How to Deal with Parents Who Are Angry, Troubled, Afraid, or Just Plain Crazy

I think that this book is a good read for anyone who has intentions of going into School Administration. It is important because it gives good examples of how to deal with parents who make lives difficult.

I enjoyed the book thoroughly. The author has a great sense of humor, which makes the book an easy read. I liked how the author pointed out the frustrations parents have with schools and teachers, as well as pointed out the different types of parents teachers and principals have to communicate with. There are tips on how to deal with angry, troubled, afraid, or just plain crazy parents, as well as tips on how to make your school more open to parents. Communication is the key in this book, and the more communication parents have about what is going on, on campus, the better the culture at the school will be. I also liked the back of the book that has a section for staff development. I think the reason many teachers avoid talking to parents is because they don't always know the right way to approach parents. The reason I could not give the book a perfect "5" is because I would of preferred a chapter specifically on examples of the "situations" and the different things that could be said in these situations. Listing the ways to handle a parent is great, but I also need several examples to help me practice.

This book is fantastic! It breaks the issues down as to why parents are angry, troubled, afraid or just plain crazy, what staff does to cause it, and solutions for each. I would highly recommend this book to all school staff that work with parents on a regular basis!

This book contains so many helpful ideas that it ought to be required reading in teacher education courses. One of the biggest problems new teachers have is learning how to deal with parents of all stripes. New teachers ought to have a book like this at home or at school for ready reference. In my own courses for teachers, I cover information that McEwan describes so effectively in her book. She's been there, done that, and new teachers can benefit from her experiences. It is well written, practical, and to the point with many wonderful examples. A worthwhile investment by any account.

This book is fantastic! She deals with many problems which face teacher relationships with parents. I highly recommend it to all teachers, especially new teachers!