GREENWOOD, Ind. — Just like everyone else right now, we’ve heard how educators are feeling the pressure at work. They’re managing a classroom in which things are changing daily. Students are there one day then learning at home the next.
And parents are, at times, frustrated.
Greenwood Middle School Assistant Principal Jennifer Brinker appeared on 13Sunrise to share the top three things educators want parents to know.
1. We are human. So please be kind.
"We make mistakes just like everyone else does at their jobs sometimes," said Mrs. Brinker. "We have off days where we might not get a grade entered into the grade book, or a parent email answered as fast as you would like."
If a parent believes a teacher made a mistake, instead of assuming the worst, Mrs. Brinker suggests seeking to first understand what happened.
"If there is a mistake that we make, kindly bringing it to our attention would be much appreciated," she said.
Teachers, unfortunately, sometimes feel like they are working at the customer service desk with some angry parents.
"We don’t know what will be hurled our way with every email we open," Brinker said. "Please be gracious with us in the same way you would like us to be gracious with you. A little grace goes a long way."
2. Have some faith and trust in us.
"We wish parents would understand that we genuinely went into this line of work to help educate children," said Mrs. Brinker. "This clearly isn’t a job someone gets into for the money. We care about kids. We want to make a difference and that is why we went into this profession."
Parents with major concerns should reach out to their child's teacher individually to clarify the situation before assuming the worst.
3. Recognize your own role as a teacher
Children are learning from parents from the moment they come into this world. So, Mrs. Brinker advised to not discredit the impact that you, as a parent, have on your child’s education. That could mean being more involved:
- Being an active participant
- Reading to them at home
- Celebrating the good
- Helping problem-solve in the not-so-good times, too
"We have your child for a year," she said. "You will have them for a lifetime, so please recognize that while our seven-and-a-half hours at school are incredibly important, the person they look to for guidance the most is you."