Strong communication is fundamental to a parent-teacher partnership and to foster a sense of community for the child between home and school.<\/p>\n
As your child\u2019s greatest teacher and role model, it\u2019s vital that you get involved in their schooling, rather than sitting back and letting the teacher handle it all.<\/p>\n
There\u2019s plenty of evidence that shows positive communication between parents and teachers help improve a child\u2019s academic performance.<\/p>\n
Here are three reasons to get more involved.<\/p>\n
Increased motivation for learning, more regular attendance, a more positive attitude about homework and school \u2013 these are a few benefits for children when parents are involved.<\/p>\n
Your child needs to see the importance that you, as their parent, put on their education. But make sure this doesn\u2019t translate as an emphasis on always having to come first or being top of the class<\/p>\n
Parental involvement enables teachers to be more focused when it comes to teaching.<\/p>\n
As parents, you know what stimulates, bores, and interests your child. You know your child\u2019s learning style and you also know if there are any other issues going on that might be affecting their learning at school.<\/p>\n
When you put in the time to communicate with teachers, you help them understand more about your child\u2019s home learning environment<\/a> and needs.<\/p>\n Ongoing communication with your child\u2019s teacher allows them to tailor their approach and apply appropriate strategies to suit your child\u2019s needs and learning in class.<\/p>\n Parents who are involved also tend to have a more positive view of teachers, which results in improved teacher morale.<\/p>\n By being involved, you get to hear new ideas about learning and teaching techniques from a different perspective. As you share resources and exchange stories, it expands your parenting knowledge and skills, giving you the confidence to know how to better support your child\u2019s learning at home<\/a>.<\/p>\n As you learn more about the school\u2019s academic program and activities, you get to see an overall picture of the school\u2019s efforts and develop a greater appreciation for what the staff and teachers are doing.<\/p>\n Building a rapport with teachers is even more crucial during lockdowns, when children\u2019s routines are disrupted and they\u2019re social interactions halted. Technology has played a big role in making communication between home and school possible and efficient.<\/p>\n Seek out opportunities for communication on a regular basis to ensure your child\u2019s physical, social-emotional, and cognitive needs met. The best educational results happen when each of these needs are met.<\/p>\n<\/div> Teachers have a tight schedule and a huge workload. At drop-off and pick-up times, teachers are usually very busy.<\/p>\n It\u2019s good to discuss this at the start of the school year to know which communication channel works best for your child\u2019s teacher. Does he or she prefer to use the school communication channels? Email? Is she open to communicating through text? Or is a scheduled phone call the preferred choice?<\/p>\n Be mindful that teachers have other students to look after and many other parents to talk to as well. Emailing your child\u2019s teacher everyday or calling her frequently might not be the most productive way. If you have questions to ask that are not urgent, compile them and schedule a phone call to have a chat.<\/p>\n Parent-teacher interviews are a great opportunity to communicate with your child\u2019s teacher and hear how your child is tracking. They are also a great way to discuss any troubles or questions you may have regarding your child.<\/p>\n Think about what you would like to discuss with your child\u2019s teacher, so that you make the most out of your allocated time with her. When discussing learning issues you\u2019re concerned about, ask for ways you can help at home that reinforce any learning<\/a> that\u2019s going on in the classroom.<\/p>\n If you can\u2019t make it to the interview, ask whether you can reschedule through an online meeting. In saying this, communicating with your child\u2019s teacher isn\u2019t just attending parent-teacher interviews.<\/p>\n There are many other ways to stay in touch and to create a positive two-way relationship, including email, volunteering in the classroom or by adding comments to a homework book.<\/p>\n To encourage teachers and show your appreciation, why not drop personal Thank-you notes to acknowledge their efforts? You could also share snippets of positive things your child has said to you at home about them.<\/p>\n What online education tools does the teacher use in class? Can you tap into the resources or features in these programs?<\/p>\n For example, if your child\u2019s school uses Mathletics<\/strong>, login<\/a> using your child\u2019s details to The Student Console. This allows you to regularly check up on your child\u2019s maths progress<\/a><\/strong> and to see the areas where they are excelling, as well as areas where they might need a little extra support.<\/p>\n Matheltics also has a wealth of resources and activities you can access, such as printables, workbooks and e-books.<\/p>\n Remember that it\u2019s a three-way relationship between you, your child and their teacher and that only by working together positively can you help your child achieve their full potential.<\/p>\n<\/div>3. You Learn More<\/h3>\n
Top 3 Tips on How Parents Can Connect Effectively with Teachers<\/h3>\n
What is your child’s teacher preferred mode of communication?<\/h3>\n
Be prepared before attending parent-teacher interviews<\/h3>\n
Small gestures count<\/h3>\n
Bonus tip!<\/h3>\n