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Talking With Teachers

One of the best ways to help your kids succeed in school is also one of the easiest. Spending just a few minutes talking with your kids' teachers can improve their classroom experience as well as build a strong partnership.

Remember, there might be some things about your kids that a teacher who's meeting a gaggle of new faces at the beginning of a school year might not notice. Your child may have special talents or needs that teachers should be aware of. Since you know your children better than anybody else, your insight can help teachers to better meet their needs.

Some tips for building a good parent-teacher relationship:

It's a good idea to schedule a brief meeting with your kids' teachers early in the year, so that you can start your relationship on the right foot. Don't worry too much about details in that first meeting- just have an earnest, friendly conversation about your kids and their education.
It's never too late to start talking with your kids' teachers. Not only will you find out what's been going on in the classroom, but this also demonstrates how much you care about the quality of your child's education.
Keep the lines of communication with your kids' teachers open by giving them your phone number or an email address where you can be reached.

The most important product of building a relationship with your child's teachers is trust. When everyone knows that they're on the same team, the focus of conversations and parent-teacher conferences remains on improving your child's education.

For more ideas on building a good relationship with your kids' teachers, try one of these links:

For some good advice on how to talk to your kids' teachers, take a look at the University of Illinois' Family Works site.
The National Education Association gives parents some tips on"How to Make Parent-Teacher Conferences Work for Your Child."
The National PTA details ways to build strong parent-teacher relationships in this FamilyEducation.com article on The Parent-Teacher Conference.