Dealing with a Mean Teacher

My third-grader is constantly coming home upset because she has a mean teacher. How can I help her handle this situation? -- Concerned
Answer: Your daughter should not have to learn how to deal with a mean teacher. You need to get to the bottom of this situation before it affects your child's attitude toward school. Begin by finding out exactly why your child thinks this teacher is mean. Is it possible that the teacher is simply more demanding than previous teachers? Or is this a situation in which the teacher is consistently treating children in a mean fashion? If so, write down examples of this behavior, and talk to other parents to see if their children feel the same way. Then it's time to talk to the teacher, who might not even realize the children think that he or she is mean. If you don't get a good response from the teacher, talk to the principal. Most teachers are caring individuals who enjoy working with students.
If this teacher is simply more demanding, you can empathize with your daughter about the situation. She might feel better from just venting her feelings and knowing you care about her. Even if you don't like this teacher's style, avoid talking badly about him or her to your child.
The most positive thing that you can do is help your child develop a strategy that enables her to deal with this teacher. To succeed in school, she is going to have to know how to deal with all kinds of personalities. If your daughter still remains upset, work with the teacher to turn things around.