Do your children’s grades annoy you?
Apr 20, 2003
PARENTS CORNER:<br>On a recent visiting Sunday in a private boarding primary school, a parent acted in a manner which left both teachers and pupils with their hands in their mouths.
PARENTS CORNER:
By Wagwau Jamesa
On a recent visiting Sunday in a private boarding primary school, a parent acted in a manner which left both teachers and pupils with their hands in their mouths.
This parent drove into the school and after clearing the school dues from the office, walked straight into P7 class to see his child’s performance.
Oops! The marks were unbelievably low with the lowest mark of 20% in English. With the mark slip trembling loosely in his hand, he gazed his son blankly and failed to utter a word.
Choked and dazed with anger, the parent delivered a hard slap on the boy’s face; a slap which sent the boy flat on the floor with his nose bleeding profusely.
As if that wasn’t enough, the parent picked a stick and caned the boy in the way a man would fight a snake on his homestead.
This parent was deeply upset by his son’s poor academic performance, but was this the best way to go about it?
Have you ever turned furious before your child’s teacher? Are there chances that this parent may be putting out fire using a jerrican of petrol in situations like this?
Following are some tips to help you manage your emotions:
Understand that scoring low grades is not a punishable offence but a symptom of a problem.
The child may be genuinely weak and in need of help. Get the facts on ground and calmly find out the details from the teachers and the child.
It is normal to be annoyed should you establish that the child has not played his/her role, but please manage your emotions well. Do not punish the child in anger.
Beating your child furiously because of low marks can be counter productive. Your child may become too anxious or rebel and hate studies completely.
You can firmly make your feelings known without being violent. It is indeed painful to pay fees for a child who only scores low marks in class. But be specific and show a dislike towards the low marks but not the child.
Start your sentences with “I†and not “Youâ€. Sentences like “I am not happy with your academic performance and something has to be done†can express your feelings without wounding the child’s self-esteem.
Although a stick and a slap are always handy, they help us more to relieve our emotions than solve the child’s problem.
Times have changed and you may be shocked to learn that the child in the present generation responds to counsel more than the traditional rod. Please calm down!
The writer is a counsellor and teacher
By Wagwau Jamesa
On a recent visiting Sunday in a private boarding primary school, a parent acted in a manner which left both teachers and pupils with their hands in their mouths.
This parent drove into the school and after clearing the school dues from the office, walked straight into P7 class to see his child’s performance.
Oops! The marks were unbelievably low with the lowest mark of 20% in English. With the mark slip trembling loosely in his hand, he gazed his son blankly and failed to utter a word.
Choked and dazed with anger, the parent delivered a hard slap on the boy’s face; a slap which sent the boy flat on the floor with his nose bleeding profusely.
As if that wasn’t enough, the parent picked a stick and caned the boy in the way a man would fight a snake on his homestead.
This parent was deeply upset by his son’s poor academic performance, but was this the best way to go about it?
Have you ever turned furious before your child’s teacher? Are there chances that this parent may be putting out fire using a jerrican of petrol in situations like this?
Following are some tips to help you manage your emotions:
Start your sentences with “I†and not “Youâ€. Sentences like “I am not happy with your academic performance and something has to be done†can express your feelings without wounding the child’s self-esteem.
Although a stick and a slap are always handy, they help us more to relieve our emotions than solve the child’s problem.
Times have changed and you may be shocked to learn that the child in the present generation responds to counsel more than the traditional rod. Please calm down!
The writer is a counsellor and teacher