However, my first impression was mixed. It had to do with my expectations not being met. I am not sure if you are the same as me, but when my expectations are not met I first react with frustration (mild annoyance to big anger depending on the importance of the situation), then I consider whether my expectations are right and whether they are realistic. I should probably reverse that order, but, yes, sadly, I remain human.
Successful schools excel for a number of reasons, but one of the big reasons is that there exists a strong agreement in the area of expectations by the administrators, teachers, parents and the overall community.
So, I ask myself, am I doing my part in making my child’s school successful? Am I defining and refining my expectations? Do I have a way to constructively enter into a dialogue with the other interested parties?
I think most of us get to the questions that help us start to define our expectations for the school that we send our child to, but it comes in a somewhat haphazard way. It comes as we register, as we meet their teachers and administrators, as we read the information that they distribute to us, as we talk to other parents who give their opinions about the school, etc. All of that is prompted out of the normal tasks of parenting and the normal routine of life.
But I wonder, with so much at stake, is that enough? Should we be more proactive and how so?
Sean
