Kim Flyr is a parent and family life educator in Columbia, Maryland. She is a consultant to The Parenting Center and has published several essays about parenting, parent-teacher cooperation and helping young children transition into school. Each month, she brings us some quick tips on various aspects of parenting and family life.
If you'd like to learn more, then you may be interested in many of our courses. Details are on our courses page. Alternatively, you can bring us to your neighborhood and have us offer this or any other course at your school, church, or organization. Contact us today for more details!
WORKING TOGETHER – PARENTS AND TEACHERS
You are your child’s first and life-long teacher. But children will have many other teachers as they grow. By learning to work together with teachers, you will help your child. Research clearly shows the benefits of having parents and teachers work together. What are the benefits? To read about some of the many benefits and see some suggestions for getting involved in your child’s school, try reading:
What does “working together” mean? You can work with your child’s teacher in many ways:
- Make sure to meet your child’s teacher at the beginning of the year and indicate your desire to have a supportive relationship. Don’t wait for the first conference to meet the teacher, unless that conference is scheduled in the first few weeks of the year. The sooner you can open the lines of communication, the better.
- Offer to help in any way you can. Think about what talents you have that you could share with your child’s class. You could read a story or work with struggling students or help the teacher with paperwork or organize a class party. There are a million ways to help, and it will be appreciated.
- Give the teacher the “benefit of the doubt.” Your child might come home one day and tell you a story of being unfairly treated by the teacher. Most parents react with understandable anger whenever they feel their child is being treated unfairly. But it is best to check your anger until you have spoken with the teacher. There is often more than one side of the story, and if you approach the teacher with an open mind, you will not put him or her on the defensive. You can explain your child’s feelings without being accusing, and then discuss the issue together. Besides, teachers report that students tell as many stories about their parents as they do about their teachers! If you give the teacher the benefit of the doubt, hopefully he or she will extend the same courtesy.
- Supervise homework. Teachers count on parents to make sure homework is completed. It is not your job to do the homework, but you should try to help if needed and check it over before it is handed in.
- Share compliments and concerns. No one hears “thank you” enough, so say it if you appreciate something the teacher has done. And if you have a concern, share it with the teacher instead of brooding about it, or worse, gossiping about it with other parents. By speaking honestly and openly with your child’s teacher, you will encourage the same in return.
DON'T MISS OUT!
By subscribing to our mailing list, you will receive e-mails about our Topic of the Month and E-zine, course updates, announcements about our public service programs, and other important information. You can also refer your friends and have us invite them to subscribe. Thank you in advance for your support!
TOPIC OF THE MONTH ARCHIVES
Looking for a past issue of the Topic of the Month? They are in our archives. Remember, they are free—so please share them with your friends and family!
Size: