[SunshineJ]

I had to stop by and meet the music teacher at DS's school this morning. They're having a Christmas music show on Wednesday, and he's nervous about remembering the words to the songs, so I wanted to ask for a list of the songs they'll be singing. I walked in, introduced myself and mentioned the program on Wednesday, she started talking about the paperwork for the DVD. I had no clue to what she was referring - DS has NEVER brought anything home about this. Evidentally you can purchase a DVD of the event if you want to. I apologized and told her I hadn't seen that one come through his backpack yet. In a *very* nasty and accusing tone she told me "Well I've sent it to the teachers to be sent home TWICE now!". I simply told her "I'm sorry, we haven't gotten it yet." and went on to explain that I was wondering if it would be possible to get a list of the songs. "I've sent that home TWICE too!" in the same nasty tone.

: My kid is obsessive about checking his cubby and has had us return if he thinks he's forgotten something; there was a breakdown somewhere but I don't appreciate the implication that either I or my child are at fault! I had DD with me (was on my way to drop her off at preschool) and she was so, so good. She sat quietly on the couch outside the music room, and as I was getting ready to leave came in the room to stand beside me. She saw the huge cello in the entry and went to touch the strings. I quietly corrected her and told her not to touch it. This battleaxe felt the need to chime in with "We don't touch things that aren't ours without permission! I didn't hear YOU ask if YOU could touch it!" - in that same hateful tone. DD is a good kid, but I'd never hesitate to admit if she were out of line. She wasn't. In her world she's encouraged to explore and as soon as I told her not to touch she immediately stopped.

If that's the way she treats a parent, I shudder to think how she talks to the students! (My mom met her on grandparents night and got the same impression of her unfortunately, so it wasn't just a bad morning.) No wonder DS is so stressed about singing on Wed and I'm really tempted to pull him from the program (it's completely voluntary, and it's a "Christmas" deal not holday, so a lot of kids won't be in it as it is). Although my singing scares buzzards, I always loved music class in elementary school. It makes me sad to think that the other kids may not have as great an experience and introduction!

K.

 

[bigeyes]

Yikes.

Have you spoken to the principal, or anyone else at the school about her?

She sounds absolutely charming.

 

[momo7]

: Scary to think that she has authority in any way shape or form over a child. Can you even imagine what it's like with no "wittnesses" (as in parents) in the classroom?

.

 

[supervee]

Why would she put a huge cello in the entry and expect elementary age students and younger not to touch it?! Sorry for the music teacher; that stinks.

 

[BCFD]

OMG! WOW! The first ever preschool that my oldest dd was in had an assistant like that. DD spent 1 day (3 hours) there before I pulled her. I found out hours later that this woman also was jabbing my dd in her bellybutton with her long fingernails while she was holding her (dd was crying for me and I guess this woman wanted her to shut up). DD told me this and I believed her (she was hysterical!). Needless to say, I spoke to the director and the lead teacher about this and that woman was fired (the lead teacher did not hire her and honestly didn't want her in her classroom either. Yikes!) She was the meanest, nastiest woman I think I have ever met in my entire life. I still have enormous guilt for even letting dd stay in the same room with that woman for 3 hours of her life. That was a year ago and to this day she STILL talks about how mean that woman was.

I would ask your ds how *he* feels about being a part of that program. Try not to put any ideas into his head, i.e. "Is she mean?" or "Do you like the teacher", etc. Just ask him a general question. I think if he has any hesitation you should pull him from the program. A woman like that has *NO* business working with children. And I would absolutely talk to the principal about her.

 

[octobermom]

Quote:

Originally Posted by supervee Why would she put a huge cello in the entry and expect elementary age students and younger not to touch it?! Sorry for the music teacher; that stinks.

Yea this DH is a music teacher in college and wouldn't expect a toddler/child entering his room to not touch.. Including our own DD. Actually he would have found her some "safe" instruments and let her go to town while visiting with you.

Deanna

 

[SunshineJ]

Quote:

Originally Posted by supervee Why would she put a huge cello in the entry and expect elementary age students and younger not to touch it?! Sorry for the music teacher; that stinks.

Ok so I'm not totally nuts here - that was my exact thought! The ONLY reason that I can think of to do something like that is to "test" the kids daily and basically torture them on a small scale. I did ask DS how he liked the music teacher and he said she was nice, but then he said he was afraid to sing at the program because he was afraid she'd be upset if he forgot the words. He has such a complex on things like that, so it's often difficult to determine if he's really afraid of that because of a fear of the teacher or if it's a self imposed expectation. DH and I talked about it and DS has said repeatedly he doesn't want to be in the program (it's not like he has a solo or anything, all the k's and 1st graders will be on stage singing together) and by gosh we're not going to make him do it!

K.

 

[lolar2]

I'm trying to think of a Simon Cowell joke to go here, but I'm not coming up with a good one. She sounds pretty awful.