As schools and parents prepare to Meet the Teacher events or even Back to School Nights, here are five questions from Edutopia you should ask.
How will you respond if or when my child struggles in class?
What are the most important and complex (content-related) ideas my child needs to understand by the end of the year?
What kinds of questions do you suggest that I ask my children on a daily basis about your class?
Is there technology you’d recommend that can help support my child in self-directed learning?
What are the most common barriers you see to academic progress in your classroom?
Remember, Meet the Teacher is as much a get-to-know you session for you with the teacher and for the teacher with you. It’s also a crazy time for teachers who are meeting as many as 25 to 30 students and their parents for the first time.What does your school nurse want to know about your child?
Here’s our guide for the day:
Don’t expect the teacher to remember everything you’ve told them at that event. Follow up with an email that references the conversation and tells you how nice it was to meet that teacher and how excited you are for the year.
If your child has some special needs (and don’t they all) or something you want the teacher to know about your family or your child’s learning style, follow that up in an email.Follow these tips to take a great back-to-school photo
If your child doesn’t get the teacher you thought you wanted or your child wanted, or isn’t in the same class with your friends, fake enthusiasm. Let your child know that yes, you hear that she is disappointed, but it’s going to be a great year.
If your child gets put into a class with their bully from last year, make the teacher aware of the conflict and offer advice on what has worked or not worked in the past.
Don’t keep information from a teacher. A study found that teachers do want to know about changes in the family or mental health issues, not just learning differences.
Don’t get frustrated by the craziness of Meet the Teacher and then the first few weeks of school. Find ways to be a partner with your child’s teacher and with the school. Find tips from one former principal here.