In this day and age, when you consistently enforce your classroom management plan, it’s bound to happen. A parent approaches you to complain not about a particular incident. Or their child’s role in breaking class rules. But that their child was held accountable. In other words, they’re not denying the misbehavior. They’re upset because their … Read more
Here at SCM, we’ve heard horror stories about angry parents. Teachers have emailed us to share incidents of ranting and raving. They’ve shared how parents have interrupted their class and confronted them in front of students. They’ve told of parents who’ve stomped into the principal’s office and even shown up at board meetings to try … Read more
For the most part, it’s a misnomer. 99.9% of parents love their children. They may have a misguided way of showing it. They may not sign one bit of correspondence from the school. They may be uninvolved, negligent, or worse. They may be preoccupied trying to get their own life together. But few don’t genuinely … Read more
If dissatisfied, parents can be a source of great stress. They can question your methods. They can challenge your decisions. They can complain, make demands, and waste your precious time. Which is why it’s critical that you get them on your side, critical that they like you and trust you and support your program. There … Read more
Many teachers, even seasoned veterans, have a fear of talking to parents about their child’s misbehavior. Generally, they’re afraid of three things: The parent (or parents) will get angry and defensive. The parent will question their competence. The parent will complain and make demands. These fears are well founded. While discussing behavior, teachers tend to … Read more
It can be a nerve-racking experience. Without warning, a parent appears in front of you. He (or she) is angry and wants answers. Right now. Maybe he’s upset about a student picking on his son. Maybe he’s mad about how you handled his daughter’s recent misbehavior. Maybe it’s a homework issue, a test grade, or … Read more
Receiving complaints from parents can be stressful and make you lose confidence in yourself, especially if they’re leaked to other parents or fellow teachers. Worse yet is when a parent goes over your head and complains to your principal. The best way to handle parent complaints is to listen politely, and then take action. Fix … Read more