Do you request teachers for your dks? Does your school district allow it?

We have three elementary schools in our district. Our school allows it, but the other two do not. I do request teachers for my dks, however, this is the first year that I have really had to. My dd is going into fourth grade and there is one teacher that I refuse to let my dd be in her class so I did request for another teacher for her.

By Mommmie on Friday, August 1, 2003 - 11:46 pm:

Our school doesn't allow it for any reason.

By Mylittleanimals on Saturday, August 2, 2003 - 12:03 am:

Our school allows it but only as late as 1 week after school ends. I didnt know that. I had to request that my dd have the same teacher again, since she is staying back and I had to jump through hoops to get her! Oh yeah, and you can only request till 3rd grade then thats it.

By Jackie on Saturday, August 2, 2003 - 07:03 am:

There is nothing written about requesting teachers(at my sons school). But, I have learned if you want to a request a certain teacher for the next yr you have to write a letter to the principal stating what teacher you want. The principals secretary explaiend to me, he isnt able to "grant" everybodys request but he tries. But, the letters must get to him about 2 weeks before school ends as in my sons school your new teachers name is on your report card. I wrote a letter and requested a certain teacher for my son, and he did let my son have that teacher.

By Trina on Saturday, August 2, 2003 - 07:13 am:

Generally speaking it's frowned upon, but they will consider written requests. However, nothing is promised and there is no guarantee your request will be granted.

By Kaye on Saturday, August 2, 2003 - 08:26 am:

At our old school you had to request. The sent home forms and you put your top three choices. If you didn't do this then you almost always got the new teachers. There was also a spot if you didn't want to pick a teacher that you could describe your child and their learning technique. As for this school here, I am not sure what protocol is. I am registering them on Monday. But with all of their paper work I am writing a letter explaining what type of teacher I think they need. I hope they get looked at! I think they will because we do have some special situations, one was on an iep, one was in gifted (and they won't be able to place him here until jan) and then one who is emotionally a huge mess right now. I hate this part of school, once it gets going and the teachers are good, life is great!

By Kathy on Saturday, August 2, 2003 - 10:11 am:

Our school lets your request, however, it is more so if you know a teacher personally or had previous problems with a certain teacher. But still, that doesn't mean you will get who you request. Like for my girls, "R" had a certain K teacher and she didn't like her...said she yelled too much. So when I found out that "G" also was going to have the same teacher, I got her switched. Of course, then "G" didn't like her teacher either and wished she had the first teacher! And last year, "R" got a 504 plan and I was told that I could request a 4th grade teacher, so that is what I did. I was told that she would get the teacher I requested, but we shall see in a few weeks.

By Melanie on Saturday, August 2, 2003 - 03:21 pm:

It's very difficult to request a teacher at our school. Not because it's frowned upon, but because the teachers don't know what grade(s) they will have from year to year. We only have six teachers for grades K-6. Whichever teacher is teaching your child's grade that year is the teacher he/she will get.

I did, however, request to not have my second grader in a 1-2 combo class this year. I requested that if there is a 2-3 he be placed there or, if not, as a second grader in the third grade class. (There won't be a straight second grade as there are only 12 second graders).

The principal assured me he would honor my request if it is at all possible. We'll see what happens!

By Marcia on Saturday, August 2, 2003 - 08:30 pm:

We can submit written request to the principal, with a good reason. I requested a specific grade 2 teacher for Nicole, because of her learning differences. The teacher had tons of spec ed background. It was a valid reason, so they put her in that class. She was lucky enough to have that teacher for 2 years.
I did request to NOT have a specific teacher for Meg last year, because she and I had some rotten experiences when she was Chrissy's teacher.
I usually let the present teachers know who I'd like for the next year, because they do the initial placements.
There are a couple of teachers I don't want any of them to have. If they get them, I might just keep them at home. Nicole is homeschooling half time anyway, so it wouldn't be a big deal.

By Lauram on Sunday, August 3, 2003 - 09:27 am:

We can request a type of environment and kids that they should/shouldn't be placed with. Have to list 5 kids though to be placed with to be sure to get request.

By Karen55 on Sunday, August 3, 2003 - 09:53 am:

Our public school system here is just like Trina posted above.

I did request teachers a few times when my kids were in elementary school, and I did have valid reasons for the request; we got the teacher we requested each time.