Reply to Question to Teachers: What is it like dealing with parents?

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]What’s really hard for me as a teacher:

1) Parents who say that they don’t understand how their child is getting low scores because “he seems fine at home” or “he did fine last year.” At home your child can get 1:1 or semi-individualized attention and there are a lot less distractions. I’ve also spoken to last year’s teacher and/or reviewed their records, so you are either lying or not listening.

2) Parents who talk badly about the teacher in front of their kids at home and parents that make excuses for their child in front of him/her. Your child will have an attitude that will affect their educational success, trust me.

3) Parents that don’t answer emails or check grades online. I need to know that you are aware that your child is struggling  so that you can give me insight or give him/her help at home.

4) Trash talking on social media. It’s mean, unfair, and could damage my livelihood.  How would you like me to talk about you online?

5) Parents that don’t understand that the nature of public education means that we can’t individuals as much as they -or we! - would like. You do what you can for the greatest common good. I spend 11 hours a day on schoolwork and another 5 or more hours on the weekends. When your child does poorly it may very well bother me more than you and the sheer amount of time I’ve spent makes it even worse. I tried my best.

[/quote]

I see all of this except #4 —mainly because I’m not on SM that often and my friends and family are nice people who respect teachers.

I teach a discipline in which there is an enormous skill leap between year 1 and year 2. We tell parents this, but they don’t believe it. A B in year 1 is a good predictor of a C in year 2 or worse if the student does not study or do homework. To complicate matters, parents like to go hands off at this time so they may not see grades until report card time and then they are angry. It was their choice to not look at Portal or the interim report, but somehow, it is the teacher’s fault.[/quote]

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