Most of the teachers I have come in contact with respond well when you explain that your child, who is otherwise happy to learn and socialize, has been wanting to stay home from school and then explain the reasons your child is telling you that. I think this is understood by elementary school teachers to be a sign that something needs to be addressed and may be your "in" to helping the teacher understand your daughter.
I also think that the guidance counselor is a good resource and, when needed, has been helpful to me in a meeting with a teacher by being a translator and facilitating communication.
Totally agree with this approach. We saw a much more supportive response from the school when our child was visibly "unhappy" than any other time. The guidance counselors were especially helpful, as was the gifted support teacher. In my experience, elementary school teachers seem to highly value "happiness" in their students, and are open to finding ways to help make them less unhappy with school.
