Banish The Back-To-School Blues:
10
Ways To Build Better Student-
Teacher Relationships
By Christina Katz
T
eacher-student cooperation is an
important alliance that starts at home
and affects a child’s entire academic
career. Having positive relationships with
teachers throughout 12 years of school can
make the difference between a child who
adores school and all it encompasses and a
child who dreads school and struggles on a
daily basis.
By the time school starts each fall, teachers
have already invested years of education,
practice, and preparation into getting
this school year off to a great start. Most
parents want their children to succeed in
school but sometimes students and parents
inadvertently get off on the wrong foot
with teachers. How can parents encourage
kids to meet educational professionals
halfway? Here are 10 tips for helping
your child cultivate positive, supportive,
and mutually respectful relationships
with teachers from the first day of school
forward.
8 | V O L U S I A parent M A G A Z I N E
1
Attend meet-the-teacher activities. No
matter what the age of your child,
don’t miss an opportunity to get to
know the teacher as both an educator and a
person. It’s always appropriate for teachers
and students to share things about their
lives with each other as a way of bonding
and getting to know each other.
2
Set positive expectations about teachers
with your child. Even if the teacher
your child was assigned is new
or not the current parent favorite, express
enthusiasm to your child about learning
with the teacher she
will have.
3
Communicate your child’s needs. If you
can send an email to the teacher
a week before school starts, that’s
good timing. But it’s never too late to keep
your child’s teacher up to date on your
child’s specific challenges, especially those
that will affect his ability to learn.