Teachers take note please
This happened at a recent Parent teacher interaction at a school where my friend works. One particular teacher had a few parents around her. She was mindlessly pointing out the mistakes made by one student to his parent. She even compared him to another boy standing beside him.
The boy and his parents were flustered but listened patiently and walked away.
The very next day one student walked upto my friend and had a talk with her. She noted that he looked very pained. He admitted that he felt very upset. On probing he told her that he was hurt that way that particular teacher had spoken about his friend. He said,'Ma'am imagine how my friend felt when his mistakes were pointed out in front of others! And Ma'am he was being compared with another. Would it not have hurt him so much? Ma'am all the time you adults tell us that we must not compare with one another. Then why is a teacher doing so?'
My friend had no words to answer.
My question is why do we associate Parent Teacher Meetings with complaining? If our intention is to give suggestions for improvement in the subject can we not make it a positive experience. At most meetings most parents face a barrage of complaints and at the end of the day they are so demoralized. Both parents and students hate these meetings and unfortunately school authorities do not take note of improving them too.
Positive language begets positive action. Can we teachers view our children as children and not as monsters?
The boy and his parents were flustered but listened patiently and walked away.
The very next day one student walked upto my friend and had a talk with her. She noted that he looked very pained. He admitted that he felt very upset. On probing he told her that he was hurt that way that particular teacher had spoken about his friend. He said,'Ma'am imagine how my friend felt when his mistakes were pointed out in front of others! And Ma'am he was being compared with another. Would it not have hurt him so much? Ma'am all the time you adults tell us that we must not compare with one another. Then why is a teacher doing so?'
My friend had no words to answer.
My question is why do we associate Parent Teacher Meetings with complaining? If our intention is to give suggestions for improvement in the subject can we not make it a positive experience. At most meetings most parents face a barrage of complaints and at the end of the day they are so demoralized. Both parents and students hate these meetings and unfortunately school authorities do not take note of improving them too.
Positive language begets positive action. Can we teachers view our children as children and not as monsters?
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