Tips for creating and maintaining a solid parent-teacher relationship

School is starting soon and with it comes back-to-school night, notes from teachers, conferences with parents, and perhaps the dreaded phone call from the principal’s office.

So, as your kid goes out the door for that first day of school, you’ll want to make sure you’ve got the right tools to build a good relationship with your child’s teacher.

Better communication between teachers and parents ultimately helps students perform better, pulls the parent into the classroom and gives the teacher more information for solid instruction.

Teachers and parents in School District 2 spoke recently about what works best for them to strengthen the relationship between home and classroom, and how best to work hand-in-hand for the good of the student.

1. Open communication: ”I send home a weekly newsletter and I’ve got a blog for my classroom,” said Wendy Martin, a first-grade teacher at Bitterroot Elementary. “I like to keep the communication open with my parents.”

She recommends that parents find out early what method of communication their child’s teacher prefers and then use it. Opening those lines of communication make it easier for teachers to communicate concerns or praise, and it empowers parents to have a voice in their child’s education.

2. Visit the school: ”We love being able to put names with faces,” said Ryan Truscott, a fifth-grade teacher at Boulder Elementary.

Parents should come in near the start of the school year and introduce themselves to the school secretary and the principal. It helps the staff connect kids to parents and it sends the message that the parent is interested in his child’s education.

3. Visit the classroom: You’ve made it through the front door and met the office staff. Now find your way back to the classroom and introduce yourself to the teacher.

Students who see their parents in the school and in the classroom internalize the idea that education is a good thing, Martin said.

“It reinforces to the child that school is important,” she said.

That face-to-face visit gives the teacher a chance to explain what the class will be doing and what’s expected of the students. It also allows the parent to ask questions and raise concerns.

4. Don’t miss back-to-school night or parent-teacher conferences: “When the opportunity comes to meet the teacher,” Martin said, “go in and meet the teacher.”

She tells parents to go in and put their best face forward. Be prepared with questions and to talk about the needs of their child.

Truscott said those one-on-one moments with parents give teachers the opportunity to share their vision for the coming school year.

“It lets the parents know we’re here for them,” he said.

5. Get involved, but wait a month: Kelly Grossman, a parent with students at Central Heights Elementary, tries to be as active as she can in her children’s classrooms.

“The biggest thing for parents is to just be involved,” she said.

Go in, meet the teacher during that first week of school and offer to volunteer in the class or to take on tasks that can be done outside of school if classroom time doesn’t fit your schedule, she said.

Then let it go for a month or so.

“It takes a while to get going,” Grossman said.

Teachers will need a few weeks to get the class settled down and settled in, plan activities and classroom work, and plan for parental help when the time comes.

After a month, parents should return to the classroom, volunteer to help and ask specifically what the teacher wants done, she said.

6. Communicate needs: If teachers can clearly communicate what they want and need from parents, those parents will be in a better position to help.

“As a parent, it’s nice to come in and they’re prepared,” Grossman said.

And the reverse holds true for parents. If they can share with teachers their concerns and their goals for their child for the school year, both adults can then work as a team to further the child’s education.

“I have kids,” Martin said. “I understand. You’ve gotta be proactive for your child.”

7. It’s important to be nice: Don’t be afraid to meet up with a teacher just to say hello or offer a compliment.

“It’s important to establish that positive relationship,” Grossman said.

Teachers often will get visits or calls from parents only when there’s a problem in class. Establishing a friendly relationship early on will make it easier to deal with issues or problems as they arise during the school year.

As Martin prepares to get back in the classroom, she’s hopeful for a good year. She knows a big part of that will be working with parents effectively and focusing on reaching the child.

For her, that means getting inside the head of parents.

“If this were my child, what would I want the teacher to do?” she said.