Getting Parents Involved in the Classroom!

                                          

Some people say they want to be a teacher because they like working with kids. That is great, but when you become a teacher, you have to be able to work with many adults on a regular basis, such as secretaries, janitors, administrators and parents! It is important to be able to develop good communication and interpersonal skills in order to facilitate a bright future in teaching.

Working with parents is key in developing a successful year! If you can get parents on your side, you will find your job can be much easier and your classroom will run much more smoothly. When you are faced with parents who don’t want to be involved in their child’s education, it’s good to remember that they may have bad feelings about school themselves. They often reflect their own experience from school onto their child and maintain a distance because of this. Other times, parents are removed from their child’s education because the only time them hear from the teacher is when their child is in trouble or not doing well. This type of negativity can carry over into how the parent feels about school altogether.

As a general rule, I feel it’s a good to tackle such a sensitive subject right from the beginning by letting parents know you care. One way to do this is by sending home a getting-to-know you letter that allows the parents to fill out a questionnaire about their feelings, their child’s situation, and person information that will help them open up to you. Offering this opportunity for parents to tell you how they feel, can open the doors to great communication and a better experience for both of you for the whole year!

As a parent, I know I loved to be involved in helping in the class. I as lucky enough to have great teachers who put me to work and let me do as much as I could to help them. I read with students in the hallway, I filled homework folders, corrected papers, made bulletin boards, and much more. I felt utilized and the teachers often expressed to me their appreciation for my help. What a rewarding way to get involved.

I say, get parents involved by providing them with a warm welcome, and making sure they know you are both on the same side and want their child to succeed! It will make your job easier and might change their attitudes toward school for the good!