Hi, I'm a happy mother of two and a top-notch primary school teacher/manager.
If you really want to help your child- and not just want to 'kick the cat' ie, take any frustrations, bad hair days, relationship problems out on the nearest person who can't kick back (ie your child's teacher) you need to be grown up and selfless (in other words a caring parent) and think about the following:
- Whatever you think about the school/headteacher/teacher/homework policy/father of your child, your child wants to hear that everything is under control. If you have a problem with any of the above, sort it out adult-to-adult without dragging your child into the fray. If you slag your child's teacher off in front of them, at best you will be diminishing the effect that teacher can have on improving your child's performance and at worst you are turning the world into a place that your child sees as out-of-control. Save us all from parents who use the above to scare their child into loving them, and only them. I've seen too many in my time; unforgivable.
- Help your child to grow up seeing their place in the world in relation to others. Some parents treat their children, and expect others to treat them, as little princes/princesses. Not only does this make them unpopular with their peers, it makes them unhappy when the real world smacks up against their self-image. Just remember that EVERYONE thinks that their child is special- that's what being a parent is about. And it means that everyone should teach their children that everyone else is as special as them. Share. Get your kid off that swing and let the next kid have a go. Talk to other children and show your child that you think they are important too.
- Read. Read every day. Let your child see you read. Listen to your child read. Don't tell your child's teacher that you don't have time to read with your child; you're talking to someone who starts work at 8.00am and stops marking/preparing at 9.00pm.
Finally, remember that your child's teacher is human, just like you. Most teachers like most of their children's parents. Even if they don't, they are too professional to take it out on a child- they wouldn't be doing the job if they didn't love helping children to be the best they can be. True, there are a few duff teachers out there but at least teachers have to qualify to teach. If only some parents had to qualify to be parents...
Tameteacher x
