By Alison | Leave A Comment
A new school year brings a new teacher. Having a positive relationship with your child’s teacher will go a long way towards helping your child have a successful school year.
Schedule Time To Talk
Be respectful of the teacher’s time. Don’t expect to have a long conversation at drop-off. Always ask if the teacher has a moment before bringing up a concern or asking a question, or consider scheduling a specific time to talk.
Understand School Policy
Make sure you know the school’s policies as well as the teacher’s policies for her classroom. Always check for notes from the school or teacher. Is there a planner you are expected to sign daily? Does the teacher send home weekly or monthly progress reports? These are ways the teacher tries to communicate with you, don’t ignore them.
Respect Your Child’s Teacher
You don’t have to like your child’s teacher, but it is important to respect her. Consider the teacher’s point of view. When problems arise, listen to their side. It’s natural to want to side with your child, but sometimes they might just not be telling you the whole story.
Work With Teacher To Help Your Child
Be willing to do your part. If your child is struggling, ask what you can do to help at home. Stress that you want to work WITH the teacher to help your child succeed. A parent and teacher working together and on the same page is key to a child’s success in school.
ABOUT Alison
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Great hints! As a teacher, I really do appreciate the things you mentioned.
If I could add just one it would be to give a teacher a heads up about your concern or question before the meeting or when leaving a phone message requesting a response. When you let the teacher know ahead of time, he/she can research your concern or question before returning your call. I can give parents general thoughts about a child’s progress but don’t always have specific grades at my mental fingertips. Additionally, I might need to pull together notes I’ve made or other paperwork to help address a concern or question appropriately. I have so many things going on at any given moment that my brain does not always process as quickly or as thoroughly as I (or a parent) might like. I also might need to consult other teachers who meet with your child or were involved in a given situation in order to give you a complete response.
Again, thanks for understanding what parents can do to build great relationships with their children’s teachers.