Today I asked a kid to get his parents in for an interview. I have taught this young man for 3 years. He is the only student I have ever taught for three years in a row. It has been a pleasure to teach him. I have never requested an interview with his parents. I have never felt any need to see them. He has usually worked well, behaved well and been caring and compassionate with other students. I realised today, this would be the final parent-teacher interviews I would have a chance to meet them. I really want to tell them face to face, what a wonderful job they have done with their son.
Positive Calls
Our principal asked us last year to make a positive phone call home. She suggested that instead of focusing on negative behaviour and phoning parents to let them know what the child was doing wrong, that we chose someone who was doing the right thing and phoned the parents and let them know their child was doing great. I took the challenge and phoned a parent of a kid I’d been quite impressed with that week. The parent was delighted and the kid was my friend for life. I still get a huge smile every time I see him, he’s left our school now.
Good Intentions
After that experience, I thought I ought to do it once a week. It made me feel so good as well. I haven’t done it since though. I’m setting an intention to make at least one of those calls this week before school finishes. I hope that those parents do visit me at parent teacher interviews too!
What a great idea. It makes the parents and kids feel great – and it must feel good to make someone else feel great – and it acts as an antidote to the calls you must have to make that don’t feel so great.
My son moved up to high school this year and I’ve had quite a few calls from the teachers about this and that – but the one I remember was the good one!
It also made it easier to call when things weren’t going so well.
Good on you!
I like the sound of your principal and good on you for carrying it through. I had troubles with my son and when I was at a parent teacher interview I asked what good stuff he was doing because I was sick of hearing about the bad stuff. Fortunately he’s much improved now and also has a different teacher who is just fantastic. She is so getting a good present from me at the end of the year.
About that, you could talk about gifts to teachers if you like. I’d be interested to hear your thoughts.
Thanks Cellobella and Jaycee! I relate to what you say because I am a mum first and foremost.
I will have a think about the teachers gifts. My personal favourite though is always a card with nice words. They seem to last longer than anything.
If my childs school had that great attitude,I mightn’t be homeschooling today!
Great idea!
Thanks Jayne, I love my school. Mostly I love the people in it.