Every parent desires an open and strong relationship with their child’s teachers. At the same time, in the whirlwind of drop-off and pick-up, it can be challenging to develop rapport. There are steps every parent can take to foster excellent teacher-parent relationships in the natural flow of the school day. Here are some simple ideas to help you connect with your child’s teachers.
Ask Questions
Questions are a great way to develop a relationship with anyone in your life. While this will certainly mean asking for details about your child’s time at school, it can also apply to your teacher’s life as well. You certainly don’t want to pry, but inquiring about the teacher’s weekend plans, holidays, or family is appropriate and helps you see them as a person outside of the classroom. This is also a wonderful way to learn about your child’s teacher’s hobbies and interests, which may give you opportunities to connect. Again, this doesn’t require any probing conversations. A simple “how was your weekend?” will go a long way toward building your relationship.
Show Gratitude
Teachers are abundantly grateful for parents who are involved in the classroom. This includes responding to classroom communications, assisting when help is needed, and sending in classroom supplies. And parents are equally grateful for the hard work teachers put into making their classrooms fun, safe, and educational spaces. Teacher-parent relationships blossom when both parties make a point to acknowledge the other’s hard work. A simple gesture like saying thank you at pick-up each day helps your child’s teacher feel seen. To take your gratitude a step further, make a point to deliver a thank you note detailing times that the teacher has gone above and beyond.
Communicate Clearly
This suggestion probably goes without saying, but taking the time to communicate clearly is invaluable in teacher-parent relationships. This includes simple things like letting the teacher know if your child slept poorly the night before. Additionally, big life events at home (such as a move or new sibling) will affect your child at school. Cluing his or her teacher into such changes gives everyone involved the opportunity to consistently help your child transition. If you are confused about classroom protocol or have other concerns about your child’s time at school, be sure to let your teacher know. Every teacher desires for parents to understand and feel connected to their child’s classroom.
Be Flexible
More than anything, successful teacher-parents relationships require flexibility. More than likely, your interactions with your child’s teacher will be brief. Some days the teacher will have more attention and time to spare, but that is rarely according to their choice. If you can be flexible and work with your child’s teacher’s availability, it will likely increase your cooperation significantly. Additionally, if you are willing to ask about your child’s successes and challenges in the classroom, you will probably receive helpful feedback. Your child’s teacher may have suggestions for how to address your child’s challenging behavior at home and keep his or her home experience consistent with the classroom. Again, this is a collaborative relationship and both caregivers will have the insight to share.
Teacher-parent relationships are crucial for a successful school experience. At the same time, both parents and teachers are busy and may struggle to find the time to connect. By following these simple tips, you can build a strong relationship with your child’s teacher in the small moments you have. Are you looking for childcare in a facility with a communicative and available teaching staff? Consider Legacy Academy, where we make parent-teacher relationships a priority.
