Building Learning Environments Together: The Parent-Teacher Partnership

0:03 SPEAKER_00: Hello everyone, special guest alert. This is my favorite time of working with my podcast, is bringing on some fabulous guests. So special guests alert. Welcome back to the Road to an Effective Classroom Environment, the podcast where we explore leadership, growth, culture, and strategies that empower educators, leaders, entrepreneurs, and change makers to thrive. I am your host, Dr. Lashanta, known as that Classy Sassy Consultant. And today we have again a special guest here. And this is Anne Rose OBD.

0:50 SPEAKER_00: She is a British, Nigerian systems and culture consultant, education advocate, speaker, and entrepreneur dedicated to helping families and schools create more equitable educational experiences for children. She is also the founder of The African Parent, a platform that equips African families with practical tools, advocacy strategies, and resources to navigate the UK education system effectively. With an MBA in psychology and experience as a school governor, she helps families and schools navigate educational systems with greater equity.

1:34 SPEAKER_00: Anne Rose has supported hundreds of families through challenges related to bullying, discrimination, school exclusions, and special educational needs. Through consulting, training, and public speaking, she equips parents with practical advocacy strategies while helping educators build more inclusive and culturally responsive learning environments. Her mission is to ensure every child has the opportunity to thrive and succeed. So we are welcoming today Anne Rose OBD. And just wanted to make sure that I give a shout out to Miss Lillian Obogo.

2:18 SPEAKER_00: She is the person who connected the two of us. And so to make this episode even transpire and happen. So again, thank you, Lillian, for the connection. And I know Lillian through uh being a part of the top 100 most powerful black women platform where we spoke in we were uh speakers this past March. So thank you again, Lillian, for the connection. So again, welcome and rose. How are you?

2:48 SPEAKER_02: I am fantastic. I'm really good. Thank you, especially it as it's sunny today. So and it's Friday. So yes, fabulous Friday.

2:58 SPEAKER_00: That's what I call. So we're gonna just jump on into this. And so I know I've given a little bit of information about you, and I know there is so much more that can be told. So if you don't mind, tell our listeners a little bit about yourself and what inspired you to begin the African Parent platform.

3:21 SPEAKER_02: Okay, so hi everyone. My name is Anne Rose. I'm the founder of the African Parent. So during the day, my day job professional background is in organizational change, culture, and systems and leadership. And with that, I work with organizations to understand how people experience systems and where trusts break down and where meaningful change can happen. So alongside that, as you've said in the introduction, I'm also a parent advocate. I'm a school governor, so I sit with senior leadership within the educational systems and I help support them in terms of supporting, you know, the people that, you know, the communities that they support.

4:05 SPEAKER_02: And then I'm also a trustee in a charity. So these roles have given me the opportunity to see education from multiple perspectives. So as a parent, kind of going through the system, as somebody who's supporting other families who are going through the system, and also as someone who's involved in governance and accountability. So the African Parents Organization was born from a deeply personal experience. So my daughter was the victim of a hate crime at school. And as a parent, I found myself, you know, trying to understand processes and policies and conversations that simply I wasn't prepared for.

4:54 SPEAKER_02: And I realized that while schools have systems, many parents, like myself, didn't have the knowledge or language or confidence that we needed to kind of engage those systems effectively. So what started as a personal journey quickly became something that was much bigger. Because I then started hearing similar stories from other families and other underrepresented communities. You know, parents who cared deeply about their children, but then they felt unheard, parents who wanted to advocate but didn't have the language to use.

5:31 SPEAKER_02: And then parents who felt like they had to fight to have their concerns taken seriously. But that said, at the same time, I also met educators and school leaders who really wanted to help support families, but often didn't fully understand our lived experiences or cultural perspectives or the barriers that you know some communities face. So that's where the African parents sits today. I kind of work in the middle of parent empowerment, advocacy, you know, education, inclusion, and you know, systems change.

