Stay calm and professional even if you are feeling defensive and fearful inside. We often hear from teachers and administrators that parents do not respect educators anymore. Dealing with difficult parents is the ultimate howto guide for navigating the often rough seas of parental communication. One small minority of parents are the most difficult. Today, if she had to make the same call, she thinks that half the time parents would be supportive, while the other half of the time, they would make excuses for their child.
Dealing with difficult parents and with parents in. In tingleys online seminar, dealing with difficult parents. You are in a position where it is sometimes necessary to make difficult decisions, and parents will sometimes challenge those decisions, especially when it comes to student. Dealing with difficult parents and with parents in difficult situations. Jan 31, 2001 the information in this book is directed more toward administrators than teachers, and it uses the same three examples of difficult parents over, and over, and over again. There are many great ways to wrap up the school year, but dealing with difficult parents isnt one of them. Many schools administrators say most of parents are fine. Generally speaking, if they are yelling at you and you are talking to them in a calm voice, they will calm down. This book gives you great tips on how to deal with those who have gifted children, as well as most of the other conundrums teachers of today have to face from parents. The information in this book is directed more toward administrators than teachers, and it uses the same three examples of difficult parents over, and over, and. How principals and school adminstrators can help teachers. In this excerpt from building bridges between home and school, youl.
Guiding the most challenging children encouraging and forming relationships with children who challenge us can be one of the most difficult parts of teaching. Whitaker and fiore not only provide realworld advice designed to proactively create positive teacherparent relationships, but also offer powerful and specific strategies for remaining professional and effective even in the face of the most difficult circumstances. Sometimes difficult parents are attached to difficult students. Advice on dealing with difficult administrators essay. May 04, 2012 10 best strategies for dealing with difficult parents most of us in education have had the misfortune of dealing with a difficult parent or family, had a conflict with a parent or student, or have been ambushed by an upset person in school. Fiore assistant dean of the college of education, state university of west georgia is a straightforward guide written especially for teachers, principals, and others who share a mandate to. As a school administrator or teacher, you arent always going to make everybody happy. Often these children say hurtful things to others, frequently refuse to comply or join in and are sometimes physically hurtful to themselves or others in the classroom.
But even with good intentions, many moms and dads are doing their kids a disservice with their overzealous approach to youth sports. A school leaders guide to dealing with difficult parents. Other times, a parent who isnt involved in their childs education can make helping that student difficult. The information in this book is directed more toward administrators than teachers, and it uses the same three examples of difficult parents over, and over, and over again. An educators survival guide for dealing with difficult parents by megan ruesink on 02092016 whether youve been teaching for just a few weeks or several years, youve probably already seen or heard about the monster mothers or fuming fathers. Over the years, i have seen maryln appelbaum many times speak to audiences on how to handle hardtohandle people.
Most of your students will finish up the year and move on to the next grade. Here are 10 strategies, tried and true, that will alleviate a majority of problems with problem parents. We used the book as a community learning tool with our teachers and staff. Implement these strategies when the time is right, and youll find parents responding positively to your confidence, abilities, and willingness to establish a friendly rapport. Todd whitaker talks about his book dealing with difficult parents 240. Heres a stepby step process for using all of these while handling a political challenge the way you would a successful grassroots political campaign. Bacals never ending interview page on schooling, teaching and learning. The main book, dealing with difficult parents, 2nd edition, shows how your. For the past 20 years, we have encountered a relentless increase in educators frustrations in dealing with difficult parents. The authors of this book have provided excellent insights for educators, both at the administrative level and the classroom level, for dealing with parents. One challenge that all educators face is building credibility with parents. Dealing with difficult parents and with parents in difficult situations by todd whitaker associate professor of educational leadership, indiana state university, terre haute, indiana and douglas j. If you hear from their parents at all, it might be a thankyou card. It was geared more towards parents of students who are getting in trouble for something.
Teachers use the term difficult parents to describe many different types of parents. Written by an administrator who was also a teacher, the book is also a source of support and understanding. Idenitfy various approaches to delivering bad news to a parent. Analyze difficult situations and provide the tools necessary for generating positive outcomes. Nov 17, 2018 most parents even parents like these want the very best for their children. It is a book based on the authors extensive and nationwide research and on the application of the raid approach.
