It’s that time of year again — school is officially in session! The beginning of the school year comes with all sorts of novel things: new clothes and school supplies, new classroom rules, and new teachers. Meeting a new teacher can be intimidating to both you and your child; therefore it is crucial to begin this relationship off on the right foot. As the parent, you are the expert on your child, and it is very important that you are aware of what goes on during those seven school day hours. The most basic way to be “in the know” about your child’s education is to develop great communication with your child’s teacher. This is not always easy, but it is essential in helping your child succeed in school! The following information will provide you with some ideas for how you can communicate with your child’s new teacher:
Classroom Newsletters – Some teachers send home weekly or monthly newsletters updating parents on what is happening in the class. This is a great way to gain information about what your child is doing in class!
School to Home Notebooks – Notebooks that come home with your child and go back to school the next day can be another way to communicate with your child’s teacher. Positive reports, areas of concern, or just some basic “good to know” information can be written in this notebook and are a good way of keeping the lines of communication open.
Email/Phone – Nowadays, teachers are more than willing to send and receive quick emails from parents regarding their child’s progress throughout the school day or during after school hours. It’s best to exchange email addresses and phone numbers during your first meeting with the teacher in order to ensure that all of the basic information has been received, and there are no barriers to communication!
Parent/Teacher Conference – As most of you may know, parent/teacher conferences are a wonderful opportunity to get quality face-time with your child’s teacher. This time can be used to discuss your child’s strengths, areas of concern, and bridge the gap between home and school to ensure consistency in your child’s education.
Again, open lines of communication between you and your child’s teacher are crucial to their academic success. With multiple adults (that are on the same page) looking after their needs, they are sure to enjoy this school year and many more to come!