Pushy+Parents

=2. How do I work with parents who are pushing me to change a grade or my curriculum?=

After browsing the resources about working with parents, negotiate with your group five key concepts to remember when dealing with difficult parents. Draw upon suggestions from the readings. You can negotiate your "top 5" in writing or f2f.

5 Key Concepts to Remember about Working with Parents
1. Be organized- have gradebook and lesson plans ready.

2. Don't get into an argument, you won't win.

3. Find out if other school personnel have had this problem too.

4. Be empathetic and available but don't be bullied.

5. Body language.

Once you have your list, create a scenario that deals with your question. Write a short paragraph that describes a likely situation including what the key players (student, teacher, parent) have done and how they are feeling now. You can write the scenario as a group or someone can post an idea for the others to revise until you are all satisfied. Type your scenario below.

Scenario
Carl is an all A star student, one semester away from being valedictorian. However, in his senior year, he has decided to slack off in Spanish class and has not been turning in his work, resulting in a B grade. His parents, the Armstrongs, have e-mailed his teacher asking her to change his grade because he has always been a good student in her class and all the others. They say that he already knows the material and has done well on the tests and therefore should receive an A because he deserves to be valedictorian. Carl himself has not mentioned anything to the teacher.

When you have your scenario, each person should draft a hypothetical email to the parent in response to the scenario. Write the emails on the discussion boards. Read your classmates' work and comment on it. Look at it from the point of view of the parent, the student, and an administrator. How does it come across? What suggestions do you have?