Conversation between teacher and parents about child’s behavior

The following is a conversation between teacher and the parents of a student named Aradhya about her gloomy behavior in class. Later, her father reveals that she was bullied at her previous school.

Sample conversation between teacher and parents:

Father: Good morning, ma’am. I am Aradhya’s father.

Teacher: Good morning. Please come sit.

Father: You gave us a call yesterday to talk about Aradhya. What happened? Did she do anything wrong?

Teacher: No, she is a wonderful student.

Father: Is she not paying enough attention in class?

Teacher: No, it’s not like that, but before you jump to any other conclusions, let me be clear: I want to discuss her behavior.

Father: But you previously stated that she had done nothing wrong when I asked.

Teacher: She did nothing wrong; the only thing is that she is very quiet. We initially assumed she was a new student, but it has been almost a year and she still hasn’t opened up.

Father: Are you sure? Because when I asked, she said she liked this school.

Teacher: Yes. Did she ever mention any friends at home?

Father: We didn’t discuss her friends, but when her mother and I asked about her studies, she said she could understand everything easily, so we assumed everything was fine.

Teacher: She is good in academics, and every teacher praises her performance; she also received good grades in unit tests, but she barely spoke to anyone in class.

Father: Oh, I see.

Teacher: She also did not want to participate in any group activities; she likes to do everything on her own.

Father: Well, ma’am, she hasn’t always been like this; actually, she was bullied at her previous school.

Teacher: What? Why didn’t you guys do anything?

Father: I think her mom and I made a mistake when we assumed she was just coming up with reasons not to go to school.

Teacher: That is heartbreaking. How did you find out she was being bullied?

Father: When she did not come from school one day, we called the administration and found out that she had been locked in the restroom by some children. As a result, we decided to transfer her to a different school.

Teacher: Well, the environment here is friendly, and we keep a close eye on each student to make sure no one has the same experience.

Father: That is why we chose this school. But what can we do now? Isn’t there anything we can do to help our child?

Teacher: I’m not an expert, but I recommend treating her with love and respecting her emotions. I’d also like to know what she enjoys doing, such as her hobbies.

Father: She likes painting and dancing, as well as reading books.

Teacher: What would you say if I told you I wanted to enroll her in our art and book recital club?

Father: That’s great, but will she agree to this?

Teacher: We’ll figure something out. Art club consists of many easy, fun group activities that don’t require a lot of talking at first, which would be good for Aradhya and help her open up.

Father: This is a great idea, and what is a book recital club?

Teacher: Oh, it’s the new club where students read from their favorite books. Any page, poem, conversation or phrase they want, and they can also share their opinion on particular paragraph or what they like about the book

Father: I believe she would enjoy doing that, and we wish she would agree to join these clubs.

Teacher: Yes, we want the best for our students, so please don’t mind; I’d also like to make one more suggestion.

Father: Sure, ma’am, anything for our child’s benefit.

Teacher: Do you mind if I arrange for her to meet with our school counselor?

Father: What? Do you think she needs counseling?

Teacher: As I previously stated, I am not an expert. Let me set her up with a counselor, and if she believes she does not require it, she is free to go.

Father: But what if she requires counseling?

Teacher: Then there is nothing to be scared of because she is an excellent student and a wonderful person, and getting counseling would only help her to handle her past experiences.

Father: Do you think it’s important to choose a school counselor? If you believe Aradhya requires counseling, I can locate the best counselor in the city.

Teacher: No, it’s not important; you can seek counseling from any child specialist; however, I recommended our school counselor for Aradhya because she is one of the city’s top child psychologists. 

Father: Can you tell me more about her?

Teacher: She is a doctor and a mental health specialist who specializes in working with teenagers and young children’s emotional, intellectual, and social growth and issues. She understands that every child is different, and the issues that the children face are also different, so she uses different techniques and therapies during child counseling.

Father: Could you tell us how many parents have used counseling at your school in the past so we can learn about their experiences?

Teacher: There are many of them, but I cannot give out any details without consulting them first. However, I can tell you about our counselor, or you can meet her in person.

Father: Okay, that sounds great. Please don’t mind because, as parents, we want our child to live a happy and normal life. Her mom and I already made a mistake by not believing her, so we just want to be extra cautious now.

Teacher: Please try to understand that there is nothing abnormal with her; she just has difficulty opening up due to past experiences. For her own good, we must assist her in overcoming her traumas.

Father: Thank you so much for helping us and taking such important steps for our child.

Teacher: That’s our goal. We want to provide our students with the best education possible while also supporting them through all of their difficulties and issues.

Father: It’s really nice of you all to understand our child’s problem rather than just complain about her.

Teacher: We understand that it can be challenging for children at times to understand what’s going on with them. We also understand that, as parents or guardians, there are times when we are unable to identify what is wrong with them, which is why we need professional assistance. Supporting our child is sometimes all we can do.

Father: Yes, you are correct. You have my permission to do whatever you want as long as it helps Aradhaya. Actually, that’s all I’m looking for.

Teacher: Great, Then I’ll convince her to join our art and book recital clubs and make an appointment with our school counselor the following week.

Father: I’d also like to know if there are any additional fees that we need to pay.

Teacher: The art and book recital club does not require any additional funds; however, if she requires counseling, we will email you a list of session fees.

Father: OK, ma’am, thank you so much for organizing this parent-teacher meeting and assisting our child.

Teacher: It is our responsibility. Thank you for coming; it was a pleasure meeting you.

Father: Nice meeting you as well, ma’am. Have a wonderful day.

Glossary:

1. Gloomy: as to appear depressing or frightening.
2. Bullied: seek to harm.
3. Conclusion: a judgment or decision reached by reasoning.
4. Barely: Hardly, only just, almost not.
5. Recital: a story told in detail.
6. Counselor: A person trained to give guidance on personal or psychological problems.
7. Assistance: help
8. Intellectual: relating to the intellect.