‘CHILD-FRIENDLY homes; child-friendly classrooms; quality education’.
Education Awareness month is here! As the school year kicks off, this is the perfect time to focus on the importance of building a positive parent-teacher relationship. A solid parent-teacher relationship provides a firm foundation for a child’s learning and success, and helps a child feel good about school.
Here are some strategies to build and maintain such an important relationship between parent and teacher:
Build the foundation early. The parent-teacher relationship needs to be established at the start of the school year. Use the first few weeks of school to take the opportunity to meet the teacher and see the child`s classroom. Approach the relationship with respect. Treat the parent-teacher relationship the way you would any important relationship in your life. Create a respectful and problem-solving partnership, and work together to help with a child`s development. Establish trust with the teacher. When you trust the teacher, the child will also have trust in the teacher. The important people in the child`s life must work together.
Allow the child to develop his or her own relationship with the teacher. This bond is one of the first relationships a child will have outside of the family unit. Allow the relationship to develop naturally without too much interference. Remember your experience going to school, and as a parent, try and remember what your relationship was like with your teacher. Whether it was a positive or negative relationship, focus on your child`s needs without any previous bias.
Develop positive and effective parent-teacher communication. The manner in which teachers communicate and interact with parents affects the extent and quality of parent`s home involvement with their child`s learning. Share success stories and positive aspects of a child`s learning, while providing constructive feedback on the ways a child can improve in the classroom. Good two-way communication between families and teachers is necessary for a child`s success. Not surprisingly, research shows that the more parents and teachers share relevant information with each other about a student, the better equipped both will be to help that student achieve academically.
Remain calm, friendly and professional when communicating and building relationships. Listen and keep an open mind. Make every effort to understand the concerns of the child, and remain focused on what is best for the child. Teachers can help parents set realistic goals for their child, and offer advice on how to attain these goals. Parents should provide their contact information to the teacher, and welcome the teacher to contact them for any reason.
Why not volunteer your time, and offer to help out in the classroom? Share information about your culture, job or interests if it is relevant to the curriculum. Offer to assist the teacher in preparation, if you are able to. Support your child and make sure they are on track with their learning. This will allow you to feel involved in the curriculum and the work your child is doing.
Remember ‘The Golden Rule’: Assume good on the teacher`s part, and teachers should assume good on the part of the parent. Teachers love children; they enjoying teaching and learning and providing a good education to a child. In the same way, parents want the best for their child. Working together is key to the success of the child`s academic achievement.
Most importantly, parents can get involved with their child`s education and development by joining and participating in the school`s PTA (Parent Teacher Association). This is the school`s main parent body, and the link between the school and the community it serves. It is vital to the success of the school and its students. Speak with your child`s teacher to learn the ways you can get involved with the PTA.
For many parents and teachers, creating and maintaining a solid relationship can be intimidating and overwhelming. However, a strong link between school and home is integral to the educational success of the child. When these partnerships are productive and positive, the family and school can support each other through the entire school year. (Christina Marriott is a Community Involvement Specialist, VSO Volunteer attached to the Department of Education, Region Six.)