12/19/97

How can I make my suggestions heard?

Q: As the school psychologist, I was recently asked to observe a student who has been biting both staff and students. I know from previous observations in this class that the teacher's classroom management skills are part of the problem. Suggestions offered in the past have been greeted with, "I have tried that already." What do you suggest to me and other teacher/parent consultants whose recommendations fall on deaf ears?

A: Effective consultation is tricky business. When parents and teachers ask for help, they often feel their request is an admission of personal or professional inadequacy. Thus the consultant walks a psychological tightrope, in an attempt to balance the needs of students, parents and teachers while engaging them in honest dialog and problem solving. Everyone has an emotional stake in the outcome and defensiveness can run high.

Tips for consultants:

• Listen, observe and ask questions. This process often leads others to their own answers.
• Take detailed notes. Don't rely on your memory alone when discussing your opinions and recommendations.
• Diffuse all efforts to place blame. Work toward agreement on definitions of problems and shared responsibility for shaping and implementing solutions.
• Involve all interested parties (student, teacher, parent, therapists, aide) in the intervention plan, if possible.
• Maintain attitude of a "work in progress." Continually evaluate and revise strategies which fail to produce results.
• Be creative. Every problem has more than one solution, so encourage brainstorming and inventiveness. Try to see the situation from several points of view.
• Express respect for every person's opinion. People look to you as the expert, but in matters of human motivation and change, everyone has a unique perspective which may help lead the group to a unique solution.

Please send questions or comments to bbruno@snet.net.