I totally agree with these points, however I am frustrated that he's already disenchanted with school in third grade. And with his past history of mental health (long story short, in second grade he was telling me he had thoughts of suicide) I just want to make the kid as happy as possible. If this means he can have a little more fun with a more easygoing teacher I don't think that's too much to ask. He's hard enough on himself-he doesn't need a tough teacher.
I see what you mean about letting the kid be in charge. I don't mean anything like being in control of the class or the material though. If he feels like something was his idea, or that he took the lead on something, he's happier.
At home we are trying to teach him that not everything is fun. Chores aren't fun, work isn't fun (depending what you do), but they have to be done. I know that not everything in school will be fun and he will learn that no matter what teachers he has, but I would rather he has a teacher who is maybe a little more inspiring than the one he had this year. It wasn't just that she wasn't fun. I felt that she didn't understand him overall. I was mainly worried because my son told me she is teaching 4th grade this year, and I wanted to make sure he wouldn't get her again. I found out he was mistaken.
Last night he was telling me he wanted to drop out of school right now and either work at McDonald's or run away and live in the woods and teach himself to survive. I think he has the abilities for so much more than that and I hope he has some wonderful teachers to help him see that.
I did speak to the head of the lower school today (not the headmaster of the whole school but the head of K-5 and she assured me she'd pair him with a better match next year.
