Parent vs. Teacher

Parents' Side:
We care about our child!
We need your support!
Parents are not the enemy!

Parents are their child's whole world for the first five years of their life. When we take them to school on their first day we are letting go of a piece of ourselves! We are praying that the teacher standing at the classroom door is going to continue to lead them down the path on which we have held their hand so long. We know who they are and what makes them unique. We are praying that their teacher will see those things and celebrate them.

So when we give teachers our children it is in hopes that they will understand we are entrusting them with the life of our child and treat them accordingly.

Teachers' Side:
We care about our students!
We need your support!
Teachers are not the enemy!

Teachers are trained to help your child be successful in school. We spend years in college and many, many hours each school year learning to be a better teacher. We have strategies and skills in which most parents are not trained. I have taken classes in time management, using technology in the classroom and helping students with ADHD...just to name a few. Most districts provide at least 3 days worth of teacher training each year and many teachers spend their summers learning new skills for the classroom.

Most teachers chose to become a teacher to help guide the next generation into a successful future. We know well-educated, well-rounded students will make a difference.

Conclusion:

It all seems so silly when we realize we are on the same side!

It is important to sit down together to come up with a plan. It is also important that if your child is old enough they should be part of the planning as well! (The appropriate age varies, depending on your child, but I would suggest by third grade you should bring him/her with you to parent/teacher meetings.)

Another critical step is to exchange contact information and don't be afraid to use it. As a parent I try to email my daughter's teacher every couple of weeks just to check in. As a teacher, when a parent calls or emails it gives me an opportunity to focus on just that student for a moment. I also send home notices, make phone calls and write emails to parents on a regular basis.

Parents and teachers are both busy but if we take the time to communicate, your child will know that we are working together, not against each other, for their success.

"All kids need is a little help, a little hope and someone who believes in them."
- Magic Johnson

What do you think is the most important step in creating a parent/teacher relationship?