In the same way that speed dating is structured to allow people to get to know complete strangers efficiently, so too are the new Parent Teacher Interviews. Well perhaps none of this is particularly “new”, maybe it’s been like this for a decade but I’ve only been the parent of a highschooler for a couple of years now, so this feels to me like an unfamiliar and quite frankly, odd phenomenon.
I guess in one way it’s the most logistically effective way to be updated about your child’s progress. It doesn’t mean however that it’s not awkward and just like speed dating, performed publicly, at break neck speed and often, a little fruitlessly.
Let me set the scene for the uninitiated. Generally these parent-teacher interviews are held in large hall type surroundings. You have 5 minutes with each of your child’s teachers who will be sitting alone, at a small desk, awaiting your arrival. It’s pretty much a secondary education production line. However where speed dating and parent teacher interviews do tend to differ, is that there is absolutely no alcohol available at the latter.
The point of this exercise is to glean as much information from that person as humanly possible without looking crazy.
Which is exactly like Speed Dating.
Let me count the ways…
1. It’s awkward.
Urgh, the awkward silence. Or in my case, the awkward over-share. Firstly though, you stand around uncomfortably, just waiting to be granted your five allotted minutes together. When you eventually do get to plant yourself down opposite this person, you will fall into two camps. You’re either the one that inexplicably overcompensates for the pause in conversation and does not STFU (that’d be me) or the one that sits there blinking hard and hoping like hell that the other person will just take over.
Top Comments
... and from a teacher's point of view, you finish a full day of teaching. You're tired, possibly hot and sweaty, you grab a quick cup of tea and head off to the hall for 3 hours of talking to parents. If the short interviews are tough for parents, think about a teacher conducting dozens of interviews ... I literally go home with a parched mouth and an aching jaw from talking!
Also, there are always parents who are mean and/or aggressive... which is always hard.
At our school parent teacher interviews are conducted over 2 nights of about 3 hours duration (to give parents the choice of time)
Teaching is a great career, but its also a tough gig in many ways. Gee it would be nice to read a supportive and positive article for a change. : (
Guest! Know that we appreciate you so very much and I would LOVE to write a positive article about you guys. And I will.
I can totally relate to this! The problem is that unlike speed dating, no one offers to buy you a drink at the end of the night! 😜