Establishing a Parent-Teacher Relationship

guidelines

Let's consider specific guidelines to help you communicate effectively with your child's teacher. Practice these guidelines, and your child will reap the benefits.

Guideline 1: Identify the purpose for the conference. Is it to become acquainted? Is it to alleviate your concerns about your child's poor attitude towards reading and/or school! Or is it to receive a report card and test scores? Each of these situations is vastly different and requires different preparation.

Guideline 2: Communicate the purpose for the conference. If you are requesting the conference, immediately tell the teacher the purpose. This helps to alleviate any imagined fears the teacher may have about your request to hold a conference.

Guideline 3: Arrange the conference at the teacher's convenience. The teacher then has sufficient time to plan and to have the necessary information at the conference. An unplanned conference can turn out to be a waste of time for both teacher and parent and cause feelings of frustration.

Guideline 4: Plan for the conference. Write out the areas and questions you want the conference to cover. Combine, delete, and clarify these questions, and, finally, prioritize them. By using this process, your most important questions will be answered in a clear, succinct manner. Moreover, the teacher's responses will likely be clearer and more to the point.

Guideline 5: Restate the purpose of the conference at the onset. Try to stay a on one topic since your time together is limited.

Guideline 6: Display a positive attitude during the conference. Be aware that not only what you say reflects your attitude, but also your tone of voice, facial expression, and body movements. A loud voice may imply dominance. Rigid posture may suggest anger or disapproval. Always listen attentively and show your enthusiasm.

Guideline 7: Remain open and supportive throughout the conference. Don't become antagonistic or defensive; otherwise the conference outcome can be disastrous. Strive for cooperation between you and your child's teacher. Even when teachers present a negative side of your child's behavior or inform you of other problems, try to remain objective. This can be difficult when it is your child, but he will experience as many or more difficulties if you and die teacher don't try to find a way to work together to solve these problems.

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