Every Time Counts

This weekend I had two separate conversations with friends about private school versus public school.  One friend is thinking about taking her daughter out of public school and the other has decided that public school is the place for her.  In both conversations, the similarities were striking; they each described the importance of the personal contacts they have had with teachers.  The one that is thinking of leaving, felt that her concerns were not being heard, the one who is choosing to stay, has had great connections with the public school but was disappointed with the private school.

These two conversations got me thinking that "every time counts".  Every time we as educators have an interaction with a parent or a student we are helping to shape their perception of public school.  This is a huge responsibility that each of us carries.  It strikes at the core of creating a caring and compassionate system that is responsive to the needs of the people it serves .  Each time we speak with a student or parent we must seek to understand what they are asking of us and determine the best way to approach the issue.  This may be a student struggling with a concept or a parent wondering about something happening in class.

I always listen carefully when I hear someone thinking of leaving public education because there may be something in it that I can do differently in my school.  This was a wake-up call for me to make sure that every interaction counts and that people leave the conversation feeling heard and understood.