Developing and maintaining a good relationship with your child’s teacher is important not only for your student’s welfare but for your sanity as well! It helps you stay involved with your child’s progress, and keeps you excited about their school and the lessons they’re learning. Having good parent-teacher communication also helps you to support your child in their education–helping them to practice at home to master some of the new skills they are learning!
The Importance of Parent-Teacher Communication
Our Parent-Teacher relationship is crucial for our kids: Dr. Susan M. Sheridan, Director of the Nebraska Center for Research on Child, Youth, Families & Schools, says, “Positive connections between parents and teachers have been shown to improve children’s academic achievement, social competencies, and emotional well-being.” She goes on to explain that communication, consistency, and collaboration are “the three C’s” of healthy parent-teacher partnerships.
Communication: “Meet and Greet”
Introduce yourself! At Kids Village, we do this through the annual “Meet the Teacher” event each year. You don’t have to (and shouldn’t) wait for the renowned “parent-teacher conference” to establish some kind of rapport with their teacher. Meet with your child’s teacher as early as possible to initiate a positive relationship with a kind “hello.” It helps us put a name to a face, and opens up the relationships for continued communication down the line.
Collaboration: Establish Routines
Once your little one time has had time to adjust to their teacher, follow up with them to see if there are any concerns. Reiterate to your student that you and their teacher are working together to support them. And make sure their teacher knows they have your support! Always remember that you both have a shared goal: student success. Yours might just be a little bit more focused and specific.
Consistency: Regular Check-Ins
Stay present. Attend all parent-teacher conferences and initiate some one-on-one time of your own. Quick “hi’s” and casual conversation during daily pick-ups and drop-offs are great for maintaining a good relationship but don’t expect too much out of them. For an in-depth conversation about your student’s performance and success, schedule some one-on-one time with their teacher.
Mastering the Parent-Teacher Conference
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- Plan Ahead. Determine what your “need-to-know’s” are, then compile a list.
- Make a list of questions, then prioritize them. It can be difficult to come up with questions on the spot. Spend some time thinking about it ahead of time, then bring a list to the conference!
- Identify goals. Your teacher has goals for your child’s learning, but you may have goals as well. Do you want your child to work on sharing with friends? Engaging in activities? Participating during class discussions? Let your teacher know so they can help along the way.
- Listen to their teacher. Their teacher sees your child day-in and day-out. They probably have insight that you don’t; many kids start acting differently as soon as their parents exit the building.
- Ask how you can support them. You both have a common goal: helping your child succeed. Get tips on helping them learn at home or ask what suggestions they might have for values to reiterate.
How We Do It Here at Kid’s Village
We encourage you to call or email the main office anytime to schedule a meeting. Talk to the education director or any other members of our staff about questions you might have about how to support your child.
We try to keep you in the know, too: we send home monthly updates and occasional personalized cards that celebrate your child’s wins. We also have some fun events we host: join us at the “Meet the Teacher” event, Parent-Teacher Conferences, and our other family events (like the Humanitarian Haunt in October, Christmas in the Village in December, and our Spring Graduation Showcase).
Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest to stay up-to-the-minute on any of the goings-on at Kid’s Village.