6:06 SPEAKER_02: So the goal is to help families engage confidently with schools, but also help schools to build stronger, more trusting relationships with those communities that they serve. So at the heart of it, really the work is about creating understanding and building trust and just ensuring that every child has the opportunity to, you know, thrive, I guess, regardless of the background.

6:35 SPEAKER_00: So I know those are some powerful conversations that are held between leaders and parents. Um, and and we have um some similar connections when it comes to making sure that you know all parties are understood when it comes to education. Because many times as leaders, we can sometimes leave the parents out of that that quotient, but our parents are our biggest advocates when it comes to helping those students and helping those children to, as you said, thrive and be successful. So I know those are some powerful conversations and some hard conversations.

7:10 SPEAKER_00: Very hard, yes. But they are necessary. So so happy about that work that you're that you're doing. What do you feel are some of the biggest challenges that parents face when trying to advocate for their children in school? Where do we start?

7:28 SPEAKER_02: Uh I would say it's really trying to understand, or let's use the word navigate. I know it's slightly overused, but I use the word navigate, a system that we weren't taught to understand. So schools work with policies and procedures, right? And a lot of educational language every day. You know, parents usually only engage with those systems when something goes wrong. So for many of us, I'd say African, black, underrepresented families, there are additional layers. So some parents come from cultures where teachers are viewed as authority figures that can't be challenged.

8:17 SPEAKER_02: Others worry about being labeled as difficult or aggressive or overprotective if we do raise concerns. So by the time many parents reach out for support, they're often frustrated and overwhelmed. So they're responding to an issue that has developed over time. So the challenge is really that parents don't care. It's often that I feel like they don't feel confident or equipped to engage with that system. And that's one of the biggest challenges.

8:51 SPEAKER_00: And that and that does resonate uh when when talking about who has the who has the power. And once all parties know that they they own and have their own sense of power and they know that they're in control of what they say and do, that they should be able to speak and challenge because a good challenge to the system, sometimes you have to challenge. If there weren't challenges, you know, there are a lot of things that we see in history that have happened in order to help black and brown would not have taken place if the system was not challenged.

9:28 SPEAKER_00: So absolutely parents must be able to feel that they do have that power to say whether or not they feel something's right or wrong, and or if there's changes that need to happen in order to support their children. Yeah. So let's let's go on to the next question. So many parents want to help, but they don't know where to start when it comes to helping their children. What is the first step towards becoming an effective advocate? How can parents be effective advocates for for their children?

10:04 SPEAKER_02: I always say to parents, advocacy begins with understanding, right? So breathe, slow down, and just gather as much information as you can. So document what's happening, you know, read the school's policy, ask questions. We said that previously, ask questions, do not be afraid to ask questions, and then understand the process before jumping to finding a solution. So one of the things that I say a lot when I have some of these um discussions is that I encourage parents to recognize that they do have a right to participate in decisions about their child.

10:47 SPEAKER_02: So, like I said earlier, you know, a lot of us African parents were raised to respect educators, and respect is important, but partnership is equally as important. So schools have the expertise in education, parents have the expertise in their child. So the best outcome is often when these two forms of expertise come together. So that the first step in advocacy is understanding, and it's the beautiful marriage.

11:19 SPEAKER_00: And absolutely, in order to know what the system is about, you have to get that knowledge. And and I talk about in some other episodes, I talk about my mom, how my mom didn't have to worry about me as a student because I was the one that read everything that came home. I read the parent book, I read the the policies and procedures, and she didn't have to worry about any of that. So she didn't read it. She because I was that child that I kept up with that. But more and more we see where our our students, especially once they get up to a certain grade level, you know, elementary age, we see our our students, and we see the parents and they're participating actively.

12:05 SPEAKER_00: By the time the student gets into middle school, we start to see them less and less. And then high school, our parents leave it up to those teenagers to make decisions. And so some of them, if they're like me when I was a teen, they're able to make those decisions, but then there are others that need they need that guidance. And they need another voice that will help them in that process. So just wanted to share that a little bit because you know there are those out there, you know, sometimes they have they are well equipped in order to advocate for themselves.

