PEARL 40

Teacher and School Problems

Generally, our role in our children’s school life — in their grades and

behavior — is to provide encouragement and good modeling. We leave
the discipline to the teachers and administrators. We let our children
handle their own school problems. But sometimes we may have to step in
and approach a child’s teacher. This is a difficult thing, for it often calls
to mind all the feelings of intimidation we may have experienced with
our own teachers.
When approaching a child’s teacher, the attitude we should have is one
of collecting information and thinking about it rather than storming into
the teacher’s room and offering solutions. We can make three common
mistakes:

Mistake One:    We  tell    the teacher what    to  do. When    we  say,    “I  want

my  kid out of  that    classroom,” what    we  are really  telling the teacher

is, “You    aren’t  smart   enough  to  figure  out what    to  do, so  I   have    to

help    you.”

Mistake Two:    We  go  into    the school  with    threats.    Saying, “If I   don’t

get my  way,    I’m going   to  go  to  the principal,” creates even    more

problems    than    we  had when    we  came    in.

Mistake  Three:  We  muster  an  army    of  like-minded     parents     to

assault  the     teacher     en  masse.  Any     victory     in  this    sort    of

confrontation   will    be  short-lived,    for the teacher will    fight   for his or

her life.   A   variation   of  this    tactic  is  saying, “I’m    not the only    person