Swiss mums rock

　
Wow, got to see the amazing Swiss democracy in action at first hand today. I was invited to a meeting of parents - read mothers - about the class teacher who has taken over maternity leave for our Grade 1 children. She's at a major disadvantage as the previous teacher was excellent and is sorely missed but she seems to be struggling to settle in at all and establish any kind of position of respect.


But there was no bitching or back-biting here, much to the astonishment of a parent used to the drawn out, tedious, bitchy path that parental meetings seem to take in the UK.




As this ordered, respectful meeting of nine intelligent mums quickly developed, it was soon clear that they just wanted the best for their children and to establish a line of communication with the teacher which is currently lacking. Each mum put her point of view forward and a general discussion ensued, before the meeting was wrapped up with the decision that a meeting would be set up between the teacher in question, the head-teacher and a parent from each grade applicable.




A meeting, without an agenda, that concluded with a firm step towards an agreeable conclusion within an hour. In all my years of experience of parental meetings in the UK, I can comfortably say that nothing like this has ever happened!