How often do you meet up with your child’s teachers for a catch-up on their progress? The chances are, it’s not a very frequent occurrence. In fact, the majority of parents only meet up with their child’s teachers at the yearly parents’ evenings, and that’s if other commitments, such as work, don’t get in the way. This limited communication can become even more of an issue after your child starts secondary school, firstly because they will become more independent, and secondly because they will have individual teachers for each subject, and it will be impossible to chat to all of them on a regular basis.
However, it is truly important to stay in contact with your child’s teachers throughout the academic year so that you can monitor their progress and provide support should they need it. Here are some tips from an independent school in London on how to build helpful relationships with your child’s teachers.
It’s probably not wise to pop in unannounced, as teachers are busy and have lots of students to think about. Instead, introduce yourself via email and communicate online for a short while until you’re both available to meet up in person. Share any of your concerns and listen carefully to any feedback they might have. Avoid any accusations or heated discussions, even if you feel as though the teacher is being unfair, as this won’t help anyone resolve the issues at hand. Instead, take their thoughts on board and ask for advice on how you can be of assistance. The trick is to work with the teachers, rather than against them, as you both have the same goal of helping your child succeed.
When communicating with your child’s teachers, whether its face-to-face, on the phone of via email/letters, be sure to ask questions about the curriculum and what might be coming up in the lesson plans going forward. The more clued up you are about your child’s education, the more you will be able to help them progress, even if that just means provided the right books and resources.
Let your child’s teachers know that you appreciate their hard work by sending your child in with a thank you card at the end of term or a little Christmas present to say thank you. Even the smallest of gestures can go a long way in reminding the teachers that they’re doing a great job, to keep ther spirits high and continue doing the best they can to help their students learn.
Until next time,
Jada x
