5 Effective Ways Teachers Can Build Positive Relationships with Parents
There is no denying that teachers play a crucial role in the academic success of a student. However, a student also requires a significant amount of parental involvement in order to excel in his/her academic pursuit. If you are a teacher who wants the best for your students, you should focus on building a positive relationship with the parents and help with homework. Here are a few tips that can help you achieve that goal.
1. First impression matters:
You should try to be warm and gracious in your encounters with the parents. Your first impression can often determine what kind of relationship you are going to have with the parents of your students. There are actually a few tactics that can help you make your interactions quite smooth. Whether you are meeting the parents through the PTA or the back-to-school night, you can try sharing some details about you and have them share their favourite school memories. These things can work as good icebreakers and will allow you to get to know each other.
2. Communicate effectively:
Most parents wish to learn about their child’s academic progress, so it becomes important for you, as the teacher, to communicate often and let them know how their child is performing at school. You can use the standard email or phone call. Also, there are different apps that can help you streamline crucial things — such as scheduling and sending reminders, homework or assignments, updating parents about their child’s progress, and more. You should provide weekly updates to parents regarding what is going on in the class. This will help them stay up-to-date with their child’s education.
3. Learn from parents:
While the parents have a lot of things to learn from the teachers, teachers can also learn a few things from the parents. Listen carefully when they are talking about their child. They may share some details about the students that you didn’t know before. Let the parents know how they can assist you in helping their child with education. Tell them about measures that they can take at home and also help the students in the classroom. Try to learn what skills, passions and interests their kid has, and try to use such details to help the kids unlock their potential in class.
4. Be resourceful:
Whenever the parents reach out to you with a question, try directing them towards the right path where they will find assistance. You need to have basic knowledge of all the probable questions the parents may ask you. Even if you don’t know an answer, you should be resourceful enough to guide them towards the direction where they will find the support. You may also try to develop a website with all the necessary information (contact details, policies, supplies needed, and what students need to achieve) to help the parents without having to meet them every time. While you can hire a web developer for the website, you can also learn and develop your own website on platforms like WordPress, Weebly, Wix, etc.
5. Educate the parents about the intricacies of the education system:
You should take the necessary time to explain any instruction or any other decision regarding the child’s education, in case the parents lack clarity on them. A lot of parents fail to understand certain aspects of the education system. It should be your responsibility to help them understand those areas so that it is easier for you to explain why you are doing what you are doing. Also, invite parents to provide their valuable inputs in decision making. Give them the necessary information to form an opinion. After all, two heads are better than one.
Final thoughts
The relationship between a teacher and the parents is much like a partnership. You need to successfully work together in order to ensure the child’s success. In simpler words, it is a win-win situation for both parties involved.
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