Is it okay for parents to interrupt your class during instruction time?

Question

I was right in the middle of teaching English, when my classroom phone rang. It was the office. The receptionist was like, "The Mother of is on the phone. She wants to know about the homework sheet for the week. Can I put her through?"

If we're not allowed to hold parent conferences during instruction time, then why in the world are parents allowed to call the office to talk to us.

Comments, solutions, anyone?

Answer 1

NO! NO! NO!
Parent's cannot interupt you during class!
The receptionist should be fired! LOL
Your school should have a homework hotline, a classroom webpage, or a friday newsletter letting mommy dearest know what the homework is for the week. If she has any other problems, she can email you and you can return any phonecall/email at your convenience.
This should be discussed with mom/dad/caregivers at the first curriculum or meet the teacher night when you go over your classroom rules with them. Clearly in the handouts and restated each week in your newsletter or online site.

Answer 2

You should have just asked them to take a number and that you'd call back. If this upsets the parent, they need to get over it--you don't pull them out of their meetings for trivial things, they shouldn't expect you to drop everything for them. Though you can't fault the parent for calling, you can't be expected to take the call either.

You could try telling the receptionist to ask what the call is about and to only ring you if something can't wait or the parent is obnoxious about wanting to talk to you. If you had that established and a parent insisted on talking to you and refused to leave a message, and then had something that trivial to talk about, you'd have every right to angrily tell the parent to be patient and you'll call back in your free period. The phone should only be used for a call that is urgent enough that, if you had no phone in your class, someone from the office would feel the need to walk down and call you to the office. If it isn't that important, they should leave a message.

Answer 3

you should have told the receptionist to tell her to call back when you didn't have a class and give her a time to call. Also the receptionist shouldn't have put the call through. They should have taken a note or something.

Parents should only interupt the class during an emergency.

Answer 4

If it is an emergency, such as "My son's grandmother just died a few minutes ago!" If it is not an emergency, the parent can wait until class is over. I know that is the parent's child, but that child is YOURS while you are teaching. Tell the office not to call you during instructional time.

Answer 5

You need to let the secretary know your preference regarding incoming phone calls.

Some teachers don't mind a bit when the phone rings. Others let the voicemail pick up the call. Still, there are teachers who refuse to have any calls transferred to their rooms.

This is up to you. You don't have to answer the phone. The office can have a runner take the message to you.

Answer 6

Tell her to take a number and you will call her back. Also instruct the receptionist that in the future you would like her to PLEASE take a number and give it to you after class and you will return the parents call.

Answer 7

i'm surprised that the office put her through when i call to talk to my mom if she is in class they'll take a note. then have her calling me during lunch. I think the office is a fault for that.

Answer 8

VOICEMAIL. You should be able to answer these inquries when it is convenient for you, not when it is convenient for them. Alternatively, the receptionist should have taken her number down for you.