My daughter has just started Kindergarten this week. She has been so excited about Kindergarten, I was surprised when I picked her up after school and she was very unhappy. She said she was not allowed to drink from her water bottle during the day. That the teacher is only allowing the children to get drinks during the one morning recess and lunch. To me that was very odd. We live in Southern California and it is very hot, kids need to be hydrated. My daughter was so distraught that she completely melted down before school today. She begged me to find another kindergarten.
The real problem then came when my husband tried to talk to the teacher this morning. He wanted to make sure my daughter would be allowed water if she needed it. The teacher blew off my husband and said that was her policy. She then turned to my daughter in front of all the other students and parents and said very accusingly, "If you have special needs or problems you need to talk to me." My daughter now thinks she has problems! I couldn't believe it! I cannot imagine a teacher singling out a student like that and telling them they have problems. So I tried to go to the principal for help. She told me to talk to the teacher, even though we had already talked to the teacher and gotten nowhere.
My daughter is still not allowed to get a drink, and said when she asked today the teacher yelled at her. I asked the principal to move her to the other kindergarten room and she refused. I'm at a loss. I have no idea what to do. My daughter who previously loved school and couldn't wait to learn is now miserable and begging me not to make her go. And I can't get any help from anyone. Does anyone have any advice on what to do next?
Drinking water all the time from a plastic bottle is a rather new fad.
If all the kids did it, wouldn't this take away from teaching time?
Talk to the principal, change the class, but don't expect to win.
Did the kids drink water all the time from plastic bottles when you
were in school:?
Keep going up the chain of command. Write letters.
It doesn't matter whether kids "never" get dehydrated or not - your daughter's body is telling her to drink water, and she is being forced to ignore a very basic and important need. This is not right. That teacher is a witch with a capital "B."
You should definately start going up the chain of command so to speak, until someone listens to you. It is not right to refuse a child water during the day. You're right, she needs to stay hydrated so she can learn, stay focused and be able to interact normally. I just dont understand the thinking of some of the teachers that are out there sometimes. My daughter is studying to get her teaching credentials and it amazes her at some of the things that some teachers try and get away with. Definately get your voice out there. Dont let them push you or your family around like that. Too ridiculous for words, especially during these hot days!!! Good Luck!
I personally would lose my mind if i weren't allowed to drink water when i needed to..i don't understand why the principal won't move your child..perhaps this school is not the school for your daughter and this is something that is trying to stir you to a new direction..that's the way i look at a lot of problems..if your child is now feeling bad about school and not eager to learn and is thinking she has problems its time to look for a different school and then you should give them a bad write up on YELP ..
or on sites like http://www.greatschools.org/
This teacher sounds cold and uncaring ..she sounds angry to be doing what she does..
You can't always run from problems but if she's being a witch about a little water then i can only imagine how she is about other things.
I say try to find another school and tell the woman that you don't want your daughter being taught by someone who puts more energy into discipline than education.
xo
D.
I am sooo sorry to hear about this travesty! Kindergarten is the start of a child's true academic career. Your child's impression of school is now tweaked a bit. A new teacher really is in order. Find out who to talk to above the Principal if need be. Get your daughter moved!!!
Personally, I would go to the district level. If the principal isn't helping, you have to go over the principal's head. Perhaps appeal to the principal in writing, rather than in person. That way you have a record of your request. Copy the teacher on the letter so the teacher knows she is being reported to her boss. Don't be judgmental, just state the facts of what happened. If the principal does nothing, then take a copy of that letter and send a letter to her boss at the district explaining the situation. This teacher sounds like a horrible teacher, and even worse because she's teaching kindergarten when kids don't even have an awareness of school, so she is setting a precedence for their entire schooling.
We also live in Southern California, and every class my kids have been in they have been allowed to ask to get up and get water. I've never heard of a teacher that does not allow this, especially when it's hot! To me it sounds unhealthful.
Since the principal won't help you, the next step is to go to their boss which I believe is the superintentdent of the school district. Our school encourages having water bottles because you don't want the children to get dehydrated. It makes no sense to me. Good luck.
Hello J.,
As a teacher, I can sympathize with the no bottle rule during class. It is a distraction, children use them to fidget with, distract themselves, make games with other students, avoid work by drinking and claiming to have to go to the bathroom, and a host of other inventive antics children do with their possessions in class. However, a teacher with good classroom management skills can arrange for more frequent "Water time." I would suggest asking her to allow for more frequent water times that won't disrupt her schedule and see if working with her would help. Obviously, they've seen this before and dismiss you like their jobs aren't in jeopardy. Which they probably aren't. So instead of the power struggle, which your daughter will end up getting the consequences, (this is only kindergarten, she will have this reputation of "difficult parents" for a long time at that school.) Also, ask your daughter to support the teacher's rule until you've had a chance to work out the situation and don't discuss this issue in front of her, she'll just want to defy the teacher and create her own classroom power struggle.
On another note, I haven't heard of any child getting dehydrated at any school in Calif. except for long distance runners on high school track teams on extremely hot days in the valley. Children have lots of opportunities which occur every few hours to drink something, and the classrooms in most schools are air conditioned. If there is a smog and/or heat alert, principals will ask teachers to restrict play by keeping their students in classrooms for lunch, recess and P.E.
Good luck,
Wendy
