I need some advice since I don't have a mentor and I am unsure how to handle a situation. A student in my class has been disruptive and puts forth little effort. I decided it was time to call the parents. So I get out the slip that the parents sign saying they have read my rules and such and get the name and number to call. Then I call the number and it is not actually the number of the parent, but the student's cell number. The student hangs up upon hearing my voice. I found a different number for the parent and I am able to leave a message. I have not heard back yet. So my question is, what do I do now? The student forged the signature and number, what is the appropriate thing to do? Do I notify administration about the whole situation? This is one of those times I wish I had a mentor to help me out. Your advice would be appreciated.
My suggestion would be to ask a school secretary what the proper protocol is. They'd almost certainly know, and they could tell you which administrator would be the one to go to.
Do NOT go to the student's house without running it past your principal. My P has flat-out told me he doesn't want teachers making home visits without a second teacher or staff member there as well. You're better off talking through the situation with your principal or team leader, if you have one. This may be something that requires team intervention.
I would send a letter to the student's address, addressed to the parent. Without having a school return address. I'd make a copy and put it in the student's file. This isn't something I would run by the secretary or principal, frankly because I wouldn't have thought it necessary. But if that's your school's culture, by all means do so. And then the next time the student acts out I would up the consequences - office referral, bouncing to the dean, whatever your school does. And I'd make sure that person knew why my attempts to contact Mom had failed.
Home visits are something I wouldn't touch with a 10 foot pole, especially when you haven't even exhausted all other options yet. Even though you aren't assigned a teacher mentor, you should look to your admins as your mentor. That's their job. Unless you come to them for every little mundane thing, I'm sure they will be glad to help you. This situation sounds ripe for a chance to touch base with your admins and build a relationship where you can turn to them for help. Anyhow, another option could be to contact his other teachers and see if they have a number that's different than the one you called. Other teachers may have already done the leg work for you.
I would definitely run it past an administrator...the student is being disruptive, and in addition, lied to you (on the form.) This is a disciplinary as well as a legal issue (legal in that the school needs accurate information on the form - for example, what if the student gets hurt and you need to contact parents?)
