacher had no confidence and let the kids run riot. Thank goodness I was the classroom parent that year, and ended up spending many hours helping her out. I felt like it was a bit easier knowing what was actually going on in the classroom. But have to admit, it was a bit unsettling hearing at least once a day, “well, what do you think I should do with them?”.
This year she jumped in the car at the end of day 1 and couldn’t stop grinning, she was just so happy with her teachers. I can’t tell you what a relief that was, because even though she’s had lovely teachers at this school for the 3 years she’s been there, it’s always a bit scary seeing who they’ll get.
With the guidance and support your babies have from their beautiful parents, I have no doubt they’ll be just fine for the school year.
No Problogger for me…. 🙁
Have a gorgeous weekend, Bron xx
Maxabella says
I think that I would burst into tears if my child’s teacher said that to me – you are made of much sterner stuff than me, Lisa! Good on you for helping her out so much but how crazy that you had to.
I don’t think it’s gonna come to that at ours this year, thank god! x
Kristy @ Loulou Zoo says
Ahhh worrying about teachers seems so far away…but I know it will be here before I know it! I hope the year pans out ok for you and the gang x
Maxabella says
Thanks Kristy. And, yes, it comes MUCH MUCH faster than you ever imagine. x
Raychael aka Mystery Case says
We’ve been fairly lucky when it comes to teachers. All my three are in high school this year. I’m finding it hard to believe and wondering where the time went.
Maxabella says
Well done mumma! You’ve successfully hurdled Primary and now you’re on the home stretch!! x
Lucy @ Bake Play Smile says
Wow that’s really interesting that your school doesn’t allocate classes until the new year. We would always allocate them early December and then have a few ‘practice runs’ to see if they would work or not. I used to work with a teacher who many parents ‘didn’t like’ because of rumours and yet by the end of the year they would think she was amazing – which she was!! Hopefully these teachers surprise you in a good way too! xx
Maxabella says
No surprises necessary as I think they are going to be just fine. It’s often about the dynamics in the classroom and your own child rather than what others have found. Rumours are rife, but so are good words too. x
Denyse says
oh, Bron as both parent/grandparent and retired principal do I ever get this post!! Our kids have had those teachers…and survived but it was not always a great time of course, as have our grandkids. But as a ‘boss’ of a school the frustration was always you can only allocate with who you have. I feel for you..and I like your attitude of how it does work out but it can make for a tougher year. Wish I had that magic matching wand for each kid in each school. Love Denyse x
Maxabella says
I was hoping you would read and comment, Denyse. Your words are really comforting and, you know what, even after just a day I know that the year is not going to dive like I thought it might. I think we’re going to be okay. x
Denyse says
Glad to see after one day it was Ok, Bron! How is it after the full week? Kids are so adaptable…Hope 2015 rocks. D x
Damo @ Forever Falling Short says
It has been a busy week. Hope your baby settles in well.
Damo
Maxabella says
Thanks Damo. You too!?! x
Anne @ Domesblissity says
I’ve had all sorts of problems with teachers over the years Bron but somehow things seem to work out. It’s probably my feeling I had about the teacher and not how they taught my son/daughter. In the end, the kids have loved all their teachers. Me, not necessarily so.
Anne xx
Maxabella says
The kids being happy is all that we need in the end, Anne. I hope this is true for this year! x
Caitlin says
Should I admit that I can be a meddler when it comes to class allocations? I can remember seeing parents do it when I worked as a teacher, and always determined that if I needed to stand up for my child in that way when I was a parent, I would. And I have.
I don’t assume that my request will be granted, and I don’t go in and demand, but I think most school years with my son, I’ve made some type of request that will affect which class he goes into. In Prep it was that he be in the same class as his cousin, and my sister or I have continued to request that ever since, it’s just easier with pick ups and they have a very strong bond. In year one I requested he didn’t have a teacher who was said to be lax on discipline. I had worked too hard with my strong little boy to have all the hard work undone by a teacher who would let him do as he pleases.
In year 2, no requests (except for the cousin) and in year 3 I requested that he be in the same class as his best friend, because every year he gets separated from his best friends, and he’s a one friend type of kid so it’s tough on him. I always asked that he stayed with his simply brilliant year two teacher who was also progressing to year 3. My son is in the process of being diagnosed with ADHD, so if we start experimenting with medication or other avenues, she will be able to very accurately compare it to last year. Plus, my son struggles with anxiety, so it’s been a delight avoiding that this year.
I guess the thing is that you are your child’s most powerful advocate, so if you feel strongly about the outcomes it will result in your child, you should give it a try. So I do.
