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Positive parent-school communications are advantageous to both parties, which is why it’s a good idea for parents to try and build a relationship with their child’s teacher. By keeping in touch with the person who knows the most about your child’s academic progression, you will find it easier to support your child at home. In fact, research has found that the more involved a parent is in their child’s education, the more likely that child is to succeed, as a result of increased motivation and a more positive attitude to learning. I have teamed up with a junior school in London to share some advice on how you can build a relationship with your child’s teacher.
Start by contacting your child’s teacher, explaining that you would like to increase the amount of contact between the two of you. Ask them the best route for getting in touch going forward and discuss your options. Perhaps you could suggest that they send home a folder once a month, with a brief update on your child’s performance and some examples of their work. Alternatively, the teacher may prefer to keep in touch via telephone calls or email. Respect the fact that your child’s teacher is incredibly busy looking after an entire class of students, so it’s important to let them decide how to persist.
Make sure to keep your child’s teacher in the loop about things that are happening at home. For instance, if there’s been a death in the family, a new sibling has been born, or you’re planning to move to a new house. Big changes in a child’s personal life may affect how they perform in school and if the teacher is aware of them, they will be able to monitor your child and perhaps go easy on them if they seem a little distracted.
Ask what you can do to help. Teachers love to know that they are supported by their students’ parents. Send them a card at the end of term to say thank you for their efforts as this will give them some well-deserved encouragement.