KIDS Issue 1050 · February 19, 2025

Mismatch 

When should a parent step in for teacher-student mismatches, and what’s the right way to do it?

Mismatch 
The average frum family will likely have at least 80 mechanchim in their lives and at some point, there are bound to be teacher-student mismatches. When should a parent step in for  teacher-student mismatches, and what’s the right way to do it?

Starting with playgroup until kindergarten, Malky’s daughter Chaya happily and eagerly went to school every day. Then came first grade. Some close friends left the neighborhood and a few new girls moved in, so the social dynamic in the class shifted and somehow Chaya became the odd one out.

After the first week of school, Malky could already see a shift in her daughter’s confidence, as well as some behavioral changes, so she called the morah to share what she was seeing at home. It took a while for them to connect on the phone, but when they finally did, it only made Malky feel worse about the situation.

“Don’t worry,” the morah said, downplaying Malky’s rising concern. “It takes girls time to get used to each other. And besides, social dynamics are always fluid in a classroom, especially a class full of girls.”

But the situation did not improve. Day after day, Chaya dragged herself into the house after school looking dejected. In the morning, she would beg her mother to stay home.

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