12:39 SPEAKER_00: But parents, even if they can advocate parents, you need to be fully engaged in their educational experiences all the way through you know their graduation. I agree. So let's talk a little bit about school culture. So, what are some warning signs that a school's culture may unintentionally exclude certain families?

13:06 SPEAKER_01: Hmm.

13:12 SPEAKER_02: I always pay attention to who's missing from the conversation. So, I mean, there's some families who have a lot of time, they attend every meeting, you know, they influence every decision, they participate in every opportunity. You know, I think more school leaders need should start asking who isn't represented and why, right? So, from a school governor perspective, I often look at how concerns are received, right? So when certain parents are routinely described as difficult or emotional or challenging, I think that our school leaders need to pause and examine whether unconscious bias might be influencing those perceptions.

14:04 SPEAKER_02: So it's about looking around the room and seeing who's missing from that conversation and how we can include them into that conversation.

14:15 SPEAKER_00: And that's a very good observation because many times, if you are part of the environment, you may not always see what is missing. And so sometimes it takes someone else from the outside to come in and to analyze and and to to let you know exactly what are some of those cultural biases that are going on. And sometimes it's unintentional. But unfortunately, there are times in which it is it is intentional, and then that definitely is a problem. Definitely is a problem. What are some things that school administrators can do to strengthen family engagement beyond just the traditional events such as open house and and having parent nights?

15:00 SPEAKER_00: But what are some other things that schools can do to strengthen parent engagement?

15:08 SPEAKER_02: So I yeah, I think building that engagement. So as a change consultant, one of the things I often say is that you know, culture is not what an organization says, culture is what people experience, right? So a lot of families judge, you know, how welcoming I guess a school is, or judge the inclusion of a school by how they're treated, especially when they raise concerns. So, you know, in terms of creating that environment where you know they can booster that engagement, it's about creating a two-way communication.

15:55 SPEAKER_02: Because I feel sometimes schools tell us what to do, but they don't listen to the response. So, you know, there's got to be a feedback loop. So we've sent out information, we've received information, we've acted on the information, and then we've told parents what you know, what the outcome is. So it's it's literally looking at parents also as partners, you know, in this journey, and not just as you know, recipients of you know communication.

16:32 SPEAKER_00: Correct. That's a very good observation as well. Do you feel that schools do uh a great job or mediocre or a poor job at serving their parents? Because I I know here in the United States, you you have where parent surveys will go out after maybe an open house, it may go out for as a part of state report cards and making sure that parents are asked questions about the schools and so forth.

17:09 SPEAKER_02: But do you think that overall schools are you know are doing a good, mediocre or poor job in surveying parents throughout the year and not just for you know a certain event with my yeah, because this is me wearing two hats as a parent and as a school governor, which is always a challenge. I would say most schools, some schools are better at communicating and engaging parents than others. Overall, I would say they are trying, but I think what some of the gaps might be is struggling to, how would I put it, is that they don't, like I said before, they don't see parents as partners, they see them as recipients of that information.

18:46 SPEAKER_02: So they they need to understand that parents also bring valuable knowledge, you know, not just about their children, you know, even in the context of work. So I think from a systems perspective, you know, it's building structures that support that partnership and don't just leave engagement to chance or individual personalities, which is what a lot of schools do. So schools have, I guess they have their own challenges and struggles, and obviously trying to cater to a whole variety of parents. So it's finding that right balance.

19:24 SPEAKER_02: And I always say look for multiple ways to engage because one, not everyone receives information the same way. So do a survey. Sometimes people are busy, and I know you know it might just be five minutes of your day to do that. Sometimes people don't see that, you know, survey till it's closed. So look for so many other ways. My school's amazing at that. We use so many communication channels. So there's text messages, there is Facebook for those who have on Facebook, there's Twitter, X, you know, there we have groups, you know, where even parents have set up groups.

20:02 SPEAKER_02: So if you miss something online, a parent send in, you know, WhatsApp message. So it's creating multiple channels to engage parents and pass that information and also receive the information, um, you know, response back.

