When Students Want To Quit
By John Cokinos, EFC President
One of my teenage daughters is in a ballet class. She complains that the teacher is not simply strict but almost abusive. She actually feels stressed out, and it’s an uphill fight just to get her to go each week.
When she came to me insisting that she quit, I said, “I have nothing to do with it. You must contact the owner.” We know this person, Rachel, on a first name basis. When my daughter went to her, we found out that not only does Rachel have a gift for talking to my daughter but also for talking to her ballet teacher. She reminded my daughter of her progress, re-established her goals, while simultaneously straightening out the teacher.
From a parent’s perspective, I was totally relieved that my daughter can’t come to me but must speak to Rachel. In my case it worked like a charm and got me out of the hot seat as a parent.
Why not implement a similar policy in your school? Indoctrinate the parent from the beginning that this scenario may arise, and they must refer their child to a certain staff member whom you designate. The parents will appreciate not having to deal with this difficult scenario and it will also help you with retention.
