Behind the Parent-Teacher Divide

Extreme September

September is an extremely intense month for teachers, students and parents.

When it comes to creating routines and being organised, this Virgo season is ideal for trialling out what works and what doesn’t.

I have heard many parents’ sighs of relief when their child shares that they like this year’s teacher.

The caregiver often feels at ease and it reduces the likelihood of confrontation.

What happens though if a strong-willed child encounters a strong-willed teacher?

As a mother, this was my biggest concern before I knew what I know now.

Effortless Report Card Writing

When I created a teacher training to introduce “Effortless Report Card Writing”, I gathered comments that need to be expressed and are a little trickier to put on paper.

The teacher-student-parent triangle is a complex topic that many speak about and very little practical solutions are offered.

If you have been following me for a while, you may know that I am overcoming my own fear-filled memories when it comes teacher interaction.

Fearless Children

In last year’s post I shared about my fearless child who is growing up in an environment where a teacher is perceived as a fellow human being.

For the parents’ generation, school was sometimes a different experience.

In a top-down approach of old, students occasionally heard:

“I will respect you, when you respect me.”

In today’s dilemma, the pendulum has often swung to the other extreme.

Too kind teachers are met by confident, assertive and very “boundaried” students who can seem defiant, arrogant and aggressive in the classroom.

What’s the Solution?

When I stood in front of a group of teachers last week, I had an epiphany.

Teachers are surrounded by teachers and see it all:

🌱  Friendships

🌱  Support for each other

🌱  Tougher days

🌱  Overcoming difficulties together

🌱  Opportunities for bonding.

A parent however is more in the dark and often stuck in their imagination of their child’s day at school.

If a conflict arises, two different realities collide.

Where I come in as a teacher’s daughter and a parent myself:

I feel so passionate and willing to approach and bridge this parent-teacher partnership with empathy.

In recent years, I have been listening to:

💫 teachers

💫 parents who are teachers &

💫 parents.

Two Significant 🧩 of Community

The struggles of these two fundamental parts of our community are so similar and both their hopes for our children are nearly identical. 

Like in marriage counselling where a neutral party mediates different opinions, I believe I can be an unbiased encourager for teachers.

The precious gift I received from educators in Co. Waterford is that when we have the courage to address a problem, multiple solutions are suddenly unravelling.

No matter how much we wish disagreements away, when we are able to see the other side – the clarity is so freeing and empowers us to keep moving. 

Let me know what you think by sending me an email to effortlessparenting@gmail.com or sending me a private chat message below.

You may also share this with a teacher, friend or principal by choosing a sharing option underneath the teacher commets.

(Confirming humanity: written by annett)