How to Build a Good Parent Teacher Relationship

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Sure you love your kids and you enjoy spending as much time with them as possible, but the reality is that
if they’re school-aged, the one who shares most of their (weekly) waking hours with them is their teacher.
That reason alone should be a strong enough motivator to want to do all that you can to cultivate a healthy
parent-teacher relationship. Not only will it put you more at ease when it comes to your child’s well-being,
but it can also help the teacher to be a more effective educator. Being that each child is different, it can
never hurt for their teacher to have as much relevant information from you that will assist in your son or
daughter’s academic development.

It’s rare that a child has the same teacher (or set of teachers) for more than one school year and so this
means that it’s a good idea to be proactive in introducing yourself. If there’s not some kind of formal open
house at your child’s school (or you’re not able to make it), most administrative offices provide a list of
each teacher’s name, phone numbers and email address. Don’t hesitate to contact them to request a time
for the both of you to get better acquainted.

Once the two of you have met, be sure to state some of your desires for your child for that school year. If
they’re older children, ask the teacher if there’s a weekly lesson plan available that gives you an idea of
what your son or daughter will be studying and when tests are scheduled. Also be sure to ask the teacher if
there is anything that you can do to help your child excel in their class. Most educators are quite relieved
to know that they have a parent’s support when it comes to classwork assignments.

While it shows great initiative and responsibility to attend every prescheduled parent-teacher conference,
should problems arise, either with your child’s behavior or grades, don’t hesitate to request to have
a private meeting with their teacher. Remember that you are doing this to take sides or to be on the
defensive; you are going to receive additional information so that you can get a clearer perspective on the
situation. You are going to work together to find a resolve.

Also be willing to keep the teacher abreast of any personal family developments that may have a direct
impact of your child. If there was a recent death, if you lost your job, if there’s a new baby in the house
that’s causing everyone to get less sleep, these are good things for the teacher to know. A good teacher
doesn’t just care about a child’s grades, but how they are doing emotionally and physically as well. A good
teacher knows that when things are not optimal at home, it will affect them at school and to them, that
matters.

Educators work many hard and selfless hours. For that reason, make it a point to show your child’s
teacher appreciation for the investment that they are making into your son or daughter’s life. Find out
their birthday and even if you opt to not purchase a gift, send a card then and during the holidays. One of
the things that people want most in this world is to feel like what they do for others matters. This should
definitely apply to what a teacher does for a child.

In all communication with your child’s teacher, no matter what is going on and until proven otherwise, it’s
a good idea to keep the mindset that ultimately what you both want is what’s best for your child; especially
when it comes to their academic success. Neither one of you need an online emba to know that mastering
the art of educating a child is not a one man (or woman) job. Just as the African proverb goes, “It takes a
village.”