Teachers have a critical role to play in the cognitive development of a child. After home, students spend the most amount of time at school. It is one of the primary social spaces for children to network and learn. A kid’s behavior and performance in school can help in understanding the attitude of the child towards studies and extracurricular activities. It can also help in finding out any underlying problems related to different spheres of school life.
Thus, the collaboration of parents and teachers becomes necessary for a better performance of a child in academics and also recognition of ongoing challenges in the life of a child. Sometimes a kid might be involved in certain activities at school that parents are not aware of. Being in constant touch with the teachers allows the parents to know more about their child.
Here are some fruitful techniques for parents to ensure that they can build effective and regular communication with the teachers of their kids.
The first step towards effective communication starts with having a positive and accepting attitude. As a parent, you must try to establish a rapport with the teacher first, before dwelling on the intricacies of exchanging peculiar details about your kid. Be friendly so that the teacher feels comfortable sharing their unabashed opinions and advice.
Creating a sense of trust helps the teacher be authentic. It also builds a fruitful communication system. By knowing that you are coming from a place of actual concern, the teacher may be able to give more definitive and useful feedback. Try to always explain to the teacher that you come from a place of good intentions and the goal is to improve the performance of your kid.
Transparent communication is the key. While sharing your concerns with the teacher, try to be as clear as possible. Of course, your tone has to be formal, but make sure that you voice your concerns and confusions properly. Sometimes not translating one's actual opinions confuses the teacher and leads to tensions. By understanding your point of view, the teacher might be able to contribute better.
Try to be as consistent as possible with parent-teacher meetings, and other formal meetings organized at school for parents. This helps the teacher develop a familiarity with you and the family makes them comfortable. If you're someone who sporadically or never attends these meetings, then it might be a bit difficult for the teacher to communicate comfortably.
Calling your kid's teacher beyond working hours won't be a good idea. At the end of the day, treat it like a professional relationship and try to keep it as formal as possible. Do not call them beyond the working hours and try to keep the conversation in between the working hours of the teacher of your child to avoid any future problems.
Constant complaining and accusations of the teacher may take the communication downhill. While it's okay to put forward your concern, you must also try to make the teachers of your kid feel important and valued. A teacher’s role in the learning of a child is unparalleled. Thus, it is important to appreciate their efforts and make them feel important. This encourages the teacher to perform even better and give their valuable feedback to parents with more concern and involvement.
At the end of the day, both the parents and teachers worked towards a common goal. The goal is to teach the child and help them with their academic and extracurricular performance. Hence, it's important for both parties involved to work in synergy and treat each other like team partners. Too many expectations from just teachers and not making any effort from parents’ end can negatively impact the communication between parents and teachers. Parents must take accountability and create effective communication with teachers by listening to and considering their opinions and advice.
Sometimes because of a lack of proper communication, there might be certain misunderstandings between the parents and the teacher. The child may convey a particular episode or happening differently as compared to what happened at school. Parents must try to look at the picture from a bigger perspective and indulge in proper conversations with the teacher before concluding. Be mindful and do not blindly take sides before getting to know about the whole event. This way you can earn the trust of your kid’s teacher and also work on the behavior of your child.
Both educators and parents work tirelessly to help a child become a responsible and sensible adult. This makes it necessary for parents and teachers to be in constant touch to share opinions and work collectively to enhance a child's performance.