Strategies Every Teacher Needs for Dealing with Difficult Parents

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Originally published in TEACH Magazine, March/April 2025 Issue

By Fiona Tapp

A teacher’s job is made easier through collaboration. This can be with school administration, other educators, and professionals like speech pathologists and psychologists. One of the most vital partnerships, however, is with parents. By fostering a strong home-school connection, parents can support homework and provide insights about their child, while teachers can share classroom strategies for success.

From time to time, teachers might meet a difficult parent who doesn’t want to work with them or who may be combative or even violent. A recent survey of Alberta teachers found that 50% of teachers (and 75% of school leaders) had experienced aggression in their work environment within the first three months of the school year.

This is a growing problem across the country: another study by the Canadian Teachers’ Federation found between 41–90% of surveyed teachers, across different provinces, had experienced or witnessed violence against teachers from students or parents. The situation isn’t much better in the States. A report from the American Psychological Association found that nearly 30% of teachers and over 40% of administrators experienced violence or aggressive behaviour from parents during the 2020/2021 school year.

In the face of these statistics, it’s normal to feel a little apprehensive about meeting with parents, especially if you have to deliver disappointing news about a student’s behaviour, schoolwork, or grades.

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Fiona Tapp is a former teacher and school administrator of 13 years. She writes about education, parenting, and travel for a variety of publications including National Geographic, The Globe and Mail, The Toronto Star, The Sunday Times, and many more.

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Fiona Tapp
Fiona Tapp
Fiona Tapp is a former teacher and school administrator of 13 years. She writes about education, parenting, and travel for a variety of publications including National Geographic, The Globe and Mail, The Toronto Star, The Sunday Times, and many more.

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