One of the things that caught me a little off guard was how many student issues I'd face so early on. A few weeks ago, I got my first taste of dealing with parents. I had to make a phone call to a father of a student who has been tardy for a number of classes. I was pretty nervous before and during the phone call. Of course, the nervousness came through and I didn't like how it came out. Luckily, I only left a message at work and I did discuss what I needed to; I just didn't sound as smooth as I would have liked to.
I also got to send an email home to a parent who was wondering why her daughter's grade was slipping. My cooperating teacher just told me to write it, but I had her check it afterwords. She took out all of my niceties and made the email so it was a lot more direct. Both the email and the phone call were tremendous learning opportunities for me. I now feel more confident about dealing with parents in the future as a result of these experiences.
I am just starting to get a grasp of ALL of the other things that are involved in the role of teacher, besides just teaching. And dealing with parents is just the tip of the iceberg.
No comments:
Post a Comment