The Angry Glendower/Falkner House Mother.

As we are working with more and more clients each year, I am meeting the most extraordinary of parents. Parents who are truly aligned with my vision. Parents who truly see things the way that I do. On the flip side of that, I am also working with some parents who are really not aligned with my vision and who do not see things the way that I do.

Initially, I don’t see it.

When we speak, it all goes really well and they say all of the things that they perhaps think that I need to hear.

But it soon becomes obvious that we won’t be working together for a very long time. Which is absolutely fine.

You need to be fully aligned with the vision of the person that you embark on a working relationships with. That’s obvious isn’t it?

Names changed for confidentiality.

Terese contacted me in May this year. Ella, her daughter was to attend two 4+ assessments for 2027 entry - Glendower and Falkner House. During our initial call Terese came across as determined to support Ella with her assessments and told me that although she went to a ‘top’ pre- school in Kensington that she was very well aware that she needed to prep her.

I told her that my programme is a one year programme and that she would most likely only be able to complete 4-6 months of it.

We had our Sample Lesson.

Ella was rather timid and reserved (totally fine!) and struggled to answer most of my questions. She didn’t know the phonics I asked. Terese became notable frustrated and raised her voice at Ella. She told her that ‘she knows’ all of those sounds. She told me the same. ‘She know them!’ Well, it’s kind of irrelevant if she didn’t show that she knew them. Ella struggled with her focus and concentration but Terese tried her best to keep her on task. The Sample Lesson showed me that Ella wasn’t ready for a 4+ assessment at her mother’s target schools and I told her as much. Terese said she wanted my help and she signed up for two months of my programme (I have a two month minimum commitment for my programme)

Ella tried her best for the first two lessons but Terese’s body language was completely different than it was in her Sample Lesson. She was defensive and irritated. She raised her voice at her daughter and became impatient with her when she wouldn’t do the tasks that I asked her to do. When I spoke to Terese about it (after the lesson) , she didn’t respond to my messages.

Then Terese told me that the lessons were ‘not working’. This was after about 3 lessons. I disagreed completely with her.

It wasn’t a fault with my amazing lessons. It was a fault with her attitude and the learning environment that she was creating for her daughter.

Look, I get it.

This process can be incredibly frustrating if you allow yourself to see it in that way.

It can also be an incredibly fun process.

Terese stopped working with me after only 3 lessons! I never heard back from her again - she simply ignored my messages!

All good. I don’t wish to work with disrespectful people anyway.

My mother raised me to respectful, kind and caring. And if another human being tries to support my child with his learning, I would never, ever treat them in the way that Terese did.

Each to their own. I wish Ella nothing but the best. Will she pass Glendower or Falkner House? I don’t think so.

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