My son's school has just informed me that next year he will have a different teacher from the one they announced at the end of last term. I have heard from other parents that this teacher is unpleasant to her students and not very good. I am really quite upset. What should I do?
Schools often announce the new class teachers at the end of one academic year so that sound preparations may be made for the next.
These decisions rarely change as they can cause as much disruption for the school as they can for parents and students. Nowadays, administrative systems are set up well in advance and can be difficult to change. However, circumstances beyond the school's control can make a change necessary. Teachers occasionally have to leave Hong Kong at short notice for personal reasons. In one case I know about, a teacher announced he would be leaving at the end of a term, and rather than disrupt his class halfway through the year, it was decided to replace him with another teacher.
As for the suitability of this new teacher, you need to address your concerns directly but sensitively to the school principal. Good schools welcome feedback on both the performance and parent perceptions of teachers. Such feedback, thankfully, is positive more often than not, reflecting the fact that the vast majority of teachers are committed, caring professionals who do their best for their students.
Before you approach the principal, however, remember that parent perceptions of a teacher may be distorted by inaccurate information. Judgments based on rumour and hearsay should be treated with extreme caution. Often these can become self-fulfilling prophecies. It is rare for schools not to have procedures in place to monitor the performance of staff. These include data from a range of sources to ensure that all students get the best possible deal. Check to see if your son's school also does this.
The other factor to bear in mind is that different students react very differently to different teachers. Teachers tend to have a dominant style of teaching and discipline, and it is normal for students (and their parents) to report different levels of satisfaction. During their school career, students can expect to see a range of teachers' personalities, and this prepares them well for their experience with different people as they develop into adults.