See notes Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

See notes - Essay Example A final demonstration of sensitivity is the teachers willingness to accommodate the parents work schedule by agreeing to stay until 8:00 on some evenings. First of all, I feel that these displays of sensitivity to the parents will show the parents that the teacher really is concerned about not only their child, but also about their personal situation that may prevent them from helping their child at home. This type of communication will help form a relationship of trust between the parents and teacher. This is especially true of the teachers explanation of jargon. Parents want technical information about their children from professionals, but they do not understand or appreciate jargon (Mendoza, 2003). By avoiding this, the teacher appears to be approachable and sincere. There were two quotes from the speech that were a bit insensitive. The first was commenting on the employment situation of the parents. The teacher said, "I realize that many of you work during school hours, so once a week I will stay at school until 8:00 PM." In this urban setting of low-income families, unemployment is probably higher than average. This statement could be misconstrued by those that dont work during school hours to be saying, "I will make exceptions for hardworking families, but not for people that have all day to contact me at school." Another insensitive comment is the teachers exclamation, "E-mail is one of the best ways for us to communicate!" Parents without internet access may feel that the teacher refers e-mails to other forms of communication. These two instances of insensitivity could lead to a breakdown in communication between the teacher and parents. The unemployed parent might not be able to meet with the teacher due to family obligations or the labor involved in searching for employment. The teachers insensitivity might dissuade this person from coming in to speak during the evening. The emphasis on e-mail communication might keep parents