Today I am about to embark on my first ever Parents Evening!
Yes, I’ve been teaching for a few years now, and I have the experience of talking one to one to parents, but in our nursery the parents meetings are held differently.
I have attended them as a parent, obviously, and on occasion I have been asked ot hang around to do some translations for Punjabi speaking parents, but never have I been the one to sit on the other side of the desk… never have I been the one that parents look to expectantly, for good reports of their child.
This year, being in one of the main school classes for two days a week qualifies me to have to attend the proper big event… two evenings where appointments have been made with the parents of our students, to discuss their progress.
Each child has a 10 minute slot – God help me, I find shutting up a problem, and now I have a time limit. I think I need a timer and buzzer to stop me over sharing!
It’ll be a long day for us, until gone 7 pm tonight, and a little shorter finishing at 6 pm tomorrow.
But this means that everything we would usually do at the end of the school day can’t get done, so after getting home, there will be a lot of tired teachers hurriedly marking books, and ensuring the next day’s preparation is done, before collapsing into bed.
What to eat? Well for the late one tonight, our dear Headteacher has arranged for food for us all to eat after it finishes.
I’m a little nervous.
It’s really hard to look a parent in the eye and tell them things they may not want to hear.
But it is a pleasure to give them positive feedback!
It’s tough to stay calm when parents try to tell you how to do your job.
Though it is wonderful for the ego when they say how much they enjoy coming to school to be in your class!
And you can guarantee that you will hear, several times, when you mention a child’s good behaviour in school – “Really? He/she’s a nightmare at home! Oh well, I’m glad he/she behaves here, anyway!”
Still, this is another task to tick off my Teacher’s Bucket List!
Wish me luck – and the strength to get through it!
Have a great Monday Peeps!
But I Smile Anyway... 