Teacher tips for parents: Best steps to help foster positive student-teacher relationships
It is widely accepted that students’ relationships with their teachers can be a remarkably important influence, able to affect the connection of students to school. Students spend most of their time at school and therefore, their interpersonal relationships with their classmates and their teacher are developed within the classroom environment. In this context, the significance of student-teacher relationships is important, mainly on academic performance and psychological well-being.
In particular:
a) Academic performance
Positive student-teacher relationships influence students’ academic performance. Students who develop better social skills develop also better intellectual competence. Besides, as a result of their supportive relationships with their teacher, students are motivated to actively participate and acquire broader knowledge that may not be addressed to traditionally popular subjects.
b) Psychological well-being
Positive student-teacher relationships influence students’ psychological well-being. In elementary school, students that develop positive bonds with their teacher obtain higher scores on emotional intelligence than those who don’t. Older students who think positive of their teachers tend to have fewer adjustment problems than those who are rather indifferent. Besides, students who perceive teacher support demonstrate higher self-esteem and lower depression symptoms than the students who do not perceive teacher support.
The role of parents
The parent-teacher relationship is as important as the student-teacher relationship because it helps students feel balanced both at home and at school. When parents find common grounds with teachers, students feel that they can trust their teacher because their parents do. Most importantly, they feel that the most significant people in their lives are working together.
The best strategies for parents so that the parent-teacher relationship remains positive are:
a) Be respectful
The parent-teacher-student relationship should be treated with respect so that a problem-solving partnership is created. If parents confront teachers, students get confused. On the contrary, if parents respect teachers, they collaborate and help students. In many cases, teachers have a different style than parents and there are parents who don’t like that. There are differences of age, mentality, communication, philosophy and educational style. However, these differences do not constitute any teacher a bad teacher. Parents should ask what they can do to help and should act as facilitators in the problem-solving partnership.
b) Do not interfere in the teacher-student relationship
Teachers are the first adults children meet outside their home. Parents should not interfere in this relationship, unless they feel their child is in danger. If they do interfere, they may jeopardize their children’s independence and a relationship with their teacher that can be really powerful.
c) Develop communication channels with the teacher
Teachers are not always available to talk to parents. They have their own schedule and their time is usually limited. Parents should always ask the teacher if it is the right moment to have a conversation about their child, and they should definitely not expect to have a long conversation. They should discuss the most important issues that will help their children learn more things and acquire better knowledge. Parents can help teachers understand what their children love so that, in turn, teachers teach their children in the best way they can by mostly supporting their learning instead of merely focusing on grades.
d) Evaluate the teacher fairly
Parents may like a teacher their child dislikes and dislike a teacher their child adores. Personal feelings should not influence their opinion and they should always try to be positive towards teachers. If parents evaluate the teacher fairly, with objectivity, they facilitate the relationships of the teacher-student in the classroom.
All in all, parents need to be role models for learning. As in the early years of their children’s life they read with them and they are the first to teach them basic things, they should continue be mentors when their children begin formal school. Along with what they are taught at school, children can learn exciting things from their parents provided the latter contribute their knowledge passionately to the best interest of their children.
About the Author
Christina Pomoni has acquired her MBA Finance from the American College of Greece. Her advanced familiarity with financial statement analysis, capital budgeting and market research has been acquired through her professional career at high-esteemed organizations. As part of her long journey, Christina has served as an Equity Research Associate at Telesis Securities (EFG Eurobank) and a Financial & Investment Advisor at ING Group. Besides, having lived at Chicago, IL, Boca Raton, FL and Paris, France has helped her, not only to be a successful professional, but mostly to see life under a more creative and innovative perspective.
Since 2005, Christina provides high quality writing services to numerous websites and research companies contributing her knowledge and expertise. Her areas of specialization are Business, Finance & Investment, Society, Politics & Culture. She also has a very good knowledge of Entertainment, Health & Fitness and Computers & Technology.
Christina currently designs the website of her own writing company. Believing that knowledge is the road to opportunity and development, her mission is to promote her already established knowledge to a growing number of visitors and to provide high quality writing services to meet the most demanding customer requirements.
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