A new school year has just begun: you, as a parent/caregiver, are wondering how your child will get along with their teacher. You’re curious about the teacher’s style, their discipline system, how they communicate with families, and more. Getting answers to your questions and calming all your worries depends on one thing—getting to know your child’s new teacher and starting the school year on the right foot, and Focus on FACE is here to help! Read on to get some tips for bonding with the important new adult in your child’s life.
Attend Back to School Night
It’s important to take any opportunity to meet the teacher face-to-face. Back to School Night is the perfect setting to informally meet the teacher and even address preliminary concerns that you might have. Does your child have an allergy? Is your child shy around other children? Is your child prone to tantrums? You can mention this to your child’s new teacher at Back to School Night so the teacher will be better prepared to help your child adjust. This is also a great opportunity to learn about the teacher’s preferred communication style. Does the teacher prefer email or phone calls? Is the teacher able to schedule parent-teacher conferences more frequently than those listed on the school calendar? If you don’t have concerns or questions, you should still attend Back to School Night to say hello! The more in-person contact you have with your child’s teacher, the better!
Drop off/Pick up Your Child or Volunteer at the School
Again: face-to-face contact is key, especially in our increasingly digital world! If your schedule allows, drop off or pick up your kids from school. Those few minutes are a great opportunity to get a quick update about your child’s progress, ask about grades, or just say hello.
If dropping off or picking up your child doesn’t fit into your schedule, consider volunteering at the school. If you work full time, there may be special evening events that need volunteers to plan and run the event. This can help you meet other parents as well as give you more opportunities to get to know your child’s teacher. Volunteering at the school will show your child’s teacher that you are dedicated to being involved in your child’s education.
If getting to the school is a challenge or your schedule is just too crazy to visit your child’s school during regular school hours, then email is a great and convenient line of communication. At the beginning of the school year, send a quick introduction email to your child’s teacher. You can inform your child’s teacher about concerns that you have or anything you think is important that the teacher should know about your child.
Respect the Teacher and Be Nice While Asking Questions
Teachers often have rules in their classrooms for a reason. Keeping 20-plus kids under control is a tough job, and it’s important to respect the way teachers do things in their classroom. If some of the teacher’s classroom practices are problematic for your child, then approach the teacher in a respectful manner and calmly explain your concerns. Expecting a teacher to completely overhaul their classroom rules and practices is asking too much, but a teacher may be able to adjust their teaching methods to better accommodate your child if you have a discussion—rather than a confrontation—with them. When you first meet your child’s new teacher, feel free to ask them what they expect from your child and what their classroom rules are. Ask them what kinds of assignments they’re likely to assign over the year: is the class going to be project-heavy, or test-heavy? What about group work? Will there be an emphasis on writing? These types of questions are fair to ask and aren’t disrespectful at all—in fact, these questions show the teacher that you want to work with them to support your child, and that you’re an engaged family member.
Sources:
https://www.parents.com/kids/education/back-to-school/the-smart-way-to-talk-to-teachers/
https://www.life360.com/blog/10-ways-to-get-to-know-your-childs-teacher/
