Parent/Teacher Communication

Please realize, above all, that communicating with your child’s teacher(s) on a regular basis is very important, in order for you to do all that you can to help your child. Regular communication, initiated by you as a concerned parent, whether things are going well or not so well, is going to leave you informed, rather than in the dark, about what is going on with your child at school. Depending on the grade level of your child, the school, the teacher, etc… your experience with your child’s teacher can vary quite a bit. Recognize that the more involved you become, the more confident you will feel with your child’s teacher and your child’s progress.

Every teacher should be communicating with parents. However, this may or may not happen to varying degrees. Often, the communication that goes home from the secondary level schools, is professional, notes or e-mails sent out. Often, when asked for feedback from parents, teachers get none. Many teachers feel as though the majority of their student’s parents could really care less about their child’s progress. They feel as though they are attempting to maintain communication, though unsuccessfully. Some teachers give up. This is not your responsibility, but YOUR role IS up to you, and no one else. Initiate communication. Regularly. Also realize that in-person or over the phone communication is best. E-mails tend to relay a tone that wasn’t meant to be there. Not everyone takes the written word in the same way. There is much more room for miscommunicating with the written word.

You are the parent. Your child’s teacher is the teacher. There is a reason he/she is standing in front of a classroom of students every day. He/she has had the training necessary to teach. Please respect that and work together with the teachers, as a team, towards your child’s progress. Ask your child’s teacher how you can help out, at home, to improve your child’s reading. Be interested and willing to do anything. Follow through on promises to work with your child. This is YOUR child… not the teacher’s child. Always appreciate and thank the teacher for his/her hard work with your child every day. Teachers will naturally want to work hard when parents and students are appreciating their efforts.

Know your child. Notice when there are problems and do what you can to help out. Communicate with the teacher(s). Ask what you can do. If no response is given, ask again. Be sure to understand strategies you can use, before you try them with your child at home. Do whatever you can to understand the situations happening at school and learn from the teachers how you can help.