Parents: Volume 1

Sometimes when you meet the parents of your students so much becomes clear. My first year as a teacher I met a mother who truly helped elucidate her daughter's behavior. Her daughter, Patricia, had a few attitude and anger management issues. When it came time to have parent-teacher conferences Patricia was failing my class because her group never turned in its quarter project. As I finished speaking to one parent, I saw Patricia's mom (Mrs. T) waiting for me.

Me: Hello! Whose mother are you?

Mrs. T [annoyed, as if she had to respond to a very inane question. This tone continues for the rest of the conversation]: Who do you think?

Me: You must be Patricia's mom [Who else could it be?!?!]. Why don't you sit down?

Mrs. T: Oh, it's that bad?

Me: Uh...no. [How is sitting down a bad sign?]

Mrs. T: Patricia tells me that she is failing because her partner, Marie, didn't turn in the project.

Me: Well, that is part of the reason. What happened is they worked on the project in class and the day it was due Marie had left the project at home. I told them they could turn it the next class period. Once again, they did not have it so they received a zero.

Mrs. T: I don't want my daughter working with Marie again!

Me: Well, she was the one who picked Marie to be her partner.

Mrs. T: Well, I don't think they should do group work at all.

Me: [Silence]

Mrs. T: Now, Patricia told me that since she spoke English in class she had to bring treats to the class. She said if she didn't do it, she would fail.

Me: Well, it's true that when students speak English three times in class they need to bring treats to the class. However, it does not affect their grade at all.

Mrs. T: I don't have time to go buy candy.

Me: It can be something homemade.

Mrs. T: Then I still have to go to the grocery store [because apparently she never goes there]. When you do an activity like this, it just involves the parents!

Me [very timidly]: I don't necessarily think that's a bad thing....

Mrs. T: HUMPH!

Throughout the entire conversation I wasn't sure if she was mad at me or her daughter. I think she was just mad at anyone that had the misfortune to cross her path!