Whitaker has published over 30 books on staff motivation. This book helps teachers, principals, superintendents, and all educators develop a repertoire of tools and skills for comfortable and effective interaction with parents. Ive been teaching 19 years, and i could come up with a thousand examples of parental abuse toward teachers. If you have children and are a teacher or administrator, you have been at both sides of the table described in this book at some point.
Dealing with difficult parents, 2nd edition by todd whitaker and douglas j. Jul 30, 2019 dealing with difficult parents is virtually impossible for any educator to escape. Chapter 1 begins with some quotes from teachers and school administrators. Dealing with difficult parents requires that principals first deal with themselves. Dealing with difficult parents at school one of the most challenging tasks, even worse than having a root canal, is facing a difficultirate parent in your office. The main book, dealing with difficult parents, 2nd edition, shows how your teachers. As administrators, we know that well have to deal with any parent from time to time. It shows you how to deal with the parent who is bossy, volatile, argumentative, aggressive, or maybe the worst apathetic.
School administrators and teachers can best deal with difficult parents by being proactive, openminded, and prepared. Parents who are reluctant to engage are the most challenging by far. Stories are shared that when we were growing up, if the school called regarding misbehavior, when you got home there were followup consequences. One of the key benefits to this text is that it provides clear and practical ideas as to how to prevent parents from being difficult to begin with. The scenarios are drawn from our book teacher talk. By todd whitaker ne of the most daunting tasks principals face is. Dealing with difficult parents is virtually impossible for any educator to escape. Jayne ellspermann, principal of west port high school and presidentelect of the. Dealing with parents is one of the most difficult tasks for teachers and administrators today. Oct 16, 2015 dealing with internal politics requires a combination of strong connections with the right people, planning, common sense, patience, persistence and hard work. Working with difficult staff educational leadership. Jun 17, 2016 for the past 20 years, we have encountered a relentless increase in educators frustrations in dealing with difficult parents. An updated version would be great because parents today who rely on electronic communication are very different than parents of 2001. Naturally, you reach out to the parents to alert them, get insight, and develop a plan.
This was a pretty basic book about dealing with difficult parents. Todd whitaker talks with me about teaching teachers and schoolbased administrators how to work with and talk with parents. Todd whitaker and doug fiore wrote a book, eye on education, that i feel is a very useful tool, said principal les potter. On the other hand, i did glean two useful techniques. A school leaders guide to dealing with difficult parents taylor. Apr 26, 20 in my seminars with educators on handling difficult parents the title of my book on this topic, i often begin by asking participants to call out words that come to mind which best describe parents who are difficult. Nov 18, 2010 read on to learn some fabulous tips for dealing with an irate parent. By todd whitaker ne of the most daunting tasks principals face is interacting with hostile or aggressive parents. Johnson school principals devote a significant portion of their time to dealing with conflict. Dealing with difficult parents in dealing with difficult parents, doug fiore and todd whitaker offer strategies and techniques that make it easier to deal with seemingly difficult parents and with the difficult situations in which they find themselves.
If difficult parents are adding to your teaching stress, keep your cool and use these tips. Probably great for intermediate or middle school teachers. These parents are habitually rude, demanding or disrespectful, engaging in personal attacks on teachers and. Most of us in education have had the misfortune of dealing with a difficult parent or family, had a conflict with a parent or student, or have been ambushed by an upset person in school. Her audience members sit transformed as she teaches them the reasons difficult people are difficult and the crucial skills necessary to handle them. Our handpicked resources for teachers and school administrators dealing with angry parents crossword puzzle have a little fun, and test yourself on techniques you can use to defuse upset parents with this exclusive free crossword puzzle. A particular student in your class struggles with grades, behavior, or both. This new supplement to the bestselling dealing with difficult parents, 2nd edition is designed to. An educators survival guide for dealing with difficult parents.
Explore the basic concept of treating others fairly and with respect, and the result of getting a good deal. Dealing with difficult teachers todd whitaker indiana state university 812 2372904. Dealing with difficult parents one of the most unenviable components of a principals job is interacting with angry parents. Sometimes a lack of engagement can be a result of a fear of school from their own past experiences, so when you do get to interact with them, try and make it as positive as possible. While the beginning of the book at times feels like its pitting parents against teachers and administrators, clearly that isnt the authors intent. Teachers need to work with parents, particularly emotional ones, but principals and school administrators both set the tone for those interactions, and support or dont support their teacher in dealing with emotional situations. How to deal with difficult parents world of psychology. The book deals with the complicated relationship between teachers, principals and other educators and parentsguardians.
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