It’s generally one of my least favourite parts of the school calendar, parent teacher interviews! It brings back memories of year 8 when I was a cheeky kid getting into trouble! The teachers would complain to my parents that I was fidgety or disruptive in class and I’d have to face the music when I got home from school. Thankfully, somewhere through high school I knuckled down and decided I actually needed to study to go to university!

Generally we get 5-7 minutes with each teacher and have to hop from table to table. It’s usually quite rushed and most of the time I find it a waste of time unless there is some big problem that needs to be sorted out, in which case 5 minutes is too short anyway. Mostly, if your child is doing fine, it’s a brief chat and then you move onto the next table. But it does amaze me the amount of work that teachers do from preparation of subjects and classes, to teaching, to marking, to troubleshooting, and of course the additional work that they take home. A good teacher is a true blessing. I can always tell which teachers are good by the way they describe my child and how deeply they have understood them as people.

That seems to be the key difference between the best teachers and the ones that are “just ok”. The best teachers are able to connect. They are able to understand that each student sitting in front of them is different and learns in their own unique way. They are able to guide without being forceful. And because the student likes the teacher, the student does his best to please the teacher. An inspiring teacher can really bring out the best in a student.

So whilst it may not be my favourite part of the calendar, it’s great to meet the teachers and appreciate their time and efforts educating our future generation!

Any teachers out there? Let me know what you think!

In Health and Wellness

Ranjit