The teacher's reply to this child should have been...

As some of you know, I teach ESL – mostly to kids of all ages.

One of my fourth-graders told me today, most bluntly, that she was unhappy in her (school’s) English class and specifically with her teacher. She explained, rather matter-of-factly, that it simply wasn’t fun with her, and that it was an “experience” (her words) like it was with me.

Her partner in crime chimed in that she agreed with her (I have two fourth graders in said lesson, once a week for an hour).

I said the usual things to her: the teacher has 30 kids in the class, she can’t always be “fun”, you two are the brightest and best in her class – so sometimes it’s a little boring because you are so advanced, thus, with great knowledge comes great responsibility, etcetera) not in those exact words, and not even in that language, but you get the point).

It wasn’t so much to pay me a compliment, or even to complain about the school and lesson, per se, it was more to mention this point in passing. Why do you teach with games and music, she wondered aloud, and my teacher cannot or doesn’t for us all week long in school. It’s boring – was her main complaint.

Did I respond correctly?

Should I automatically side with (an anonymous) teacher?

If they are correct, or incorrect in their assessment and perception, subjectively, does that matter?

How should I have responded? How should I respond in the future?

And does it matter how old the child/teen is?

Thanks jellies.