How can you build trust with parents when delivering negative feedback?

Always start with the positives. Highlight child's strengths and positive attributes. Be specific and provide examples of behaviour or academic issue. Listen to the parents as sometimes kids come from ruined families. Make sure to maintain privacy and be patient with the child and parent(s).

Definitely you need to prepare ahead. Initially, it is important to gather all the information the other teachers might have on the Student, whose parents you are going to meet. When together with the family you should proceed with all the positive information you gathered. When reaching the negative topics, you should come up with a possible solution for each problem. Furthermore, it is important to highlight the link there should established between parents, Student and school, so that this triangular connection promotes security and motivates the Student to achieve his or her goals. In conclusion, it is mandatory to get ready for the meeting with time, as it will give you the possibility to share a sense of security with the family.

The best way to deliver a negative feedback to the parents is first build a strong rapport with them. Tell the positives of their child first and later on go to the negative ones. The use of correct words which are not harsh but at the same time convey what you want to say is very important.

The evidence is the important thing, so we can get trust from parents. And, we need to start with the positive achievement from our student.

Acredito que o mais importante nesse caso é a postura do educador e a palavra-chave é empatia. Falar sobre assuntos delicados exige sutileza e afetividade. A forma de trazer a questão deve estar baseada na compreensão de como o campo emocional destes pais funcionam. Acredito que depois de uma recepção calorosa, é melhor começar com perguntas, possibilitando assim o diagnóstico de como as coisas devem ser ditas. As respostas do pais dão pistas de como o assunto deve ser abordado. Alguns preferem objetividade, outros são mais emocionais e reativos. Antes de falar os ouvidos devem estar muito atentos. O mais importante é criar uma ambiente acolhedor e não crítico, para isso é importante reforçar também os aspectos positivos do aluno.

It is important to be mindful of when and where the message is delivered. Parents should feel that confidentiality will be maintained which should also be taken care of. Teacher should be free to address Parents concerns as acceptance to negative feedback may not be easy.

It is very important not to address issues in front of the student, as it is your job as the teacher to create a comfortable and safe environment for them to grow and learn. This should be a private conversation that allows the parents and teacher to have a thoughtful discussion and come up with ideas on how to address the situation as partners in their growth.

The best time to have such as a message is when the parent is calm and away from distractions. One is able to reason through negative feedbacks better when relaxed more than when occupied with other things on waiting to attend other matters. The place needs to be away from other learners of parents, preferably where privacy is guaranteed to avoid embarrassment. This is more important for the child, who could feel exposed and vulnerable to criticism by other learners.

Also keep in mind that you have others to support you. Talk to other teachers who have the same students to see if they have the same issues and if so, it could be beneficial to have a team meeting in some instances instead of just 1:1.

Consider Timing and Setting: 🕰️ ▪️Be mindful of when and where you deliver feedback. ▪️Avoid providing negative feedback in public settings to prevent embarrassment or defensiveness. Example: I once encountered a situation where a student was struggling academically. Instead of addressing it during a parent-teacher meeting with others present, I scheduled a private session to ensure a more personalized and constructive discussion. Choose a Private Setting: 🤐 ▪️Schedule a private meeting with the parent to discuss feedback. Example: In the case mentioned earlier, I arranged a one-on-one meeting with the parent in a quiet and comfortable space. This enabled more focused and confidential discussion without external distractions.

In my experience teachers may be tempted to use ambiguous words and terms, probably to show their competence, this is not necessary and may cause resentment from the parents.

Actively listening to the other person's perspective without interrupting or formulating a response in your mind, shows genuine interest and the will to communicate positively. I strongly believe in fostering an environment of mutual respect by using respectful language and tone and also avoiding personal attacks, defensiveness, or dismissive remarks. This shows an approach of caring, sharing and togetherness towards the growth and progress of the child.

It is essential how feedback is communicated to parents. It should not sound like the teacher is pontificating. What we do at our preschool is that for every student who is receiving such a feedback the teachers first ensure that they are telling the parents what we are doing as a school to address this problem. And this is followed with suggestions of how the parents could do certain things to support our endeavour. We do not put it on the parents alone to deal with the issue. The tone of our communication is that we are equal partners in ensuring this child overcoming the challenge that he/she is facing.

In my experience, it is best to highlight strengths that the young person has, even if not specific to the subject & then to explain clearly what needs to be done by all to make improvements, that being the teacher, parent/ guardian and the young person. Motivation, reassurance and belief are key to ensuring a positive change in behaviour.

What you say matters, but how you say it matters too. It’s important to give honest feedback to the students and their parents. However, this does not require the teacher to blame, shame the students or to use disrespectful language. After all we are all on the same team and are working towards a common goal of making our student overcome the challenge they are facing in studies and ace the assessments and tasks that are given to them.

As an experienced teacher I am sure that there is no parent that will be happy listening to negative feedback, however the key to build trust is to use appropriate language and moreover to demonstrate that you as a teacher are concerned for their kid and that your feedback has the purpose of helping their child. It is important to inform facts, but what remains in the parents' minds is how much you care about their offspring.

Every family has their circumstances that we may or may not be privy to. It is not our job to judge. It is our job to work as a team with guardians to help our students succeed. Listening and empathizing shows parents and guardians that they can trust us to be on their team.

