Communication

Information sessions for parents and carers are important occasions for setting the tone for the year and building relationships. For 99% of parents the MOST important thing in their world is their child! More important than their house, their car or anything they own. This places a tremendous amount of responsibility on us. We are not only charged with the responsibility to look after them but to educate them as well. Whilst this is a massive responsibility, it is also a tremendous opportunity to make a real difference in people’s lives. First impressions count! Be organised – set the classroom up to be interesting (ensure displays are error free) Be punctual – start and finish on time Be interested –…

The language of encouragement is open to all. It is easy to learn. You can start right away. It makes schools hum. Encouragement builds wellbeing. It expects the best for the other person. It makes their spirit sing. Give a compliment – You look…, You are…, You give…, You make…fill-in your own words to give a sincere compliment to those you live with, work with or meet in your everyday duties. Praise an action – Earnt praise is powerful and is crammed full of positive reinforcement. Tell the person what you admired in their action and why. I believe in you – No matter what the critics say, I have faith in you to be the one best able to…

There are many reasons why a parent conference can be difficult. Sometimes the content is difficult to talk about. Sometimes the student is difficult to deal with in class. Sometimes our own lack of comfort causes the difficulty. Sometimes the parent is difficult. Often there are misunderstandings that make the conference difficult.   Controlling our eye contact during a difficult parent conference is critical to our success. The following are the four stages of a Difficult Parent Conference, with a commentary on the non-verbals. Our goal is to have a piece of paper eg mark book, anecdotal notes, incident report or assessment piece, represent the source of the problem. This preserves the relationship with the parent.   Parent’s stage and…

Parent conferences are a busy and demanding time for teachers, especially where we are dealing with complex issues, working with difficult people or delivering ‘bad’ news. Effective communication is vital in building trust. Our use of non-verbals is important Take care of yourself Never be alone in the building for parent conferences. Prepare well, ducks in a row, with written documentation of issues. Breathe well. Take several deep breaths before the conference. During the conference, stop and take two deep breaths any time things are tense. (also see dealing with “a big cat” below) Show that you care about them and their child Let them know you understand how much they care about their child. You all want what is…

Over-parenting was often called “helicopter parenting”, as these parents hover over their children to make sure nothing goes wrong. Research shows that today’s parents spend more time per day parenting than in the 1980s. Parents are protective by nature but some consistently intervene to help children avoid any kind of failure. Lawnmower parents go to whatever lengths necessary to prevent their child from having to face any adversity, struggle or failure. Instead of preparing their children with the skills to cope with the challenges they are likely to face, they mow obstacles down so kids won’t face them in the first place. Media often refer to children of such parenting as “cotton wool” or “bubble wrap” kids.  In To Kill…

During a conflict some of our behaviours are helpful and some hinder the resolution of the issue. What are the helpful interactions during a conflict? Let’s work this out – there comes a time when you need to remove yourself from a hurtful dynamic. If we become stuck in a pattern of avoidance this only communicates ongoing rejection and disrespect and can lead to the situation festering. It is important to consider the costs of the status quo continuing and the possible benefits of change. When we communicate a genuine desire to work things out, this changes the tone of the conversation and communicates goodwill and hope for the future. At our best, we search for solutions that take everyone’s…