20:18 SPEAKER_00: And that is key in making sure that there are multiple outlets to send information or to ask parents information, because if you just rely on one source, you're you're gonna miss a whole lot. And I don't I don't know how it is uh where you are, but there are times in which you know, parents, we will get the phone numbers at the beginning of the year and numbers change. And so, you know, when you send out those dial out messages and and the number comes back that is no longer that yeah, it it can be it can be very challenging.

20:56 SPEAKER_00: So just even with the types of communication that are used, making sure that uh school systems that the leadership they make sure that information is updated, not just one time a year, but constantly throughout the year, so that you can keep those open lines of communication for parents. It is definitely very important. Yeah. All right. So how should leaders respond when parents become concerned about discrimination or any bullying that may be taking place? How should how should leaders respond when they bring those types of concerns?

21:38 SPEAKER_02: Uh so uh I always say don't be defensive, it's not personal. So that's number one, because again, from a lot of experience, most leaders see it as an attack on them. So the first response should always be curiosity, right? Because I found that so many families come to me after they felt dismissed, which was also my experience. I felt dismissed rather than heard. So leaders don't always have to agree or they don't immediately have to agree with every concern, but what they need to do is actually investigate fairly.

22:21 SPEAKER_02: They need to, I'm I'm a big advocate of communication, they need to communicate transparently. They also need to ensure that the families on both sides, you know, the bully and the victim, actually understand the process. So even when the outcome is not favorable, or you know, if a parent disagrees with the outcome, they're more likely to trust the Process that feels respectful and actually objective and has given them a chance to be had.

22:52 SPEAKER_00: And I like what you said about leadership should make sure that they don't feel as if this is an attack on them of what they have done or not done correctly. But I also think it's a it's twofold. Parents in coming in should make sure that they know this has to be looked into. It has to be investigated and to give the opportunity for leadership to do so. And you know, speaking as both parent and as a school leader, you want as a parent, I may want to go in and say, what kind of, you know, what kind of show they do are they doing here?

23:34 SPEAKER_00: You know, what is what is this about? You know, but you have to be calm. And I think whenever you have the relationship between parent and school, when it's and when it's been developed fully and cultivated, and there's respect on both sides, if a problem should arise, then both parties will be able to come together and clearly talk things out versus it being an arguing situation and where each party is accusing the other of being unfit. So cultivating those relationships early on in the school year or early on when that child has has started attending is very important.

24:14 SPEAKER_00: But leaders, we need to make sure that we come when we're coming and working with parents on these types of issues that can be there, can be very um hurtful and they could be detrimental to to our students when they're facing facing these types of um incidents of discrimination. We want to make sure that coming to the table that we are open for the dialogue and that we are not dismissing parents when they come in with these concerns because they're coming in to advocate for their for their child, and we need to have those listening ears.

24:56 SPEAKER_02: That's right. And it's always about the child at the end of the day. So I always say neither party should center themselves. It's about the child.

25:04 SPEAKER_00: Correct. It is number one about that child, your child, our student, it is about them. And we and as long as we keep that in mind, then all is well. So, what leadership practices help create accountability while maintaining positive relationships with parents? And I know communication is is going to be one of those, but what are some other what are some leadership practices that will help create accountability and maintaining positive relationships with parents?

25:40 SPEAKER_02: I mean, I know I've mentioned it before. So for me, trust is a big thing. And I I do like when a school is very transparent. And in my work as a governor and and advocate, the strongest leaders that I've met always understand that accountability and trust reinforce each other. So, yes, so an accountability is not about being defensive, it's actually about, and I said it earlier again, being curious, demonstrating that you know the parents' concerns are being taken seriously, and also show and making sure that the actions match the intention.

26:20 SPEAKER_02: Because sometimes, you know, certain actions are not, you know, you might have a different intention in mind, but the actions that people are seeing are completely different. Because I also find that families lose confidence when you know our concerns just disappear into systems that we can't see. So again, it comes back to that communication. So, you know, communicate clearly, explain that, you know, why you've taken a decision, good, bad, or ugly, make sure you explain it clearly. You know, if you've made mistakes, acknowledge those mistakes.

