Building and Maintaining a Good Relationship with Your Child's Teacher

Your child is your number one priority, and in a perfect world you could give them everything they need.  But let's face it — you cannot do it alone. The best way to support your child's needs is to build and maintain a strong, positive relationship with all the people at school who play a role in educating your child. And, make sure your child knows that this is a team effort — you're all working together to help him or her succeed!

Here are some tips on how you can foster a sense of partnership with the teacher and administration to support your child's education.

Connecting Before the School Year Starts

• Begin your relationship with teachers and other school staff members by letting them know that you look forward to working with them as a partner in educating your child.
• Exchange email addresses with your child's teacher and agree to keep in touch at least monthly, even if your child is doing well.
• Share information about your child that they might not otherwise learn during the course of the school day, such as:
  • Your child's favorite books, movies, hobbies, and interests;
  • Learning activities and techniques that seem especially helpful for your child, and
  • Positive stories and anecdotes about your child, or important events in his or her personal life that may affect how they interact with others.

Maintaining the Connection During the School Year

• Stay involved! Make a point to show up and participate in events such as the annual science fair, back-to-school night, and open house.
• When your child tells you something they particularly liked or disliked at school (e.g., classmates, activities, etc.), share this information with the teacher.
• Be on time, positive, and prepared for school activities and meetings!
• Offer to volunteer your time in the classroom or as a chaperone on class trips.
• Consider donating classroom supplies or a gift certificate to a store where teachers can purchase materials for the classroom. (You'd be surprised how many supplies teachers buy with their own money!)
• Contribute fun extras to the classroom like prizes, disposable cameras, and extra snacks, and look for ways to help the teacher maintain a fun learning environment.