Advocating never ends! There is always a next step and preparing for it. That can be exciting. The opposite is true when things aren't going well. It ismoverwhelming. This can come out in a variety of emotions. Anxiety, anger, fear or distrust are emotions I have had at one time or another. Normally these emotions only harmed me. I was immobilized by my emotions. Once, I began to realize that this would not help, I slowly moved toward an advocating position.
Ok, I'm getting past my raw emotions and it's time to do something. Remember, it won't help the child if I start advocating with these raw emotions. In the case of anger, I take it out on school personnel and alienate them from wanting to work well with me.
Now, if I'm ready to operate with my logical side, it's time to get going to help this child make progress. Remember, if public school is the option you have chosen for your child's education, there is an intellectual choice that must be made. If that is what is necessary, a parent must see the relationship with the school as one where divorce is not an option. It is a relationship that must work.
It is important your child makes progress. It is also important that the parent-school relationship is positive. This takes time and effort. It takes communication. It demands that the parent learns to communicate the unique story of a child well. It needs to be done concisely, with some positive emotion that stirs a heart but not emotionally out of control.
Another part of this relationship is communication. It needs to happen often. Tell the teacher things that you appreciate. Positive reinforcement works well for adults just like it does for kids. Stay on top of this relationship. Next week, we'll look at some very practical ways to advocate for your child while developing and strengthening the parent school relationship.
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