I am a teacher in an international primary school. A parent helper comes in to my classroom weekly but is interested only in helping her own child. She also comments constantly on his progress compared with his peers. I have some fantastic parent helpers and don't want to appear negative. How can I handle this situation?
Julie McGuire, a primary school teacher, responds:
This is a tricky issue. Not all schools in Hong Kong encourage parent helpers in the classrooms but those who do generally feel that it is a very positive home-school link and can benefit children enormously.
Dedicated and skilled parent helpers are often a real asset to a primary classroom, especially in classes of 30 or more students.
Parents can help small groups of children in different curriculum tasks, freeing up the teacher to spend more quality time with individuals or groups, to support less able students and stretch the more able. Having more adults in the classroom tends to allow for a more exciting, inquiry-based approach to learning.
You could try rotating the parent helper to work with a different group of children each week so that she only works with her own child once every few weeks.
Give clear instructions and objectives for the activity so she is fully engaged and does not have time to float around the classroom.
