Thursday 18 February 2016

What Teachers Like & How to Get on the Good Side of a Teacher!

Don't bother sending in your child with an apple for the teacher, it doesn't work!

Obviously apart from the being a nice child, doing homework, and following what I have written (obviously!), the key is to smile. Be happy! A smiling child who says good morning, or good afternoon to a teacher while entering the room is a great lesson starter. And saying please and thank you. Two of the most underused words, but good manners, which mean being polite, listening, and respect go a long, long way to getting on that A side!

Another way in, is the child going to the teacher at the end of a lesson, or session, and saying “Thank you! That was really interesting!” (Of course presuming that the lesson was moderately interesting!) We do love praise for our lessons!

As a tutor we need children that can team work, can equally work well without immediate supervision, are willing to volunteer to undertake duties, are willing to assist less able children, and bring in letters/money and so on, on time, without the teacher having to chase them! Not being late too, and if the child is late waiting at the door to apologise! The number of times I have been teaching and a late arriver just walks in and sits down without a care in the world, that's an immediate annoyance!

And during the lessons? If a teacher asks a question don't shout out! Putting a hand up is the best way, and then waiting to be picked. Not putting your hand up, means too, that the teacher is more likely to ask a child that they feel they would get the answer wrong..........but schhhhh, that's a teacher secret! 

Mobile phones is another! We know that even if a school bans mobiles, that children still have them. Make sure that your child is aware that they should not send texts in a lesson, read texts in a lesson, and the phone should be switched off, or at the very least switched to silent mode, and should be hidden out of view. I have of course had the excuse, “Oh miss, my auntie, grandma, distant cousin is ill, and my mum is letting me know how they are.” Or the “My dad is picking me up and I need to know where to go”. A simple solution that I use in that case is to tell the child that I will ring up their parents/carers and mention that they can ring the school at any time and a message will be sent to their child straight away, or take the phone, and state that I will answer the phone as it is urgent. Hehe! That usually works with a “No problem miss, I will turn it off for now!”

Jewelery? This is always an issue! If working in a school that has a limited jewellery rule, as teachers we are always instructed to remove the item, and put it in safe keeping with the administration team. But things do go missing, and having an irate parent at the door is not pleasant!  So, if it is valuable or sentimental do not let your child wear it, it’s just not worth it!


Uniform! Arghhhh!!! (Did I mention uniform before?!) Even we teachers know that buying uniform, especially specific school uniform, like a blazer or school jumper is expensive, and some schools insist on the children wearing that jumper rather than a generic one.  This is a battle that I have little advice for, other than asking the school if they have the facility to take in outgrown uniform that can be recycled. If they don't, suggest it! Even Private schools sometimes have that facility!  But don't forget to keep to the rules as regarding outdoor wear! So no hoodies or denim jackets please! Just on a lighter moment, I was once at a school were the Head used to hide behind a hedge and jump out on children wearing what he deemed inappropriate outdoor wear! While us teachers thought it very amusing, the school was actually one of the best schools in the region, so maybe that jumping was actually a good idea!

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