What makes a good primary teacher?

A good primary teacher can make a life long difference in the children whom they teach. However, in some instances children and their parents perceive that their teacher is more of a hindrance than a blessing. A good primary teacher has the ability to teach parents to better prepare their children to successfully negotiate through their first years in school. 

According to the article, Parents fear schools are covering up abuse by teachers, several parents are angered by a process that appears to compromise the safety of their children. In one incident a parent heard her daughter crying to her sister regarding a proposed good primary teacher at the Dunbar Elementary Preschool Program. 

The parent decided to record the conversation between the two sisters. On the recording, the daughter stated that "she slapped me like this. (The teacher) had hit her with a ruler". The preschooler also said that the proposed good primary teacher "dug her nails under her arms." 

The mother responded to her daughters claim by filing a complaint with the Missouri Department of Social Services. According to state records, the St. Louis Public School Superintendent found that the claim was unsubstantiated. 

The first rule of thumb for a good primary teacher is to never physically handle students. The only two occasions for physically handling school children is when they become a danger to themselves or a danger to others. If either is the case, a good primary teacher will use their index finger and their thumb to hold the child's wrist. Some children resist this type of physical handling and attempt to pull away. The good primary teacher must then be prepared to move in the direction that the child moves so that they will not damage the child's limb. 

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A good primary teacher will help better prepare their children to become worthy participants in school activities. One activity to consider is the behavior expectations during transition from one activity to another. A good primary teacher can help parents help their children by simulating the same transitional process at home.

A parent can set-up up several different games to play. The games should only take 20 to 30 minutes to play. Once the first game is finished, the parent should have their child to sit quietly with their hands folded for 5 minutes. This will teach the child that during transition periods the child needs to sit quietly and wait for the next activity.

Educators assume that a child who is still and quiet has a better chance of learning than one who is noisy and active. They also assume quiet students are successful and receive rewards for making teaching an easier task. Teachers respond to students who respond with opposition by ordering, reprimanding, involving students in work, and naming the student.

In addition, sitting quietly with their hands folded helps the child to shift any assumed perceptions or implicit biases that the teacher may have regarding the student. It has been noted by research that the teachers perception of their student can lead to extreme measures of discipline. A recent study revealed that Black preschool children represented 18% of preschool enrollment, while representing 48% of preschool children who received more than one out-of school suspension. Comparatively, White preschool students represented 43% of preschool enrollment while only representing 26% of preschool children receiving more than one out of school suspension. 

The third place that many children have challenges is socialization with other students. This lack of socialization often results in students who hit or push other students. Sometimes the children are playful and either take it to far or the proposed victim believes that the other students behavior was excessive resulting in an altercation. 

A good primary teacher can help parents by instructing parents to take their children to the playground for purposes of age appropriate interactions. During this socialization process, parents should direct their children to make 3 friends. This will help to teach the children that the socialization process is for positive interactions versus negative interactions. 

A good primary teacher will also help parents to teach children to better manage their anger. Several methods that children can use to better manage their anger includes:

1.     Develop a feeling vocabulary

2.   Go to a calm spot

3.   Teach: “Stop and breathe”

4.   Establish Anger rules  

A good primary teacher will help parents to develop strategies in their children to make the transition through school a positive experience. 

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All the best,

Dr. Derrick L. Campbell, Ed.D.

www.positiveracialrelationships.com

PO Box 4707 Cherry Hill, NJ 08034

Author of Promoting Positive Racial Teacher Student Classroom Relationships and Promoting Positive Racial Teacher Student Classroom Relationships: Methodology

The Raccelerate Phenomenon

Treasures of Hidden Racism in Education

"Dr. Campbell did his part and now all we have to do is run with it."

 ~ Tom Coleman ~

Woodstown-Pilesgrove Public Schools Superintendent of Schools

“The model that you use to analyze teacher-student relationships is a good one for most school districts”.

~ Joe Vas ~ Perth Amboy Mayor

"Dr. Campbell's Cultural Relationship Training Program is comprehensive, informative, and should be required training for all schools"

~ Darrell Pope ~ Hutchinson Kansas NAACP President