Next Year's Teacher

At this time of year, it's a hot topic between parents:  Which teacher do you want your kid to have next year?

At my son's school, the current teacher helps decide, and the general consensus is that they usually do a pretty good job.  In the case of my daughter, who will be in kindergarten next year, she'll probably have the teacher my son had.

If you don't know the teachers on the next grade level, how do you find out about them?  Word of mouth?  Or do you ask for the principal's input?  What if you don't feel any of the upcoming teachers is a good fit for your child? Or what if there are a couple of excellent teachers on deck--do you let the chips fall where they may?

Is there a teacher in your child's school you feel would be a 'disaster' for your child?  We've all heard about the teacher with a bad rap who turned out to be a good match for someone's child after all.  Any similar experiences out there? (Meaning: Don't name names. Just tell us how you felt about it, and how it turned out in the end.)