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You’re an active parent. You volunteer and make sure your child does their homework and is a good citizen. Maybe you don’t even have to look at the calendar to know when the next big event at school is. But, in recent years, we’ve heard about teachers struggling and feeling like parents don’t understand what they do to keep things in the classroom running smoothly.
I interviewed some of my favorite teachers from around the country, and here’s what they said they wish you knew:
“Your child’s teachers are busy with a million things during school hours, we might not be that great with self-care and tend to spend our lunch time planning or in meetings…Teachers are dedicated to our students learning and many are like me, passionate about their subjects and constantly looking to bring new fun, engaging projects into our classrooms!”
“Reading to your child has so many benefits. Don’t stop reading to him/her once they can read independently. Continuing read-aloud experiences will build a child’s vocabulary, general knowledge base, and improve comprehension.”
“Give the teacher the benefit of the doubt. Understandably, a school setting is becoming uneasy for parents, but more schools are safe for kids than not. Teachers recognize they would put their own lives in front of the lives of their students at any time. Most teachers are in the profession to help students–help them succeed, help them learn, help them to think critically for themselves, help them to grow confidence and try new things. When your child comes home upset about something the teacher said or something that happened at school, ask the teacher about it. Don’t wait days or weeks before saying something. Reach out to the teacher, giving the teacher the benefit of the doubt. There are always two sides to a story and your child’s teacher is there to work with you for the common goal of success and happiness of your child.”
“Your kids want you to be involved too. Show up for them, be proud when they achieve a goal, be strength for them when they are faced with something new or difficult.”
“Kids are always listening, and usually just repeat repeat repeat whatever is being said at home.”
“I hope parents remember that we are on the same team and we just want their child to succeed.”
Do any of these surprise you? How can you support both the teacher and your child in the team effort toward educational success? Share with us your ideas! Special thanks to the fantastic teachers I interviewed for helping me with my September Back-to-School series!
Originally posted on September 19, 2022