Dealing with Schools and Teachers

I have a lot of experience dealing with schools, teachers, parents, and students.

One thing that I always find fascinating is that many parents are reluctant to engage with their child’s teacher or school – generally for fear of interrupting the busy teacher, or for fear that it will make them look like an over protective parent … or that it will somehow single out their child in a bad way.

This is, in my honest opinion and experience, irrational.

Consider this – the vast majority of teachers that I have ever worked with or met are:

  • Highly trained professionals – often trained to Masters and Doctoral level, with many courses and Continual Professional Development activities ‘under their belt’;
  • Have years of teaching (and probably other related) experience working with children and young people (e.g., youth club, sports club);
  • Have directly through their work helped to raise many generations of the country’s citizens;
  • People who see what they do as a vocation and not a job;
  • Those people who quite often see your child for longer than you do each day;

Taking all of this into account, a good teacher will already be adapting their lessons and teaching style to help your child with their own individual and unique learning requirements.

However, what they want to know is the extra part of the jigsaw – the bit that they can’t see in school – the bit that you see all the time at home – the bit that will help them complete their puzzle of the learning jigsaw and help them better help your child.

Meet them – they will want to meet you and get your input to your child’s education and school experience. Tell them that one bit of crucial information that they can’t quite see … because they need you to engage with them and help them to help you and your child.

Feel the fear and do it !!!