26:55 SPEAKER_02: And then if you've made commitments, make sure that you follow through on those commitments.

27:01 SPEAKER_00: Yes, follow through. Whatever you say you are going to do, provide, assist with, make sure that follow through is present. Yes, I totally agree with that. So I we didn't talk about this at the beginning, and uh we're we're getting close to wrapping, but I wanted to give you the opportunity to tell a little bit about your accent. I as I said in our time when we talked, I love your accent. Bless you.

27:32 SPEAKER_00: Where you were born and and and currently living now.

27:38 SPEAKER_02: So I was born in London, England. Not very sunny place. Yeah, we have rain and gray skies, but I also grew up in Nigeria as well. So I've got a mixed, you know, African, British, sometimes slightly confused accent. So yes, I was born in England and I've got Nigerian heritage, and yeah, and I lived in Nigeria.

28:06 SPEAKER_00: Nice. I just wanted to make sure that the listeners got that bit of information because even though it was briefly said in the introduction, I wanted to make sure that we captured that because again, I love I love the accent. So we're I have a few questions that are like lightning round questions that I need to ask you. So if you could give me one word that describes effective school leadership, one word effective school leadership.

28:40 SPEAKER_02: Intentional. Love it. Can I add inclusive as well?

28:46 SPEAKER_00: Yes, you can.

28:51 SPEAKER_00: All right, what is one book that every parent should read right now? Say that again. What is one book every parent should read?

29:06 SPEAKER_02: That's gonna be a hard one because I have several it would be the whole brainchild.

29:21 SPEAKER_02: I think that that's one book that every parent um should read. I think it was by Daniel Segell, I think, if I'm not mistaken. Yes. I think it's a brilliant book, and the reason I love it is that it helps parents understand what's happening in a child's brain during moments of stress or frustration or anxiety or when they have big emotions. Because many of us focus, you know, we were raised, as we know, to focus on behavior. You know, we see things as it's a bad behavior, it's a good behavior, but the book encourages us to look beneath that behavior and understand what that child might be expressing.

30:05 SPEAKER_02: The reason I also like it is because as a child, a black child who is dyslexic and had ADHD, I was always called a problem child, and it was looked at as a behavior versus what was behind you know that behavior, the why behind it, essentially. So yeah.

30:28 SPEAKER_00: Oh, I love it. And I've heard of this book. I've got to double check to make sure this is not one of the ones I'm thinking of that I already have before I buy it. I'm always looking for resources because I want to do a suggestion list to parents. And I have a couple of books in the repertoire now, but I wanted to add some more um books that I would suggest to parents for them to read as they are you know helping navigate. I keep another one then.

30:56 SPEAKER_02: Okay. How to talk so kids will listen and listen so kids will talk. That's another good one. Adele Faber, I think, is her name. That's again, that's a good one because it focuses again. I say this on communication and also on relationships and understanding things from children's perspectives.

31:21 SPEAKER_00: Got it. So, listeners, parents, so I hope you are joting those down, going back, listening to the recording, because uh these are two books that sound like they are heavy hitters, but they will help you in your in guiding you and facilitating this this journey with your children as they are navigating their way through the school system. So thank you for those. And what is one message that you would like every child to hear?

31:57 SPEAKER_02: Let me see. Where's my child?

32:02 SPEAKER_02: Oh.

32:05 SPEAKER_02: Oh hold on one message I would like every child to hear.

32:18 SPEAKER_02: There is nothing wrong with who you are. I love it. Yeah, that is. And I think this is also me speaking to my inner child because I feel like you know, we spend so many years trying to, you know, as children, make ourselves smaller or quieter, or less visible, or you know, less different or more acceptable, you know, and some of us do it because of our, you know, cultural background or because of, you know, a disability, or you know, our accent or learning needs. But, you know, I just want every child to know that their value does not come from how well they fit into a box that somebody else created, but it comes from who they are.

