All is right in the (teaching) world... 1/5

I feel like a competent adult when the clothes are washed and hanging on the line, I've got lunches ready for the week (or at least the next day) and the dishes are done. There's a few things in teaching that have the same effect on me - I feel I can tackle the teaching world when:

NUMBER #1

1. I have called back parents or made urgent phone calls. At times, phone calls are a bit of an unknown entity - will the call be successful? Has something gone wrong that I'm unaware of? What will I do to ensure the situation is rectified? Is it in my power to offer such things? Will I get through to the parent/guardian? Will I call at a bad time and get them offside? Some of these things genuinely concern all teachers, some just affect the worriers among us!

Calling a parent about a concern -TIPS! 

• You are calling from a place of concern, so reiterate this to ensure the parent knows you are on their side.
• If you can start in a positive place, do. You know your students and parents appreciate if you call and ask about a change in behaviour/application or a missed assessment task. It not only shows that you are attentive but that you are genuinely looking out for the wellbeing of your pupils.
• Have an outcome in mind before you call - do you want to monitor the student on a monitoring card for a period of time, place the child on a detention to catch up missed work, perhaps you wish to have them apologise to another student after a disagreement in class? Whatever it may be, ensure the call is productive and be proactive in finding a resolution.
• Be fair, avoid emotive language and conflating a scenario - even if it was very upsetting. Try to have some distance and become an objective participant working to find a resolution to support the student. Student behaviour can be a response to many variables that we are not privy to, so remember, don't take it personally.
• Make some positive phone calls home, there's nothing that finishes off a tough day like calling home to tell a parent how well their student has started the term/year, how they showed leadership in a group work task, how they have asked for extension work. These things make us happy and thankful as teachers, but parents want to know too! Also, if you have to make a tricky call later, and you have made a  positive call earlier on, it is so much easier!

Calling a parent back-TIPS!

• Listen!
• Offer information if you have it - to either explain the situation in full to provide context, or to ensure if something has been misconstrued that information that sheds light on this is provided.
• Offer solutions if you can or let the parent know that you will seek advice/follow up and then get back to them.
• If you say you will return the call, return the call - otherwise this may cause tension later on. 
• Call back as soon as you can, it is best that issues are sorted quickly in case they turn into big problems.
• Seek advice, if you have had a bad call and need further contact, ask your  Head Teacher/Deputy for some advice. If things went very badly ask for them to take the follow up call on your behalf, this can diffuse the situation and ensure a resolution is met.