This Study Guide provides a variety of thought-provoking questions and activities to help you implement the concepts in the bestselling book, Dealing with Difficult Parents, 2nd Edition. For each chapter of the book, the Study Guide offers discussion questions, journal prompts, and group activities. You can work on these sections independently, in book studies, in professional learning communities (PLCs), in mentor sessions, and in professional development sessions.
As you work through this Study Guide, you’ll learn how to make the book’s strategies work for you, so that you can more effectively deal with parents in all kinds of challenging situations and help them get on your side to ensure students’ success.
"Introduction Part One 1. Dealing with Difficult Parents: An Overview 2. Who Are These Guys?: Describing Today’s Parents Key Concepts Discussion Questions Journal Prompt Group Activities 38 Years of Teaching Fifth Grade It’s Not What You Do, It’s How You Do It Application 3. What’s Wrong with These Parents Anyhow? Key Concepts Discussion Questions Journal Prompt Group Activities Titles Really Make A Difference! Creating Convenient Models Application Part Two 4. Building Credibility: Everyone Wants to Associate with a Winner Key Concepts Discussion Questions Journal Prompt Group Activities All the News That’s Fit to Print Calling All Parents Application 5. Taking Your Classroom Social Key Concepts Discussion Questions Journal Prompt Group Activities Accentuate the Positive! Things to Consider Application 6. Positive Communication with Parents: An Ounce of Prevention 7. Listen, Learn, and Cultivate Key Concepts Discussion Questions Journal Prompt Group Activities Creating a Positive Referral Program A Welcoming Environmental Audit Application Part Three 8. Initiating Contact with parents Key Concepts Discussion Questions Journal Prompt Group Activities Acting It Out Communicating with Parents Application 9. Never Let ‘Em See You Sweat 10. What if the Parent is Right? Key Concepts Discussion Questions Journal Prompt Group Activities The Sorry Actors ATTENTION Application 11. The Best Way to Get in the Last Word… 12. Do You Feel Defensive? If So, Something is Wrong Key Concepts Discussion Questions Journal Prompt Group Activities Circle of Bad News A Sign of the Times Application 13. Delivering Bad News Key Concepts Discussion Questions Journal Prompt Group Activities The Legal Eagle A Bad News Triangle Application 14. But I Did Get a Good Deal: Examining the Car Salesman Key Concepts Discussion Questions Journal Prompt Group Activities I Really Did Get a Good Deal Acting It Out Application 15. What if They Use the F Word – Fair? 16. Focus on the Future Key Concepts Discussion Questions Journal Prompt Group Activities Working with Mr. Johnson Using the ""F"" Word Application 17. Understanding Parent Involvement Key Concepts Discussion Questions Journal Prompt Group Activities Comparing Parents Dealing with Difficult Parents Application 18. Increasing Parent Involvement at School 19. Increasing Parent Involvement at Home Key Concepts Discussion Questions Journal Prompt Group Activities Clarifying Your Parent Core HOME work Application"
Todd Whitaker is a professor of educational leadership at Indiana State University in Terre Haute, Indiana. He is a leading presenter in the field of education and has written more than 30 books, including the national best seller, What Great Teachers Do Differently. Douglas J. Fiore is Dean of the Dwight Schar College of Education at Ashland University and is the author of numerous books, including the popular textbook School-Community Relations, Fourth Edition.
