If you’re a parent, you’ve likely had this experience…your phone rings during the day, and you see it’s daycare or school calling, and immediately your mind is racing…and it’s usually not good. Someone is puking, or struggling with math, or has been in a fight.
On the other side, it’s not particularly fun to be that caller either. Maybe it’s calling to say we have concerns with so and so’s articulation, or to be the first person to mention the possibility of autism. They can be some heavy phone calls.
Which is why I think it’s important we also figure out ways to be the bearers of good news. Think about the kids that we serve…they’re not always the kids who are going to be getting calls or notes home for winning the spelling bee or making student of the month. Hopefully our schools are recognizing diverse talents and contributions to classrooms, but even if they’re not, we can. We can be the ones to point out our students’ best days and moments.
When I was working in the schools, I made it a point to make a positive phone call or send a positive note at least once a week. It was often to parents, but also to classroom teachers or administration. Everyone who interacts with “our kiddos” needs to hear about the awesome things they’re doing or working on.
I tried to think of lots of reasons to be positive when sending feedback home, and here were some of the most common phone calls or notes I would send:
- Commending a student (in speech or not) who did something unexpected and caring in the hallway…maybe holding a door, offering to help carry something, or picking up something another child had dropped
- Working really hard at something that wasn’t easy–I loved to praise perseverance and point out that it’s a life skill that would continue to serve the student after they left my speech room
- Completing homework or home practice
- Showing thoughtfulness–You know how there are those kids who consistently ask *you* how your weekend was, or how you’re doing that day? That’s a fabulous interpersonal skill to have
- Working hard or participating when it doesn’t come easily and might not be the norm. Even those kids who don’t want to be in our rooms or aren’t wanting to “do speech” come through and show up and participate…call it out when you see it!
Sometimes a quick note or phone call home can help a parent see their child in a new light, and brighten a child’s week. We all know our students are valuable and have so much to contribute. Let’s be the people who point that out and make sure others see it too.