33:05 SPEAKER_00: That is wonderful. Perfect, perfect. Every child should hear that message and know that you want to love for who you are and how you are. All right. So this is, I want to give you the opportunity to talk about any amazing projects that you may have going on or upcoming, any uh new roles that you may have that is starting up. Um, so this is your uh chance if you want to share with the listeners what you're doing, how they can reach out to you on social media, if they are uh looking to connect with you.

33:43 SPEAKER_02: Yeah. So through the African Parent, um, we are continuing to build practical advocacy tools and resources that you know will help families engage more confidently with schools. And this can be used across, you know, not just schools and certain organizations. We're also expanding our work around our special educational needs and disability, uh, neurodiversity, as is something closest to my heart, inclusion and school engagement. On a personal level, I've taken on another role as a school governor, you know, which again gives me another perspective.

34:26 SPEAKER_02: And this is around safeguarding. Looking further ahead, I'm exploring opportunities to expand some of this work internationally, particularly across Africa, because many of the conversations we're having around inclusion, parent engagement, educational equity, and belonging, it's not just unique to the states or to the UK. These are global challenges. And I believe that there's a real opportunity to share learning and build solutions across communities. So everything I do ultimately brings back to one goal, which is helping children thrive by, you know, strengthening that relationship between, again, I'm a systems person, between families, schools, and the systems that support them.

35:16 SPEAKER_02: And then one of the other things I'm doing is developing an inclusion academy. And this is focused on supporting schools, organizations, and community groups to build more inclusive practices.

35:29 SPEAKER_00: So you are very, very, very busy. Extremely. You are doing some awesome work, and I know that you are impacting the lives of many, many people. So kudos to what you're doing, and I wish you well in everything that you're doing. And hopefully, whenever you are, you know, you have a little bit more time, we can do a follow-up interview maybe later on in the year and and stay connected. So, but I have enjoyed talking with you today. And I know my listeners, our listeners, uh, they are in loving what they've been hearing.

36:06 SPEAKER_00: And hopefully, again, we'll have an opportunity to have another conversation uh later on in the year just to follow up and see how things are going with those new projects and new endeavors.

36:16 SPEAKER_02: Oh, that would be brilliant. And thank you so much for you know creating the space and you know, for the opportunity to be a part of this conversation. These discussions are really important and they they remind us that education is not just about schools, you know, it's all you know, and it's not just about families, is you know, it's about the partnership between, you know, both of them. And you know, I'm grateful for the work that you're doing, you know, bringing together educators, leaders, you know, parents, you know, people who are just committed to improving, you know, outcomes for children and young people.

36:49 SPEAKER_00: So thank you so much. Thank you. I am trying every day to to continue to impact, not just within the four walls of the school that I work in, and not just in South Carolina, but really worldwide, and just spreading that message that, as you have been saying, the communication, the partnerships is important because we are helping to cultivate the minds of the next next generation, the current generation, and we want to make sure that they are well equipped and ready to lead once they have ended their educational journey in K through four, K through four, K through 12.

37:29 SPEAKER_00: So thank you again, and Rose. Thank you so much for joining us, joining the road to the an effective classroom environment. And please tell our listeners where we can connect with you on social media.

37:45 SPEAKER_02: So I'm on Instagram as the African Parent underscore. I'm on Facebook as The African Parent. I'm on TikTok, I'm on LinkedIn. I did say Instagram, yes. And I've also got a website called The African Parent, and you can find resources, articles. I do write a lot, and I'm on Substack as well. So I always encourage people to reach out, join the conversation, share your experience because so much of this work that I do is built on community and learning from each other. So whether you're a parent, an educator, a school leader, you know, an advocate, please just connect and you know, drop me an email, hello at theafricanparent.org.

38:31 SPEAKER_00: Right. Thank you so much. Well, this has been The Road to an Effective Classroom Environment. And this is Dr. Lashonta, known as the Classy Sassy Consultant. We thank you for being a part of this discussion. Have a wonderful day, and until next time.