Case
Parent putting down their child

During a student-led conference, a parent came in to observe their child's work throughout the year so far. When presented with the work, the parent took notice of everything the student did wrong and went as far as to make the student rewrite a story so that the words were spelled correctly. The parent then talked to another school staff member about how now they see that the teacher puts in little to no effort to teach the class. The situation escalated so much that the school's SRO stood in the classroom to ensure the parent was escorted if things continued to escalate. Is there a different way to handle situations like this?

Posted on: 02/23/23 | Views: 80
Solution #1
I would advise the parent to never put their child down. They are trying their best and that is up to the teacher on whether or not the student is giving each assignment their full potential. As a parent I wouldn't go as far a to making my child redo the assignment but I would sit down with them during a parent teacher conference and see where I can help my child with their schoolwork at home. As an educator I don't allow any disrespectful words or actions in my classroom whatsoever whether that is from a student or a parent. Calling the SRO was a good idea so that the situation wouldn't escalate any further.
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Solution #2
I would remind the parents that we are looking at their child's academic growth throughout the years. The student has grown from learning how to properly structure and format a sentence to writing their own stories. Yes, some aspects of writing still need work, and I feel it is important for parents and teachers to focus on the overall understanding and use of the writing process. In the future, I would recommend requesting that a member of the administration be present in any meetings with this parent to provide you with extra support if needed.
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Solution #3
It seems like the best solution here would be a parent-teacher conference, with administration or SRO present, such that the student is not put in a vulnerable position like that again. The teacher should inquire what the parent does, every day, at home, to support their child's learning. The teacher may be able to explain that the child's writing is developmentally appropriate and that, yes, they are still learning. Offer the parent more gentle techniques to correcting their child's work (for instance, reviewing specific vocabulary rather than having them re-do an entire assignment).
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Solution #4
I would try to advise the parent to not put their child down. But also make sure not to overstep because it is their child and you do not want to be seen as unprofessional. But a child being put down so much can affect their mental well-being and I would make sure the parents were informed of that.
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Solution #5
It is so unfortunate when parents put down their children. Sadly there isn't much we can do outside of school, just support them a whole awful lot and make them feel loved when their with you at school.
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