Maxabella says
I don’t think ‘meddler’ is really the right word. I definitely think I would get in there and fight the good fight if I really thought it was necessary. If I had more than a worry. There is nothing so far to suggest that they will be anything but happy for the year, though. I’m running with that!
Good on you for stepping in wherever you feel is necessary. x
Bron says
Yes it is a hard thing to do…..I have only made an adjustment once….usually we just turn the situation into a positive and trust that the school have figured it out including which friends should be in the class with him….all the best for these first days back at school. Xxx
Maxabella says
Yep, the secret is to NEVER LET THE KIDS KNOW HOW YOU FEEL ABOUT THEIR TEACHER. I had to ALL CAPS that because I believe in it so much. x
Sammie @ The Annoyed Thyroid says
As an ex-primary school teacher, I’m fascinated seeing the class allocation from the other side of the fence. I would dread the day when my boss would reveal the class lists, let’s just say we had some very “interesting” characters. I love that quote, though! I got my Problogger ticket so I am totes excited. I’ll see you there!
Maxabella says
YAY! I’ll see you there!
And fun to think of how the teachers feel when they read through ‘the list’. Thanks for the reminder, Sammie. x
Natalie @ OurParallelConnection says
With all 4 kids at different stages, we have had so many teachers and most I must say are good. There has only really been one teacher I was not fond of but only with one of my kids. She was great with my daughter but not so great with my son. I found her patience level with boys was too short and this is something I had to explain to my son so he wouldn’t get upset.
Maxabella says
This is proof-positive that it can work for your kid even if it didn’t work for your friend’s kid! x
Julie @ meybestandi says
Yay – got Problogger tixtoo, see you there x
Maxabella says
This will be ‘our thing’, Julie. I’ll no doubt see you in the cab on the way there… x
Julie says
Excellent quote about the known and unknown!
Maxabella says
Agree, Julie. It is an interesting way to view change. Comforting, really. x
Sarah @She Writes says
You made THE most important point, that your children always think that you feel they have the best teacher. It is very hard to get the respect of a student when they know that you don’t have the respect of their parent. As long as my children are going to learn I go with the theory that they are going to have to deal with people that they don’t particularly like for the rest of their lives, that’s life!
Maxabella says
100% agree, Sarah. x
Reannon @shewhorambles says
My kids are in high school this year so I feel like everything is out of my hands now. It’s hard to handle for a control freak like me.
At their primary school you could put in requests for teachers. Your reasoning had to be academic based not just that you liked one teacher better than another. I was lucky that each only had one really bad year at school, both with the same teacher. It does make the year drag on but it didn’t t seem to really hinder them in any way. I think the most important year is the one before they leave for high school. Both my boys had the best teacher & he rearly prepared them for what was ahead. They enjoyed that last year at school SO much & it made us so relaxed & happy.
Fingers crossed it all works out x
Maxabella says
Thanks Reannon. I think it’s going to be okay. I think the quote I have above really sums it up – perhaps it’s not the teachers we HAVE that I’m fearful of, but rather leaving the wonderful teachers we HAD.
It’s always so nice to hear from mums who are a little further along the parenting road. I find your wisdom so welcome. x
Karin @ Calm to Conniption says
The whole lucky dip scenario teaching scenario scares me. Biting my tongue is not something I excel at but I do have a couple of years to work on it before my oldest hits school. Hope the school year goes well and the teachers surprise you.
Maxabella says
School is definitely hard work, Karin, no doubt about it! x
di @ lime&soda says
Have definitely been there Bron. We ended up with 2 teachers I wasn’t really happy about. But luckily both turned out OK, and Em flourished in both years. I hope the year progresses OK for you little ones.
Malinda @mybrownpaperpackages says
I’m a first time school mum so of course I am apprehensive about the teacher they allocated my darling precious little child to. I’m sure she is fine and will do a stellar job but what sort of mother would I be if I didn’t worry about it … right?!
Maxabella says
Right! x
ClaireyHewitt says
I have always been happy with the teachers my kids have had, but we have only just finished year 2 so there are a few years to go yet.
Maxabella says
Fingers crossed the happy teaching just keeps right on going, Claire! x
Mother Down Under says
We just started kindy and I was totally wiped out…so was C!
I remember loving all of my teachers growing up…it would be interesting to see if my parents can remember if they felt the same way.
Maxabella says
I did not like my Year 5 teacher very much at all and still remember her well. But I think I learned a lot from her as we often do when faced with something we are unsure of!! x
Seana - Sydney, Kids, Food + Travel says
Hi Bron, will see you at Problogger. Going doesn’t fit in with my ‘do less’ motif for the year but too good a chance to catch up with excellent people.
