The Guardian – Tracy Townrow
“I work as a parent support adviser, based at a London primary school, and I was recently asked how I engage with families facing challenging circumstances. It’s a common question and one that needs greater focus because so much of a child’s education is affected by their family situation. Housing is a concern for a lot of families, and for others, mental health issues and incidents of domestic violence also have a massive impact on children’s ability to concentrate in class and achieve their expected goals. To make things harder, many parents also have bad memories of school and lack faith in the education system. Teachers often find that when they do try to help, they are met with: “It was good enough for me – and I’m doing alright.” I find that respect, understanding, patience, caring and listening are the best ways to win parents’ trust. Here are some of the strategies I use:.”(more)