Communication

Time For Reflection

December 12, 2024
Steve Francis
Activities

As the school year draws to a close, it’s easy to feel swept away by the busyness of year end events and the exhaustion that accompany the final stretch. Each year is a journey filled with moments of triumph and challenge, creativity and resilience. Amid the whirlwind of planning, assessing and supporting students, it can sometimes be hard to recognise all you have accomplished. Yet, as the year comes to an end, it is a powerful time to pause and reflect on the impact you’ve made.

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Effective Communication Strategies for Dealing with Difficult Parents

November 21, 2024
Steve Francis
Communication

Navigating conversations with difficult or upset parents (or caregivers) can be challenging but how you respond can make a significant difference in deescalating tensions and building constructive relationships. While it’s important to remain calm and professional, the words you choose play a crucial role in defusing conflict and promoting understanding. Here’s some guidance on what to say—and how to say it—when dealing with difficult parents. Listen Well Even if the parent is wrong from the very first thing they say, they will not be ready to listen to you until they have said whatever it is they have come to say. Focus on listening calmly and not responding. Your non-verbals can be give aways and fuel the fire. It is…

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Working With People Is Stressful

October 10, 2024
Stevef
Communication

Schools are people places filled with multiple relationships. By its very nature this contributes to our stress levels as we have to work with a range of people, with different personalities and a vast array of factors impacting on their mood on any particular day. One of the things that we know through working with a student whose behaviour is challenging is that WE can’t change OTHER people’s behaviour. We can’t really FORCE another person to do something if they really choose NOT to. We can’t change other people’s behaviour. Successful behaviour management strategies provide an environment where students are ‘encouraged’ to make better decisions. Ultimately the only behaviour that we can control is our own. Understanding and accepting this…

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Avoid Defensiveness With Tricky Parents

July 11, 2024
Stevef
Communication

Parents who are defensive of their child can be tricky to manage. Dealing with defensive reactions is difficult and often stressful. When people are defensive, they are often at their worst. They quickly become adversarial, irrational, hostile and angry. Through making subtle adjustments to our approach by anticipating and endeavoring to avoid a defensive reaction before it happens, can help manage tricky situations. According to Richard Carlson, author of “Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff”, having the wisdom to anticipate defensive reactions allows you to avoid a great deal of conflict in the first place by not pushing certain buttons in people and by not engaging in behaviour that is likely to set them off. Respond in a composed manner, sticking…

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The 3 Metre Rule

July 4, 2024
Stevef
Communication

Interactions with parents can add to stress levels in schools. Being proactive by establishing a positive relationship before any issues arise is obviously beneficial. There’s a school I know (it shall remain anonymous to protect the names of the innocent!) that doesn’t leave anything to chance. The teachers and other staff use the 3 metre rule, a great customer service process to make sure parents feel comfortable at the school. Whenever a staff member comes within 3 metres of a parent at school, they greet them and enquire if they are being seen to. “Hello Bree. Can I help you? Is someone helping you?” It’s amazing what a warm smile and simple acknowledgement can do to make you feel welcome!…

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Building Rapport With Others

June 20, 2024
Stevef
Communication

When you work with people, whether it be colleagues, students or parents at your school, the better the rapport and relationship, the higher the trust and the greater the cooperation. Put simply, good rapport between two people is all about liking and trusting each other. Of course, we often build rapport and relationships naturally and automatically. There are some people who we simply ‘click with’ better than others. But there are also some people who we need to intentionally build rapport with – colleagues, students or parents with whom we may have a strained relationship. Here are five ways you can build rapport more easily: Make people feel good about themselves: The general rule is that we like people who…

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Thank Parents When They Bring You Problems

February 15, 2024
Stevef
Communication

Teachers and other staff in schools can be on the receiving end of complaints from parents about problems related to children or issues that may have happened at school. Respond appropriately and you will more than likely strengthen that parent’s relationship with your school and your personal reputation. Fob off their problem or complaint and you have probably created a recruit for the school car park committee, who have very little positive to say about anyone at your school. Often when a parent has a concern or a complaint, they will have rehearsed over and over beforehand what they are going to say. It is helpful to listen attentively and try not to interrupt by responding, until they have finished…

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Positive Parent Information Sessions

February 1, 2024
Stevef
Communication

Developing a trusting partnership between the school and the home not only benefits the student but can reduce stress on school staff. Parents who trust teachers and the staff of the school are far more likely to give the school the benefit of the doubt and be more forgiving of a mistake. Where trust is not evident, parents are more likely to be cautious and suspicious. Parent information sessions are important opportunities for building trust with parents. Information afternoons or evenings for parents are important occasions for starting to build trust with parents and setting the tone for a productive year. It can be helpful to consider the session from the parents’ viewpoint. They come along to the session to…

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Managing Conflict With Colleagues

September 28, 2023
Stevef
Communication

One of the key factors in determining whether a school culture is toxic or thrives, is how staff members deal with their own conflicts as they arise. Whilst it is inevitable that there will be conflicts amongst staff, it is vital that these are dealt with in a positive, respectful manner. Alex Kajitani in Owning It: Proven Strategies for Success in ALL of Your Roles as a Teacher Today recommends the following approach when a conflict with a colleague arises. Discuss privately If we have an issue to discuss with a colleague it’s important that this conversation takes place in a comfortable, private location, with plenty of time. Catching someone off guard is not only unfair, it can also block…

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Conveying Difficult Information on Student Reports

September 21, 2023
Stevef
Communication

One of the most difficult aspects of writing comments on student reports is figuring out how to phrase messages that may be difficult, challenging or confronting for parents to receive. The following tips are intended to help you determine the most tactful and compassionate way to write about tough topics in your report comments. No Surprises Don’t take the opportunity to drop a bomb. Student reports should not contain surprises. If there are major concerns then the parent needs to know before the end of the semester. No one wants to find out about a problem after it’s already spiralled out of control for weeks on end. The problems you discuss in report comments should not be a surprise to…

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