How a Positive Parent-Teacher Relationship Can Help Your Child Be More Successful

Home and school can feel like two entirely separate worlds. Parents don’t always know what’s going on in the classroom and, likewise, teachers are often unsure of what their students do outside of school.

Teachers and parents can connect those two worlds and ensure that each child gets good, consistent care and support. But for that to happen, there needs to be a positive relationship between the parent and the teacher. We like to think of families and the school as partners in their child’s education. That’s why Apple Montessori takes steps to help parents and teachers connect by holding parent seminars, parent-teacher conferences, and maintaining clear lines of communication.

We like to think of families and the school as partners in their child’s education. That’s why we have several programs and initiatives aimed at supporting our students’ parents, keeping them informed of their child’s progress, and giving them the tools to apply Montessori principles at home.

In this post, let’s explore the benefits of having a positive relationship with your child’s teacher and provide a few tips for how to create one.

There are other benefits that come from building a positive relationship with your child’s teacher. Here are a few of them.

• Continuity: Knowing what your child is learning at school allows you to build on those skills at home. And if you learn that your child is struggling with a specific task, you can make sure they get extra practice.
• Advice from the Pros: Your child’s teacher is a professional with plenty of experience managing and guiding a class full of children, so they’re bound to have some great advice you can use at home. Parents are often surprised to see how self-motivated Montessori students are at school. They’ll hang up their coats, put away their toys, and play respectfully without needing constant reminders. If it’s something you’re having difficulty with at home, you can ask your child’s teacher for advice on building those types of routines.
• Learning About the Student’s Needs: When teachers know what is going on at home, they’ll have a better sense of what the child needs and what is at the root cause of their behavior. If the child hasn’t been sleeping well or is experiencing a lot of conflicts with their siblings, the teacher can take this into account when addressing behavior issues.
• Address Problems Early: When children display some challenging behaviors, they don’t always do so in every setting. It may show up every day at school but only rarely at home, and vice versa. Communicating with the teacher will make sure everyone is aware of these issues as soon as they arise so they can be dealt with before they get out too far out of hand.

Every parent wants those benefits, but a good parent-teacher relationship doesn’t always happen spontaneously.

It can be especially difficult to establish one because parents usually only have a year to get to know the teacher before their child has a new one.

Thankfully, there are some things you can do to create a good relationship with your child’s teacher, even in that short time-frame. Here are a few basic steps you can take.

• Find the right method of communication. If you try to speak with the teacher during the morning rush, they might not be able to give you their full attention. Sending an email or scheduling a phone call can be a good way to make sure they’re in the right headspace when communicating with you.
• Show that you’re interested and engaged. Ask questions about the work they’re doing in class. Comment on your child’s progress and challenges.
• Attend family-focused events. Throughout the year, our schools hold multiple events that involve parents and guardians. Participating in these activities and celebrations is a good way to get to know your child’s teacher.
• Make time for parent-teacher meetings. These don’t take place frequently, but they’re a great opportunity to talk in detail about how your child is doing in class, what challenges they’re facing, and to discuss any concerns you have.

Over the years at Apple Montessori, we have discovered that supporting our students is a partnership between the parents and the school. Our ways of maintaining a positive relationship between teachers and parents are simple and don’t take up a lot of the parents’ time. We send out newsletters, parenting resources, and daily reports in order to help parents stay connected with us.

If you haven’t yet, take the time to get to know your child’s teacher. It’s simple, easy, and rewarding.