It happened during one of my recent teacher training sessions.
We were discussing classroom challenges when a teacher at the back raised her hand and said something that made everyone pause:
“Ma’am, sometimes it feels like we need to teach parents more than children.”
A ripple of quiet laughter went around the room—but behind that laughter was exhaustion, truth, and a silent nod from every educator present.
That line stayed with me.
Because not long ago, I had seen a viral video that captured exactly this struggle. It showed a parent-teacher meeting where a mother, visibly frustrated, said, “We’re paying such high fees—why isn’t my child improving?”
The teacher tried to explain, patiently, about learning differences and classroom efforts. But soon the conversation turned sharp. The child sat right there, watching two adults—his guides—turn into opponents.
The mother left unheard.
The teacher left unappreciated.
And the child left confused—an unconscious learner of blame.
The Transactional Turn in Education
I’ve seen this pattern repeat itself far too often.
Somewhere along the way, education began to feel transactional. Parents became customers. Teachers became service providers. And children became performance reports.
Parents, anxious and well-meaning, expect guaranteed returns on their investment.
Teachers, under pressure from both management and parents, start teaching for convenience rather than change.
And schools—once sanctuaries of growth—begin to feel like corporations with targets.
Let’s be honest: no one enters this space to fail. Parents want the best for their children. Teachers genuinely care. But the problem isn’t intent—it’s alignment. Everyone’s working hard, but not necessarily together.
Rebuilding the Partnership
During that training, I asked the teachers, “If you could change one thing, what would it be?”
One of them said, “I wish parents understood that learning isn’t linear. It’s messy, emotional, and deeply personal.”
That sentence summed up everything. Learning isn’t a race—it’s a relationship.
And relationships need trust.
If we want schools to be spaces of growth again, we need to rebuild the triangle—parents, Teachers, and Students—not as separate points, but as connected partners.
Here’s how that starts:
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From Complaints to Conversations
Turn parent-teacher meetings into collaboration circles. Replace “What’s wrong?” with “How can we help?” -
Mindset Workshops for Parents
Many parents don’t realize how their anxiety trickles down. A calm home builds confident learners. Sessions on communication and mindset can change everything. -
Safe Spaces for Teachers
Teachers need forums to share struggles and innovate without fear. A supported teacher is a stronger role model. -
Celebrate Mindset, Not Just Marks
Grades show performance; mindset shows progress. Schools that recognize empathy, resilience, and curiosity shape far better adults.
The Heart of the Matter
Schools aren’t factories producing toppers.
They are living ecosystems where children learn how to think, feel, and grow.
When parents and teachers move from polarity to partnership, something powerful happens—the child begins to feel safe enough to learn with heart, not fear.
So the next time we ask, “Why isn’t my child improving?”, maybe the real question is, “How can we grow together?”
Because education was never meant to be a transaction.
It was always meant to be a transformation—shared between home and school, between love and learning.
What do you think—are we ready to rebuild this partnership?