Parents are the primary influencers in their children’s lives, assuming various positions such as mentors, guides, and confidants. If there is someone who comes a close second, it must be teachers. They serve not only as purveyors of knowledge but also as role models whom children aspire to emulate. When parents and teachers cultivate a robust partnership centred on their mutual objectives of child welfare, remarkable outcomes are ensured. Let us examine various methods via which both members can contribute to developing this connection.
Table of Contents
Guidelines for Parents for Fostering Teacher Relationships
When parents trust teachers, they feel supported and, in turn, are empowered to put their best foot forward. With trust, parents and teachers can interact comfortably and join forces to support the child. Here are some initiatives parents can take toward building these relationships:
1. Acknowledge the teacher’s point of view
Parents need to keep in mind that teachers have the best interests of their children in mind. Teachers love to nurture students, and the love for students and the desire to make a positive difference in their lives has drawn them to the profession in the first place. If you come from this place of trust and understanding to every teacher interaction there is no doubt that you will build a strong relationship with them, which in turn will help your child.
2. Ask Questions
Should you have any concerns, it will help you to approach the teacher directly and ask questions to clarify any doubts. As long as you come from a place of curiosity and not from a place of preconceived notions, you cannot go wrong. When interacting with the teacher and asking questions, be open rather than accusative; that way, any feedback from teachers is likely to be taken positively.
Pro tip: If there is any aspect of the teacher’s teaching that you disagree with, wait to clarify it with the teacher. Under no circumstances should you criticize the teacher in front of the child. It is important to remember that you need not believe everything you hear about the teacher unless you have clarified it with the teacher yourself. Also, lean into the pause to respond rather than react.
3. Offer to Help
Knowing that teachers have a tough job can help you be empathetic toward them. Make sure that you make an offer to help them. Whether or not the teacher accepts your offer, it will go a long way toward building that parent-teacher relationship.
4. Words of Appreciation
Last but not least, acknowledging the difference they are making to the child’s life or the tremendous efforts they are putting can also go a long way in building the relationship.
Tips for Nurturing Parent Relationships
Relationships are a two-way street. Just as parents need to put in the effort to understand the teacher’s point of view and place their trust in knowing that teachers have their child’s best interests at heart, it also needs teachers to put in the requisite effort to build the relationship. Here are some effective ways:
1. Understand parent dynamics
It is important for teachers to make the requisite effort to know the parents and any special dynamics that affect student well-being. This could range from special circumstances at home to child custody issues. This seemingly small effort lays the groundwork for effective communication with the parents throughout the school year.
2. Ensure that you establish clear lines of communication
Among the qualities of a good teacher is the ability to ensure clear and consistent communication, which is of great value to parents. Ensure that you keep parents informed about the child’s progress, school activities, and more. In today’s day of multiple communication channels, confusion and miscommunication is a big possibility. Ensure, therefore, that you clearly establish what the medium of communication you will use is so that parents know exactly where to look for information. It may happen, for instance, that parents send you WhatsApp communication while you may only use email as an official communication medium. Clarifying it goes a long way in ensuring a limited misunderstanding scope.
Sharing student successes, milestones they may have achieved, and more also goes a long way in cementing the parent-teacher relationship. Ensure that successes aren’t just limited to academic achievements but acknowledge the varied aspects of student growth. In turn, this encourages students to strive for continuous improvement.
3. Be Kind
Swamped as you would be with work and handling the well-being of a number of children, ensure that you are kind in your communication and that parents do not feel intimidated in reaching out to you with their queries. That said, do have professional boundaries drawn so you aren’t overwhelmed. In sum, being transparent, respectful, and consistent is vital.
4. Involved parents
Involving parents in school events is another effective way to build relationships. It goes a long way not only in building a sense of community, but also significantly enhances the parents’ understanding of the overall teaching-learning methods. They get a first-hand overview of the educational setting, teaching methodology, and the challenges involved. It also helps them connect to the child’s learning journey. In turn, it also ensures consistency in the overall approach in school and at home, which contributes to the child’s learning outcomes. For instance, when students are learning to read, they need to have a mastery of phonemic awareness. If parents are aware of the methodology used in school, they will use it at home.
To Sum Up
The fact that parent-teacher relationship plays a critical role in student growth and development cannot be overstated. Teachers need to make an effort to connect with parents and ensure that any queries and concerns have been suitably addressed. Just as parents need to place their trust in teachers and believe that they have the best interests of their ward in mind, it is a collaborative effort that can go a long way in ensuring that the common objective- the student’s well-being- is met.
At Pragyanam, one of the best CBSE schools in Gurgaon, we believe in a collaborative approach where parents and teachers work closely together. The proof, as they say, is in the pudding—in this case, the well-being of our students!
