From time to time we'll be posting questions from principals and sharing communication for real experts in school leadership. If you have a question you'd like to encounter answered, please add information technology to the comments! Today's question is virtually principal-parent communication.

Q.

Communicating with parents whose child has had an issue at school always leaves me feeling like I'one thousand either with my teachers or against them. How can I communicate with parents in a way that doesn't stab my teachers in the dorsum?

A.

How a principal handles complaints is crucial to his/her reputation with both parents and teachers. Teachers want to know that you back up your staff. Parents want to know that you tin exist counted on to deal with issues involving their kids. Information technology's not always like shooting fish in a barrel, or even possible, to please both sides. Merely you can handle a problem so that both respect your decision. Here's a uncomplicated example:

Stacy'southward mother calls you to complain that Stacy's teacher, Ms. B, accused her girl of adulterous on a test. Ms. B picked up Stacy'due south paper and gave her a zero. Stacy'due south mom says her girl was just asking a friend for a tissue, and Ms. B embarrassed her daughter in front end of the whole class. She wants her child to have a second gamble at the test. What practise you do?

  • Start at the lowest level. Just listen to the parent and offering no stance about who is at fault or how the issue should be resolved. Encourage the parent to talk directly to the teacher before you go involved. If the parent actually doesn't desire to practice that, tell her you volition talk to Ms. B and 1 of you will get back to her.
  • Talk to the teacher. Visit her in her classroom during a free period or later school (but don't call her down to the office). Say, "Tell me well-nigh Stacy and her test, " non, "Did you take Stacy'south exam paper away from her?" And by the way, never say to a teacher, "I desire to hear your side of the story" considering it sounds similar y'all're the grown-up mediating a playground dispute between two kids.
  • Mind. Maybe Ms. B warned the student several times earlier she took her test. Maybe information technology'due south the tertiary fourth dimension she's been caught cheating. Possibly she told Stacy she could take the test afterward school. But maybe …  the parent's business relationship is right.
  • Decide. Weigh the facts, employ your all-time judgment, and let the teacher and the mom know your decision in a timely manner. If this is not the kickoff time Stacy has had a problem with cheating, perhaps a briefing with the teacher is in order. If this has never happened before, give the teacher credit for assuasive Stacy to retest. In whatsoever result, focus on the next steps, not on the trouble.

Often parent complaints are more complex than this i, but the process is essentially the same. It's important to exist noncommittal when parents complain near a teacher's actions until you lot've talked to the teacher. Listening carefully to your staff doesn't mean they will necessarily agree with your final conclusion, merely information technology does mean that they won't feel they were thrown under the bus without whatsoever chance to defend themselves.

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