Five Ways to Get off to a Great Start with Your Teacher

Five Ways to Get off to a Great Start with Your Teacher

Jeanne Ruckert Lovy

Vice President, JCC Family Initiative

JCC Greater Boston

The start of school brings more than just rushed mornings and new backpacks. When you bring your child to school you are also starting an important relationship – that with your child’s caregiver or teacher.

At the JCC we enroll nearly 400 families per year in our four early learning centers throughout Greater Boston as part of our Family Initiative. “Families as Engaged Partners” is one of the seven core elements of our program. We understand that these relationships matter and it’s important to both parties to get off on the right foot.

Here are five tips to get you started:

• Don’t stress. If there isn’t an instant teacher-parent bond, it’s OK. Yes, building a strong relationship is important, but it’s natural for it to take some time. Let the relationship develop naturally.
• View the teacher as a professional. Teachers are just as eager to get to know parents, so be welcoming and open to their questions, ideas and comments. Remember that teachers are trained in child development and can often contribute valuable insight into your child’s experience as a learner. Be willing to listen as well as talk!
• Volunteer. Offer to help in the classroom, or, if you work, ask if there are alternative ways to help outside the classroom. These little offers can go a long way.
• Don’t miss the school’s back to school night. If you can only attend one event, make it this one. Teachers spend lots of time preparing, and your attendance shows a level of respect, interest and appreciation that helps build the relationship.
• Build a partnership. Don’t only communicate your child’s needs when they are urgent, and don’t wait for the “conference” to bring up questions or concerns. Share small tidbits of information along the way. For example, if a child talks about something they did at school, the teacher would love to hear that. Find out what works best for the teacher – some like a written note; others an email or call time.

Remember the idea of building an “emotional bank account.” Create a good working relationship so you can draw on this positive experience and trust if you have to work through any issues down the line.

The JCC Greater Boston Family Initiative connects people and programs, empowering families and supporting meaningful Jewish life. Through the Family Initiative, JCCGB runs four early learning centers throughout Greater Boston, each working within the JCC Association’s Sheva educational framework. We also sponsor over 100 family programs per year across the 98 cities and towns we serve, including PJ Library, Welcome Baby, and other experiences designed to support families with young children in their Jewish, parenting and personal journeys. For more information, please visit: https://www.bostonjcc.org/earl...