Communicating With Your Child's Teacher - A Teacher's Perspective
The night before the first day of school is surely a nervously, sleepless, and anxious night for most teachers. While they are excited to teach new lessons, worked feverishly to create a classroom / virtual room environment that is welcoming, inspiring, thoughtful, and deliberate, they are cautiously aware of that X factor within the school year, school day, and class period. That single human event that will hopefully become teachable moments for all students beyond the subject being taught. This is, of course, if they can control that X factor event …
While master, veteran teachers are champions of flexibility and navigating the chaos of classrooms into purposed and deliberate moments of great learning, recent events are forging new professional skills. Teachers are expected to work under the tumultuous fires of a raging global pandemic, unhealthy work conditions, and questionable leadership. Battling their personal fears, family stress and trauma, most teachers are truly rising to the occasion with audacious creativity. They are courageously on the frontlines defending our nation by teaching, protecting, and encouraging our children through this most troubling time.
To further this conversation, I have created a few thoughts teachers may have when parents initiate communication.
1. So happy to hear from you! Most teachers welcome your communication as an opportunity to relax and truly meet their child’s family. In the rush and pace of the daily school day, teachers have extremely limited, if any, opportunities for parent engagement. Your request for a meeting presents an opportunity for open engagement and honest dialogue.
2. Compliments are welcomed! If you have a moment of appreciation for the work your child’s teacher is doing, please share! Most times, teachers are working in a vacuum without reliable feedback. Therefore, if something went very well, and you would appreciate their continuing it, please compliment and share your feedback.
3. I am always learning. If your feedback is from a perspective your teacher may not have considered when teaching an assignment and/or addressing your child in particular, most teachers will accept the criticism as an opportunity for greater personal learning. Please share your feedback as an opportunity for personal learning by allowing them the space to listen, reflect, and apologize. A teacher who is strong and confident enough to admit a growth opportunity and apologize for their mistakes is an invaluable team player for your child throughout their life!
4. When you have a concern, please come to me first. I cannot say this enough, always share your concerns with your child’s teacher first. In doing so, you are providing them with the opportunity to implement solutions for your concerns. You are also reflecting the respect and admiration you and your family have for them as professionals. Teachers value parents and families who value them. Addressing your concerns directly with your child’s teachers creates a bond of trust between the parent and teacher that is invaluable for your child’s success. If the teacher ignores, invalidates, or rejects your concerns, then you proceed to school administrators. Your conference with administration carries more value after you have attempted resolution with your child’s teacher first. Therefore, always bring your concerns directly to your child’s teachers first.
5. I never knew that about your child. While teachers perform magic in their classrooms daily, they are not all knowing. There is no way a teacher can know all the idiosyncrasies of every child in their classroom. Teachers need parents to inform them of their child’s learning styles, sensory needs, strengths, and weaknesses. In so doing, you may provide invaluable information which bonds the teacher to your child in a special way. Recently, my daughter bonded with a teacher after I revealed to him her love of anime’. This shared personal interest of theirs has softened the harsh pace of his daily subject matter.
Our lives are far from perfect at this moment. We need each other now more than ever before. As such, your teachers need you. They need your presence, conversations, perspectives, and advice. With positive, proactive communication between parents and teachers, our students will feel the loving support and collaboration needed for their success.