Parent Magazine Volusia September 2019 | Page 8

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.