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parent vs
teacher
solving conflicts in the classroom don?t make it personal when parents have something they need to address with their child
?s teacher, they should be sure to stay focused on the behavior, not the person. alexander
recommends that parents refrain from making assumptions about the teacher?s character. ?sometimes that?s difficult to do because we?re human beings, and when we feel like somebody has done an injustice to our child, we get really upset,? alexander says. ?i?ve been there before?we?ve all been there. but we don?t solve any problems when it turns into a personal matter.? most of the time, alexander points out, parents don?t know their children?s teachers very well? but they do have some important common ground, a mutual desire to see that child succeed. ?as a parent, you want what?s best for your child,? says alexander. ?teachers want what?s best for the children in their classroom. educators are in it for the children.? get the facts when a child reports that someone at school has done something hurtful, it is important for the parent to listen to their child and believe them. but, alexander advises, parents should keep in mind that the child?s story is just one side of the story, and they should be open to the teacher?s point of view. ?your child didn?t lie to you,? says alexander. ?but it?s like when there?s a car wreck?if there are three people involved, there will be three stories about what happened. try to get everybody?s perspective to find the truth. try to recreate the issue with as many facts as possible.? use the chain of command when a child comes home and reports something his teacher said or did that the parent finds inappropriate, the first thing the parent should do is to contact that teacher first. respect the teacher by discussing the matter with him or her before involving anyone else. sending an email may be appropriate for a less urgent matter. ?it?s important to remember that teachers have families too, so if you send an email at seven at night, they may not even see your email until after school the next day,? says alexander. alexander recommends allowing 24-30 hours for a response to an email. if the matter is more urgent than that, consider calling the school and leaving a message expressing that you have a concern you would like to discuss with the teacher and that you feel there is some level of urgency. ?en, ask when you can expect a call back. for an extremely urgent matter, a parent should go to the school in person. if a parent doesn?t receive a reply in a reasonable w hen parents send their children of f to school in the mor ning, they hope that the school day w ill be a positive ex per ience?one where their child w ill lear n, socia lize, and g row. but what happens when a parent disag rees w ith something their child?s teacher has done? w hat shou ld a parent do to address and resolve a conf lict or disag reement w ith the teacher? as superintendent of schools for ascension parish, an educator and a father, david alexander has some guidance for parents on how to resolve disputes with teachers in a positive manner. by rebecca connor 96 brparents.com | january 2017
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