If
the student's parents call you with an unexpected
issue:
1. Acknowledge their
frustration, concern, or anger.
2. Explain that you would very much like to talk with them when
you have more time.
3. Agree on a specific date and time that is mutually convenient,
and call them back then.
4. Before calling them back, follow the steps outlined
below.
If you plan to call a parent about an
issue:
1. Set up a file or some method
to document contact with parent and to record your interactions
with the student concerning this issue.
2. Be prepared with:
a) a clearly defined statement
of the issue,
b) the student?s positive
aspects/behavior/values (aside from this issue) that you can share
with the parent, and any action taken
to-date.
3. Check with other teachers
who presently have this same student in their classes to find
out:
a) How they have successfully
handled similar issues with this student in the past.
b) If they are presently
dealing with the same issues, ask what steps they have taken thus
far.
c) If they also need to talk
with parents about similar issues, ask if they are willing to have
a joint meeting.
4. Look into the student?s file
(usually in the front office or counselors? office) to find who was
their last year?s math (science) teacher. Contact that teacher to
ask about instances with similar issues and how they were
handled.
5. Talk to student?s guidance
counselor to find out as much as possible about the child and home
life, previous dealings with parents, and if you should be aware of
any previous situations that relate to or might give insight into
your issue.
During the phone
conversation:
1. Acknowledge
parents? frustration, anger, and concerns.
2. Emphasize the
positive characteristics that their child has demonstrated in
class?the student?s strengths and how they relate to your classroom
norms, content, and/or process.
3. Introduce the
issue specific to the child?s difficulty with dealing with
classroom norms, content, or procedures; as opposed to personality
or behavioral traits or negative attributes.
a) Focus on the
child?s key values.
b) Explain how the
student?s values may be counter to classroom
norms.
4. Explain how
you have handled this issue up to this point in
time.
a) Suggest a
meeting with student and parent to discuss solutions.
b) If appropriate,
suggest a meeting that would include the other teachers and/or
administrator and counselor, the student and
parents.
5. If the parent
makes a negative statement, acknowledge the concern by paraphrasing
without responding defensively. Then ask clarifying or probing
questions to find out more detail about the
concern.
a) You can
restate what you think the parent is telling you about their
child?s needs.
b) You can explain
what your goals are for the class and the method that you use to
obtain those goals. But remember, the parents are advocating for
their child, not the whole class, so make your comments specific to
what you see as the needs of this particular
child.
6. Suggest a
meeting date to discuss how both the child?s needs and the goals
for the class can both be met.
a) If you are
uncomfortable meeting with or dealing with this particular parent,
ask if it would be okay with them for you to have your mentor
teacher, a counselor, or an administrator join the meeting.
b) If you have
spoken with other teachers and they want a joint meeting, tell the
parents who the other teachers are, and ask them if they would be
willing to have a joint meeting so that solutions can be decided
upon that would be consistent in all the child?s
classes.
Meeting with parents and
student:
1. Preparation
prior to the meeting:
a) Research the
issue.
i) Consider what
part of the issue you can take responsibility for, and are willing
to make changes.
ii) You may want to
have the class, in which this student is a member, do a free-write
concerning this issue. You can ask them if they are having similar
problems and to share their suggestions for solutions.
iii) Prepare a
tentative suggestion for alleviating the problem that will not
conflict with the child?s values and that will address the other
students? suggestions/concerns.
iv) Ask other
teachers, read research on the topic, ask an
administrator/counselor for ideas for dealing with the
issue.
b) Arrange for a
meeting place that will be comfortable for the number of people
attending, and for the topic being discussed.
i) Round tables
are preferable, but if using a long rectangular table, sit in the
middle of one of the long sides. (This is usually called the power
seat, as you can control the conversation at either end of the
table.) If you have an administrator join you, sit next to
him/her.
ii) If meeting in
the classroom, make sure the seating is comfortable for adults,
arrange the seats in a circle, and make sure all the seats are
similar. (Do not use your teacher?s chair when others are seated at
student?s desks
2. At the
meeting:
a) Greet parent
and student at the door of the school or in the front office, walk
them to the meeting room and introduce them to others at the
meeting. Suggest that they sit together.
b) Assure student and parents that your
objective is to help this student be successful.
c) Restate the issue/concern for the benefit
of the whole group.
d) Share research you have collected and any
adjustments that have been made, or changes the student has made,
since the last conversation.
e) Ask parents to share their thoughts,
observations, and suggestions.
f) Ask the child for his/her input about the
issue and what has been discussed so far at the meeting.
g) Explicitly document what each participant
will be responsible for: what you plan to do, what the child will
do, and if applicable, what the parent or administrator will
do.
h) Specify a date to revisit this issue
either in person, by telephone, or email to discuss how things are
going for all involved.
i) If not able to totally resolve, suggest
intermediate steps to be taken, and set a date to meet again to
discuss progress and any adjustments to be made.
Preventative measures for
dealing with parents
1. A parent
letter should be sent out at the beginning of the year that
introduces you as the math/science teacher, it should include
contact information.
2. Contact the
parents of each student before the end of first month/quarter to
share positive values, positive aspects of behavior or skills
demonstrated by their student. It is preferable to do this by
telephone or, if you are unable to contact parent by phone, you can
send a personal letter.
3. At Curriculum
Night present a very short demonstration lesson that will show the
parents how you plan to teach. Explain the classroom norms and
teaching/learning objectives. Share possible difficulties that
students may have with the teaching style or content and indicate
how the parents can deal with these issues.
4. Communicate
students? progress weekly either through students? agendas
(day-timer), Web page link to grade book, or e-mail or letter home.
The Source is another resource available to communicate with
parents. http://source.seattleschools.org
5. Communicate objectives for
content and process at the start of each new unit. This should
include recommendations for how parents can assist their child or
find assistance for their child. This can be in the form of a
letter, email, or Web page link.
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