They may miss their teacher from last year. Or, they may be worried about fitting in to a new class.

But, if your child still has a problem with the teacher after two months of school, you need to take some action. Try this:

1. Talk with your child. Say, “I know you keep telling me you don’t like Mrs. Smith. Can you tell me some of the things she does that you don’t like?” Listen carefully—don’t put words in your child’s mouth.

2. Make an appointment to talk with the teacher. Let her know what you’ve heard. Say, “I’m not here to criticize. I’m here so you and I can work together to solve this problem.”

3. See if you and the teacher can find some ways to help your child. Perhaps the teacher can reassign desks, or give your child a little more warning that it’s time to finish a project. After the meeting, write a letter to the teacher outlining what you’ve decided so there aren’t misunderstandings. Be sure to thank her for her time.

4. Let your child know that you and the teacher have talked —and what she plans to do. Listen carefully for the next few days. Often, a few changes may help your child start to feel better about school and the teacher.

5. If there’s still a problem, talk with someone else from the school—perhaps a counselor or the principal. You may also need to tell your child, “It’s okay not to like every teacher. But sometimes we have to learn to work with people we don’t like.”

In some cases, children do need to be moved to another teacher, but only as a last resort.

Copyright © Parent Institute