Forgive me for being quiet this week. I am spent. We came through the typhoon fine. We started school. I braced myself next to the phone waiting for phone calls, the same way I had braced myself on the laptop waiting for Typhoon Bolaven to come.

School started pretty smoothly, but I did have to meddle with a schedule. Memphis is a *reluctant* math student. I knew that this year was going to be important for her to make up a little ground and feel more positive about the subject. When we met her prospective teacher on meet and greet, I was underwhelmed. As a stream of parents and students flowed through his room, the man sat behind his desk in ratty sweatpants and a faded t-shirt, barely acknowledged our presence, wouldn’t shake hands, and grunted that he would see Memphis the next week.

I stood by biting my lip and doing my deep-breathing exercises.

Probably because I am a teacher, I have a history of trying to ‘make it work,’ with difficult teachers. When Ransom was in third grade, I had several parents swear to me that his teacher was the devil and I should have him moved. While she was strict, the teacher was a perfect fit for Ransom and his needs that year. She wasn’t his favorite teacher, but I was glad he had stayed. After our time in Virginia though, when Ransom had a bully-teacher (I do not say that lightly) and Memphis had a teacher who told her every day she was low in math (a recording Mem still plays in her head), we spent a year homeschooling to try to lower the stress levels and heal our ulcers. It mostly worked, but once we moved, the kids were ready to try more traditional school again.

I met fourteen middle school teachers on meet and greet day, and only one sent off alarm bells. I debated about leaving the placement alone and letting Memphis try to navigate it herself. If it had been any other subject than math, I might have let Mem handle it—she has a way of evening the odds in most situations. I decided after a couple nights without sleep to call the counselor and get a second opinion. I had prepared myself for the usual, “We do not make schedule changes in the first days of school, give it a try…blah, blah, blah.”

What I said: Dear counselor, I have a reluctant math student. I wanted to get your opinion on her math placement, as you know the teachers here better than I do. Memphis will need a very structured teacher who is able to differentiate instruction (especially providing hands on and visual). She will also need someone who is caring and patient, who will explain things to her another way if needed. She is currently placed with Mr. T, do you think he will provide the best environment for her? If not, do you have an idea which teacher might best fit her needs?

The counselor immediately went to work changing Mem’s schedule.

Mem was miraculously not devastated by a schedule change on the second day of school. After that second day her first words were: “I love my math teacher, Mom. She is gonna be good.”

I used to ask, “Which is the best school? Who is the best teacher?” After the last few years (and moves!), I have learned a far superior question: “Which school or teacher is the best FIT for my student and his or her needs this year?” Praying all our kiddos starting a new year find a good fit.