Kiddipedia
It’s vital to develop a good relationship with your child’s teacher. Sure, your child is the one spending the most time with their teacher, so you may feel developing a relationship yourself is not all that important.
However, it’s crucial for you to establish a positive relationship from the beginning. You need to have good communication, so any issues can be discussed and resolved quickly. You also need to be on good terms to seek assistance and support.
In the end, you need to have a good relationship for the sake of your child. So, it makes sense to put in the work to establish a positive relationship with your child’s teacher.
Here are 5 ways you can start doing that right now, even if you feel you may have already missed the boat for this year.
- Introduce yourself
If you don’t already know your child’s teacher, introduce yourself to them before or after class. A quick and informal introduction shows the teacher that you care about your child’s education and gives them a face to the name. If you work and can’t get to pick up or drop off, send an email to introduce yourself or give them a call instead.
- Schedule a meeting
You can follow up your introduction with a request for a meeting. Most teachers will have scheduled classroom relief time so, take the initiative and ask to meet them. This is your opportunity to talk to them about your child and their needs. It’s also a great way to find out what’s planned for the year and discuss how you can best support your child in their learning.
- Create a letter of introduction for your child
This is handy if you’re time-poor or if your child has additional needs. It’s an easy way to communicate your child’s needs, learning style, communication preferences, interests, strengths and weaknesses to their teacher. Having this information will help the teacher tailor lessons to better meet the needs of your child. They will be grateful for the extra information, trust me!
- Offer to volunteer
Offering to volunteer in the school or classroom is a great way to cultivate a better relationship with your child’s teacher. You could assist with reading groups, man the canteen, help with breakfast club or come along as a parent carer on excursions. If you work or have other caring commitments, attending out of hours school events or joining the P&C could be an option too.
- Be an active participant in your child’s learning
It’s important to be active and involved when it comes to your child’s learning. Read with them each night. Help them with their homework. Come along to parent-teacher nights. Complete questionnaires and surveys. Provide constructive feedback. Being involved is one of the best ways you can improve the relationship with your child’s teacher as it shows them you care.
You may also like to read:
How to support your introvert child.