I’m at the stage where I have the teachers concerned about having my kids in their class rather than the other way round – so proud! Teen15 has a bad habit of torturing a couple a year… I feel sorry for them.
With the primary, the kids have their teachers for a few years, so we know where we are. They’ve all been good – whew. Big week… so a quiet weekend here, and the last of four of Paul away so we are all D for Desperate to see him next week. xx
Maxabella says
You always make me smile, Seana. Poor Teen15 – his reputation proceeds him obviously. Cheers to a calm year this year!!
See you in a few weeks, if not before. I think we are long overdue a catch up!! x
Simone @greatfun4kids says
Hey Bron – sorry for linking up a post from the other week, but I’m yet to get properly back in the blogging saddle, and this one might need your input/thoughts/advice?
I notice you’ve gone back to “Maxabella Loves” as your blog title (love it, always thought of you as nothing else BUT Maxabella loves) and I’m contemplating nervously the possible need for a name change on mine…??
Anyhoo, so far off topic it’s not funny, so back to the story…
Teacher selection, I try to get in early with the kids I have most concerns about and although I stop short of reqeusting a specific teacher, I make sure those who are making the decisions know which teacher(s) would be a complete disaster, based on my intimate knowledge of my quirky kids and past experience.
We find out the new teacher on the 3rd-to-last day of the year so we have all holidays to get used to the idea.
Only twice have we had teachers which were complete disasters (such a bad personality fit we battled EVERY DAY to get that unhappy child to school). The squeaky wheel gets the oil and so I figure best to speak up before the decisions are made because once they’ve got those class lists made up, there’s no changing (at our school anyway).
Oh, and our experience of composites was a total disaster too. So yeah. I make sure THAT doesn’t happen either. This from a mum who NEVER used to speak up or rock the boat – I’ve learnt the hard way to get in early, in the nicest possible way of course..
Having said all that, I THINK the teachers this year will be OK?
We have two more days of holidays for the primary kids here in NZ, but the big lad starts tomorrow (and keeps the same teacher and class from last year). Next year it’s High School. EEK!
Maxabella says
Yep, I went back to my standard. I didn’t feel like the name change suited me after all… I’m happy to keep going with what’s always worked for me!
I am going to be listening to that squeaky wheel like a hawk, Simone. There are no grounds for me to be unhappy at this stage, so I will wait and see how it all goes. Part of me does think that having a ‘not so great’ teacher isn’t the worst thing in the world. All the teachers at our school are fantastic, really, it’s just some aren’t as fantastic as others. That’s not a bad thing! Plus, you know what they say about building resilience while our kids are young – we shouldn’t rush to oil every squeak. Not at all. Good luck with the school starts this week! HIGH SCHOOL – no way! At least you’ve got a whole year to digest that nugget! x
Debs says
It’s a hard one definitely. Some teachers reputations do precede them and we all want the best for our kids, so if we feel they are missing out on the “best” teacher, it can definitely hurt. I’ve tried not to listen too much to what other parents have to say about the teachers at my daughter’s school as I don’t have any choice in the matter and each child’s/parent’s experience is different. You’re right when you say that you put a lot of trust in. I try to think that if my children end up one day with a teacher that they don’t click with that hopefully it will be a lesson in dealing with and getting along with people that aren’t our favourite. But really, I’ll just be crossing my fingers that they get awesome teachers and hope that the school I’ve chosen is led and maintained to the high standard we’ve received so far.
xo
PS: I missed out on all PB tickets, though I wanted Melbourne. 🙁 Was busy all day and when I logged on in the evening, they were gone. Sad! 🙁
Maxabella says
I think we have pretty much the same attitude (to most things!), Debs. I’m not one to try to engineer my children’s lives because i really do believe that there is important growing to do through all kinds of scenarios. The good news is that so far all of the kids are really settled, so I’m assuming that all three teachers are good for right now. That’s all we can hope for!
PS – Maybe you can pick some up on the PB facey page? You never know!
Amanda says
It’s hard to have faith that others will make the best choice teacher-wise for our children, but I honestly try to do that. I’m sure your three will have a wonderful year Bron. I like to believe that teachers/schools look at each individual child and think about which class is best for them… taking into consideration their academic ability and needs, peers, the teacher whose character may suit the child etc. I come from the ‘other side’ of things school wise (being a teacher) and don’t listen too closely to the opinions of other parents when it comes to teachers 🙂 I wonder how many parents/children were disappointed to discover I was their teacher for the year back when I was teaching! 🙂