A common theme for Parentella and #PTChats is parent teacher communication. As we approach the new school year, these are my wishes for effective parent teacher communication.
- Options. Some parents like notes home, others like to talk before or after school, and still others are better reached via email or telephone. My personal preference is to start with email. I can check it on my timetable, and respond as such. I would think that this helps teachers do the same. I don’t have time before school, and my girls go to their after-school program afterward, so I’m not on campus very often. If need be, I can schedule a parent teacher conference, but sometimes, that’s not necessary for simple questions.
- An open mind. I like to go into every year believing that the teachers have my children’s very best interests at heart, and believe them capable of success. In turn, just because I can’t be on campus that often, please don’t assume that I don’t care about their education. It’s also my job to get them fed, keep a roof over their heads, and yes, try to have enough left over for fundraisers. That all requires some cold hard cash, so go figure; I have a full-time job, too.
- Patience. I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again: my children’s education is very personal to me. Well, anything having to do with my children is personal. This doesn’t mean I think they’re perfect, but it does mean I might get emotional from time to time. The teacher is the professional involved, and I expect them to act as such.
- Balance. As important as education is, it shouldn’t be at the sacrifice of everything else 9 months out of the year. Since a lot of children don’t have extra-curriculars within the school setting, most parents are getting them in after school and on the weekends. We plan vacations or quality family time during the school holidays. Please don’t assume that the hours between 3 and bedtime, weekends and holidays are “free” for teachers to fill with homework. Our children also get value from free play-time to imagine and create, from accompanying us to the grocery store and keeping us in budget, seeing Broadway musicals, or simply being together to have some quality conversation. Please put some thought into the homework assignments and what benefits they truly add. Even just cutting down the math problems from 20 to 5 would help, or letting them journal about what they want to say can help their writing skills. Also, consider what extra credit the students can get out of things they’re already doing outside of school.
My daughters are already getting excited about the first day of school. I hope parents and teachers are all coming into the new year with a child-like optimism, too!
