| What can teachers learn from each other when it comes to forming relationships with parents? |
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Research taster
In forming relationships with parents, teachers not only draw on their professional expertise, they also bring into play their personal experiences and background. Evidence shows that gender, social class and ethnicity all play a role in informing attitudes towards and relationships with parents. In this way different parents may experience you differently as a teacher. 
Your evidence
To gauge the quality of your interaction with different parents you could keep a note of the topics you cover during parents’ evenings or telephone conversations. It may also be useful to note who initiated the topic, and how you feel about the parent. For a more objective view, you could enlist the help of a colleague to observe a conversation you have with a parent, especially if it is someone you do not feel you communicate with particularly well. (Adapted from reflective activity 12-1b) Moving forward Having made notes of your interactions with parents you can now consider the differences between your relationships with them, and the kind of information you are giving them. Is this consistent across parents, or are some getting more or better quality information from you? If so, are there ways you could close this gap? Are there colleagues whose relationship with certain parents is different, and who would be able to give advice on how to approach them?  Find out more about the TLRP Home-school knowledge exchange project at: http://www.tlrp.org/project%20sites/HomeSchool/index.htmFind out more about effective home-school liaisons at: http://www.gtce.org.uk/policyandresearch/research/ROMtopics/parentalrom/ or http://www.standards.dfes.gov.uk/research/themes/parents/ |
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