Problems with parents take many shapes: disorganized parents who lose papers, hovering moms and angry dads, and of course absentee parents who never show up for anything. Private schools take even more heat, with high academic goals and expectations. Richard Arends, in "Learning to Teach," cites two studies indicating that teachers want relationships with parents that "include both concern for the child and support for their instructional program. At the same time, many teachers do not want parents to interfere with their classrooms." In this article, the author looks at ways for fostering parent-teacher partnerships by setting a positive tone and structure to prevent misunderstandings, being prepared to respond to potential confrontations, and showing empathy and patience while processing conflict.