18 February 2020
 Categories: , Blog

A child starting kindergarten can be very exciting, and there are a lot of new challenges and experiences in store for them. You will be able to make their experience the best it can be if you have a good working relationship with their teacher by following the simple tips below.

Be A Proactive Parent

All teachers, including kindergarten teachers, appreciate parents who proactively work to complement what the teacher has been doing in school. This could be as simple as asking the teacher how your child is doing or asking your child what they have been doing in school. If your child is excited about something they have been learning in school, take time to talk about and include activities related to it in your family life. If your child has been struggling with something, like counting or learning the alphabet, you could spend some fun time together helping them to learn. There are many resources online that will show you how to do this, such as guides to help a child learn the alphabet. All of this will help your child to feel more confident and enthusiastic about school, and all teachers love that.

Work On Communication

Teachers love parents who have open, honest lines of communication with them, as it makes their jobs much easier. Make sure you attend any parent-teacher meetings and make time to speak with the teacher before or after school. If you have a question about your child or about what they are learning, be sure to ask. There are some good questions online that you might consider asking in order to find out how you can help at home or what challenges your child is likely to face in the near future. If problems come up, listen to what the teacher has to say and respond fairly, without blaming anyone or becoming judgemental.

Volunteer At Your Child's School

Volunteering at your child's school is a great way to give something back to your community, see how your child acts at school and create a closer working relationship with their teacher. Ask about things you could do, such as helping with special lessons, making scenery for a school play, talking to the kids about an area of expertise, offering one-on-one reading practice to the kids and more – there will always be something you can do. You might also be able to join a parents' group or board of governors to have more of an influence on the school. If you don't know what to do or you are limited in the time you can offer, speak to a teacher to find out what you could do.

By taking an active interest in what your child has been doing at kindergarten, communicating with their teacher and volunteering your time, you can create a great working relationship.

To learn more, contact a kindergarten program.