Developing Positive Parent-Teacher Relationships

Having a good relationship with your child’s teacher will help ensure his success. Why is this important and what can parents do to develop this relationship?



Why is it important to have a positive relationship with the teacher?

It shows your child you care about their education

A prior relationships is helpful if there are problems in the future

Conversations are easier with the teacher





Ideas on how to build a positive relationship with your child’s teacher:



Meet the teacher as soon as possible

Don’t wait until there is a problem to meet your child’s teacher. And, try to meet her with an open mind.



Volunteer in the classroom.

Offer to decorate a bulletin board each month, Xerox worksheets or do other time consuming jobs that takes the teacher away from the students. At the same time, you will get to watch your child interact with other children and meet his friends.



Share your talents.

If you play an instrument, have traveled to another country or exciting place, or have an interesting job or hobby, offer to share it with the class. Children like to learn about new things and are usually very welcoming. Leave lots of time for questions and stories.



Help out with field trips.

If you can’t volunteer in the classroom because of your schedule, try to clean a day to accompany your child on a field trip. If you can’t do that perhaps you can prepare and keep track of permission slips or provide snacks.



Keep in touch.

Keep the teacher informed of any changes or stressful events that affect your child’s performance. Things such as a grandparent’s visit, death or injury of a pet, new sibling or death of a family member can affect a child’s school performance.







What can Dad’s do?



Read to the class once a month.

Eat with your child in the cafeteria once a month.

Attend parent-teacher conferences, concerts and open houses.

Volunteer for special projects or field trips.

The relationship you build with your child’s teacher will be rewarding to you and will benefit your child. It will boost their performance and your teacher will appreciate your involvement. The investment you make in this relationship now will be a positive force for the new school term.