Wednesday Wisdom with Happy Hour 4 Kids What to do if you have started receiving negative feedback from your child’s teacher Now that everyone has had time to settle into his or her new classrooms and schools, we are now approaching the time of year when some of us have started getting those concerning phones calls from our child’s teacher. You know the one I am talking about, “Hello, Mrs. Smith, this is Ms. Jones, Katie’s teacher, do you have a few minutes to talk?” Panic immediately sets in and you are either shocked or you realize you were waiting for this call. So what to do if you receive a call/email from your child’s teacher: 1) Try not to immediately go on the defensive… or the offensive. Most teachers are reaching out because they need your help and they want to help. If your pediatrician called to say that your child’s Strep test was positive you would listen to what he or she had to say and respond accordingly, this is no different. You child’s teacher is not trying to attack or single out your child (or any child, for that matter). If a teacher is reaching out to you with concerns, please know that they do not want to have that conversation with you as much as you do not want to have it with them. Try to keep in mind they are trying to help your child and they are doing what they feel is in the best interest of your child. 2) Be prepared to listen and hear what the teacher has to say before reacting. 3) Be ready with some questions about the specifics: a. What is it that is main concern/issue? b. Is it academic, physical, behavioral? c. How often is it occurring? d. When is it happening? e. Where is it happening? f. Are there other children experiencing any similar challenges? g. What is the teacher’s response? h. What strategies have been tried? i. Has anything helped (improved, increased, decreased, alleviated, etc.) your child/the situation? j. What would the teacher like to see your child do? k. How can you help? 4) Take the information you have gathered and think about it. You do not have to respond right away, take a day. Talk about it as a family and include your child in the conversation. Decide what route you would like to take and then rejoin the teacher in the conversation; after all, he/she is the person who reached out to you. 5) Depending on the situation and the course of action needed, you may want to consult a professional. 6) Remember that this is still your wonderful amazing little child and this does not change that! Look at this as an opportunity, when we know better we can do better. If you ever would like a sneak peek into your child’s school day because you or the teacher have concerns but can’t easily “fix” the problems, give us a call at 212-679-4319 or email us at happyhour4kids to set up your school consultation free of charge.
Posted on: Wed, 15 Oct 2014 19:18:42 +0000
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