Student Issues

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.