Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Parent Teacher Interviews

One cool dude!
A loooooooong day - I'm so tired I can't really think of anything particularly interesting to say. That's the way it is on parent/teacher interview days. I've been up since 5:30am...took a quick coffee break around 3pm to inject some caffeine directly into my veins and then back for round two. My last parent left at 7:45pm.  


It wasn't a difficult evening - I find that instead of me talking to the parents about how their child is doing I usually just listen. My parents are dealing with issues totally unrelated to academics, scholarships and diplomas. 


My parents need to unload to someone who understands what they're going through - they tell me about their frustrations with doctors who just keep referring them to other doctors who put them on a wait list for the next six months. They tell me about medication changes, lack of support workers, the scarcity of recreational programs and how little sleep they get. 


It's a whole different world.  And now my brain needs a rest.  Good night all!!

7 comments:

  1. aw - glad you made it through... i bet you really made a difference for a lot of people by just listening to them...

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  2. I hope you slept well, it sounds like an exhausting day. I don't know how to write this without sounding too corny, but you are an amazing person and the kids and parents in your class are very lucky to have you in their lives.

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  3. Love the picture!
    And I think that it is wonderful that you listen to the parents! It shows how truly invested you are in their children. I'm impressed.

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  4. Jane, I'm impressed. Most people wouldn't recognize that the parents need someone to listen and it will likely help you with your students as you get a better insight what their homes are like. Hugs for a job well done.

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  5. Kudos to you-I think a lot of people underestimate how emotionally draining it can be to listen actively like you were. Even though I do it every day, and I'm trained for it, some days it can just wear you out. I'm sure the parents appreciated the opportunity to be heard-not many would provide it to them willingly like you did.

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  6. I hope you woke up refreshed. m.

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