My Child Hates His Teacher! My Child Loves His Teacher!

Today is January 5, 2011.  We have started a new year and many students  have teachers they did not have last semester.   It is almost like the beginning of school.  I am sharing this popular post again.  It is all about communication, the most important element in a classroom.  Please read the comments others have left and add your thoughts.

Teachers and students have a unique relationship. For 180 days a year, many students are with their teachers MORE waking hours than they are with us. Ouch! How can I, as a parent, help insure that this relationship is positive for all parties?

#1. Communicate! Your teacher is most reachable by email. Email her or him the first week of school. Doesn’t so much matter what you say as long as it is SHORT and SUPPORTIVE. This email will help your child stand out quicker and will get your email in the “easy to reply” category. All student info is in the system but not necessarily user-friendly, up-to-date, or easy to find.
#2. Be Proactive! Do not say to the teacher, “Just let me know if my child needs help or if there is any problem”. Your teacher will try to do this anyway but maybe not as quickly as you would like. Why? High school teachers have up to 150 students daily. Even the BEST teacher cannot always report every need, every disturbance, every everything the moment it happens. On the other hand, you probably only have one or two children to keep up with. Don’t rely on the teacher to ‘let you know’.
#3. Grades are online 24-7 in almost every school now. Watch them at least weekly. Give the teacher a week to grade and post major tests. See a zero? Don’t let it slide. Know the makeup policy. “I didn’t know is no excuse”. Sounds harsh, I know.
#4. Know your child’s counselor. Your child, you, the teacher, and counselor can solve just about any problem that arises. Be a team.
#5. If the teacher/counselor are reachable by phone, put their numbers in your phone. I am not saying to bug them or call everyday with trivial concerns. I am saying that if something is really bothering you or your child, do not sit on it. Communicate with the one who knows them best in the entire building, their teacher.

Stay tuned for more tips to come. Share your thoughts too. People like to get ideas from others in the same boat…..especially while everything is still afloat if you get my drift.

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First Day Of School Advice

What is YOUR best advice for your kids’ first day of school? No matter what their age, everyone has first day jitters…..even most teachers. Everything is new and different. New teachers, new schedule, new subjects, new lunch group. Exciting stuff. Sets the pace for the entire year.

Should kids get to wear whatever they want that day? Is that important? Should they ride the big yellow bus or is that too humiliating so you will drive them? Will they brown bag it or see what’s new on the lunch line? What do you hope their teachers will say the first day of school? What should they take with them?

What is the conversationlike around your breakfast table that very first morning, or maybe at dinner the night before? Click on COMMENTS below and share your thoughts. Let’s see what we come up with.

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