A Conversation with a Parent

Parent or Caregiver Interview February 2012

Erikamarie Burk

Erikamarie Burk EDL 614 Partnerships February 20, 2012 Parent Interview When asked to interview a parent or caregiver of a K-12 child that would inform my practice, I must admit, the task seemed daunting. The idea of asking what seemed like intimate questions of a parent whom I didnt know very well prior seemed like an impossible task. As I synthesize the results of this interview; however, I cannot help but be surprised by the outcome and the things I have learned. Schooling is not, nor has it ever been, a simple topic. Even more complicated are the interwoven and intricate ties between education, students, families, and communities. For this interview, I am having a conversation with a mother of a Kindergarten student at Kings Mills Elementary School. I wanted to interview a lower elementary aged students parent because I am interested in the perspective of a new parent. This parent does not have any older children and this is her first experience in the school/parent relationship. To begin the conversation, I first asked her about her feelings on Kings Elementary School as it pertained to her daughter. She gushed about how she thought her daughter was blossoming and the teacher was engaged with students. She mentioned that she really liked how much the teacher was in contact with her via email and really liked how much she stayed in touch with families. I let her tell me more specifics about her childs classroom and logistics of KME that she liked and didnt like. After a bit of chatting, I wanted to ask a harder question to really dig in to the relationship between this parent and school to, as was requested, put myself in her shoes. I asked how she felt relationships were between parents and the school as a whole. She paused for a bit and then surprised me with her answer. I think the parents dont have any idea whats really going on

Erikamarie Burk EDL 614 Partnerships February 20, 2012 Parent Interview here. After hearing her speak so highly of her daughters classroom, I expected a more positive answer or, at least, a different perspective. I asked her to tell me more. It took a few renditions, but she wanted me to realize that many parents in the school just werent present in her opinion. She made sure to be gracious by letting parents with demanding jobs and busy schedules off the hook, but what she said really hit a chord. She is noticing right away that a select group of parents (she notes mostly stay-at-home mothers) are involved and no one else ever even makes an effort. Whether or not this is true, I do not know. It was interesting to see; however, that she was already feeling a cliquish atmosphere at the Kindergarten level. She remarked, just imagine how hard this will be when [my daughter] is in third grade! And the administration here welcomes it! They never do anything when a working parent can come I feel bad sometimes for them. I explained, as our conversation progressed, what the purpose of my assignment was and why I was asking questions. She mentioned in passing that she wished the school was more interested in building relationships with parents outside the current parent template and that she had a better relationship within the parent groups. I asked how she thought the school and the parents could make relationships more meaningful and, in addition, what she thought a more meaningful outcome of said relationship would be. As a parent, I wish I had more meaningful influence on how my child is learning and the programs offered to her. I asked her to elaborate. She mentions that she does wonder if her child is receiving the best education she could and if there are programs and initiatives that the school could attempt to offer but isnt. I just wish I

Erikamarie Burk EDL 614 Partnerships February 20, 2012 Parent Interview knew more about it and could potentially offer something or help get these things in our school, she says with a big shrug. This parent of a brand new school-goer has hesitation about how to give her school something meaningful and reservations about whether the school will accept meaningful contributions from families. She is nervous at whether or not she is qualified to even suggest a change because she is a newbie. She also has a desire to increase the meaning of parental contribution to the school setting and aspirations for the school in terms of its offerings to students, but has no idea how to initiate. This interview really made me think about the parents perspective. I am not a parent, so I did not have a very good understanding of how a parent feels about the relationship to school and community. I think this interview definitely made me think about how I interact with parents of my students. I think I might make a bigger point of extra communication to my parents in the coming weeks. Seeing my interviewee feeling out of the loop and feeling upset about parents she perceived to be further out than she, it makes me want to do more as a teacher to bridge a gap. It makes the gap real and tangible as opposed to something we talk about in class. I appreciated the candid view and worries a parent has about such a huge part of our lives education. I fear that I am also player in the game of keeping parents in the dark. Introspection is important and what I glean from this interview will surely help me improve in teaching and in relationships. When considering the question, what does our discomfort say about the state of family/school relationships, I cannot help but think that we have work to do in every area. Parents feel disconnected to the school and when they are connected, it is through superficial

Erikamarie Burk EDL 614 Partnerships February 20, 2012 Parent Interview means or in organizations consumed by political agendas and overcomplicated scenarios that have nothing do with nor aid children. If we can just set aside the bake sale idea and really get together, we might just make something amazing for children and the community in a single step.