As mentioned in the article, I’ve Gotten A Bad Review And Want To Know What To Do, bad reviews are quite common. We want to help our teachers and parents communicate as effectively as possible. Here is a list of common complaints, and our suggestions for how to resolve them.
It’s important to remember that the best way to succeed on Outschool is to teach what you know and love! The more passionate you are about the material, the better your class will be – and the more enjoyable the experience will be for you and your learners!
As a note, we will continue to update this list to the best of our ability. If you have any specific questions that you do not see on the list below, please feel free to submit to support@outschool.com
☑️ The class description doesn’t fit what was taught
If you receive this type of review, you may want to check the quality of your class description. Sometimes teachers list their classes without enough detail, or with too much hype, which causes parents to develop an unrealistic expectation for the class.
The best way to respond to a comment like this is to sympathize with the parent. You could say something like: “Thank you for bringing this to my attention. After reviewing the class description, I understand where you are coming from, and will be sure to make appropriate changes. I hope you’ll consider taking another class with me in the future, and feel free to reach out if you have any questions!”
☑️ Schedule Change
One complaint we hear often is from parents feeling disappointed by schedule changes. Many teachers on Outschool have families of their own, or other jobs and busy lives. When it comes to scheduling classes, it’s best to take into consideration all of the aspects of your daily life. Make sure to plan your classes around your schedule and commit to them once they are posted on Outschool. You can also try setting your classes, and then planning your schedule around them. While emergencies do arise, we do suggest limiting as many variables as you can, in order to build a sustainable following of students and parents who trust you.
☑️ The Teacher Was Unprepared
If a parent reaches out to you with a complaint about the organization of your class, it’s important to remember a few things. First of all, every child learns things differently, and there are different teaching strategies for every learner. Don’t beat yourself up if one parent felt that your class was not the right fit for their child.
We recommend that all Outschool classes have a clear progression to the lesson, with accompanying materials that are prepared ahead of time. Teachers should also have contingency plans if things move too quickly, there are tech problems, or if other issues arise. Feel free to visit our New Teacher FAQ for help on building cohesive classes.
We recommend responding to the parent with something like this: “Thank you so much for your feedback, I’m so sorry to hear that my class was not a good fit. I’ve taken your notes into consideration, and hope that you will consider enrolling my classes in the future.”
☑️ Classroom Management
While managing a Zoom classroom is new for many of you, the principles of teaching still apply. Be sure to include every learner in the discussion, and not let one or two learners dominate the class. If intervention is necessary, you can always use the mute feature on Zoom, or message the learner directly.
If a parent has a complaint that their kid was ignored during your class, you can say something like: “I want to make sure that every learner in my class feels valued for their contributions and efforts, and I appreciate the feedback. If your learner has any additional questions about the material, please feel free to have them message me. Thanks again for taking my class!”
Broad Notes
🔎 Parent Communication
In general, we recommend that teachers answer all parent emails within 1-3 business days. If a parent feels neglected, they are more likely to leave a bad review.
🔎 Bedside Manner
It is Outschool’s policy to treat everyone with respect and act professionally at all times. Keep in mind that parents are within earshot of the learner’s computer most of the time. If they hear something inappropriate, or if you are overly harsh with how you manage a classroom, they will call you on it. The best thing you can do is be kind and courteous always!
