It’s important to develop partnerships with parents to promote student learning. We’re a team, after all. They need to be developed early in the school year and consistently updated throughout the year. Consistency builds trust. Here’s an example of how my co-teacher and I developed a partnership with one of the parents of a high-achieving K1 student who was presenting with some behavioural issues.
Describe S’s Situation. How he is doing well and how he should improve. S is a high-achieving student and consistently outpaces his peers in language arts, numbers and science, creative arts, and physical education. He is usually or almost always well behaved towards teachers. He is well respected by teachers and peers. One aspect where S can improve is his social skills or behaviour towards his peers. He can be especially mean towards low-achieving students who cannot do, say, or create the things he can do with ease.
Prepare examples to explain S’s behaviour. One day we were learning about patterns in English. The teacher explained what a pattern was, and asked the students to complete the pattern. Only S was able to comprehend and reproduce the pattern. When other students attempted and could not do it, he would scoff or say, “Why can’t you do this? It’s easy.”
Another example is his interactions with L. L often cries, yells, or has trouble controlling his body movements. S sits next to L. If L does something unusual, S will demand to have L moved away from him. Once, S hit L with his hand to reprimand L for being too loud. He has said, “I don’t like L because L is dumb and ugly.” S only acts this way to a couple select students.
Explain goals for the future. To become more humble and patient with others. To develop a growth mindset for himself and for others. To be less prideful, and guide him into teaching his peers rather than chastising them.
Explain how teachers plan to help at school.
- Explain why we think S is acting this way. One reason S might be acting this way is because he has developed a “fixed mindset” rather than a “growth mindset”. His pride comes from his achievements and because other students are not as high-performing as him, he thinks they deserve less respect.
- Explain preventative strategies. We will read more stories about the value of every human being, about uniqueness and difference, about acceptance and equality. We will foster a “growth mindset” in all students throughout the day by praising when they attempt something more than when they achieve something. We will teach anti-bullying and the golden rule. We considered separating S from L in the seating arrangement, but came to the conclusion that it is better for both S and L to learn positive strategies in this situation than to avoid the problem altogether.
- Explain responsive strategies. If or when S shows negative social behaviors, we will take him aside to inquire gently and patiently about why he acted that way, and try to inspire an empathetic response for the other student. We will talk to him about pride and why it should come with humbleness.
Explain how parents can help at home. Ask how S’s behaviour is at home. Is he prideful? Is he patient with his sister? Does he snap when things do not go his way? How do his grandparents dote on him? Due to constant communication before the PTM, we know that S’s parent’s observations and goals align with ours. We advise S’s parents to teach him to be patient with his sister. To praise him more passionately when he tries to do something, and more simply when he shows he can do something. Read and watch narratives about kindness, acceptance, and humbleness.
Schedule expectations for the future. Maintain daily communication via WeChat, Palm Baby, and pick up/drop off meetings with parents. Write about social/personal developmental milestones in monthly portfolios. Aim to meet goals by the next semester’s PTM.
Jenn Leah Ko 