In my experience, highlighting the child's positive traits and/or sharing my personal observations of the child's behaviours and interactions during lessons, helps to connect with parents. This establishes trust and demonstrates genuine care for the child as a unique individual. When presenting negative feedback, it is important to be objective and factual, consistently emphasizing on students' overall well-being and safety as the school's priority. Active listening, acknowledging and respectfully empathizing with different perspectives also help to strengthen the teacher-parent connection. While there are occasionally differing views, I always like to emphasize that the teacher-parent partnership is instrumental to the child's success.

Listening and empathizing are key when delivering negative feedback to parents. Active listening involves giving parents the space to express their thoughts and concerns without interruption, showing that their perspectives are valued. This can help in understanding their viewpoints and responding more effectively. Empathizing requires acknowledging their feelings and the challenges they might face. Demonstrating genuine concern and understanding for both the child and the parents helps in building a connection and trust. This approach can transform a potentially difficult conversation into a collaborative and supportive dialogue, where the focus is on finding the best solutions for the child's development and well-being.

The strength behind delivering successful communications is the ability to listen and empathise with the other person. Everybody needs to feel appreciated in a conversation, and this, is a critical aspect when passing negative feedback. Empathise with the parent by letting them know you feel their pain, but giving a workable plan to relieve it at the same time. Sometimes parents might come up with harsh remedies, but as a teacher, it's your duty to politely offer more learner friendly remedies without hurting either parties.

I've always found that follow-ups are a great way to not just maintain one's own credibility as a teacher, but also to understand how the parents and students are dealing with the previous feedback. Often, the parents may need more help in getting to understand how to deal with children who are behaving in a certain way. Syncing up with the parents periodically may be a great way to share our experiences with them, thus enabling them better

When meeting with families of struggling students, I always include the student. Additionally, we frame the whole conversation around creating a “game plan” for the student moving forward. There are several benefits to this, on of which is removing the “confrontational” aspect of these meetings. While I have at times experienced someone just looking for a fight, this strategy has almost always diffused that kind of tension before it gets out of hand. Another benefit has been reinforcing that all stakeholders have a responsibility in the student’s success. When we game plan, we are acting as a team. All team members had a role to play, and this allows us to define, modify, or clarify what each team member’s role is, my own included.

After offering workable solutions to the low grades, offer your support when needed. Some plans may require, for example, the trainer giving tasks or assignments, which means constant engagement. Retain a positive outlook as a motivation to both the child and the parent. Be involved. Be passionate. Get to know the progress whenever possible. Offer guidance where necessary and let your presence be felt positively.

1. Collaborative Action Plan: 🤝 ▪️Collaborate with the parent to create a plan of action for the student's improvement. ▪️Discuss strategies that address the student's specific needs and goals. 💡Example: "Let's collaborate on an action plan tailored to your child's needs. I welcome your input in shaping strategies that align with their goals and potential." 2. Student Involvement: 🧑🎓 ▪️Involve the student in the process of addressing challenges. ▪️Ask for their input and feedback to enhance engagement. 💡Example: Encourage student involvement, saying, "I believe your child's input is valuable. Let's include them in discussions about their academic journey and seek their feedback on how we can collectively ensure improvement."

In my experience, I have found that parents are most trusting and receptive when you are also consistent with presenting the positives of the student. Always follow up with the progress a student is making and do not just focus on the negatives. In general, try contacting parents with positive news or progress when it occurs throughout the year. I have heard from many parents that they rarely get contacted about positive behavior and it makes them feel like we are more of a team when we share in the triumphs as well as the struggles.

Express your observations and concerns using "I" statements to avoid sounding accusatory. For example, say "I noticed" instead of "Your child always." Also frame your feedback as a concern rather than criticism. For instance, say, "I'm concerned about..." instead of "Your child is always..."

Following up with positivity is essential when delivering negative feedback to parents. After discussing the issues, it’s important to end the conversation on a positive note. Highlight the child’s strengths and potential for improvement, and express confidence in their ability to overcome challenges. Offer reassurance and support, emphasizing that the goal is the child’s growth and success. This positive outlook helps maintain a constructive and hopeful tone, ensuring that parents feel supported and motivated to work collaboratively on solutions. Such a positive closure can reinforce trust and open the door for ongoing communication and partnership in addressing the child’s needs.

What you focus on, grows! So focus on the strength areas and encourage the parents to do the same, and then wait and witness magical transformations!

Every parent is aware of their child's weaknesses in academics or art/craft activities, social skills. When a child is sent to school, the onus is upon the school/teacher to be helpful in personality development. So when the child is given a negative or average grade, the parent usually doesn't accept and becomes defensive either out of peer pressure or is just unwilling to accept the observation, so at such times : - before you point the weakness, begin with a positive note, - gently bring attention to where the child is lagging, - use empathy and kindness as you don't know how life is treating them, - guide the parent by boosting their own confidence - with assurance of betterment , appreciate the child's efforts as an individual.

Build a trusting and collaborative partnership with parent. Feedback ought to be continuous and effective at critical points. One way is through a follow up after a formal parent teacher conference. If you had shared a specific area for child to work on or strategies with the parent to work with the child, a quick check in with the parent to share any progress or how they are coping would be helpful.