I can still remember something one of my professors said during one of my special education courses while pursuing my undergraduate degree. He said, “parents will never care how much you know until they know how much you care.” It is something I never forgot and tried to make it my mantra during my years as a teacher. A caring compassionate teacher always trumps one who is competent in his or her field but whose heart is empty. Of course, the goal is for teachers to have both qualities! I didn’t have children when I was in the classroom so I devoted much of my time to learning what I could about each child and their family so I could use their interests and “abilities” outside of the classroom as a bridge within the classroom.
As an elementary special needs teacher, I did everything from cooking breakfast with the kids and inviting the principal and janitors to having surprise visits from Santa and a leprechaun! As a middle/ high school teacher, I did everything from playing tennis with the kids to attending dances so they could show off their moves! I even allowed one of my students to teach me how to change the oil in my car, not because I wanted to learn it but because it was something he was good at doing and he had an interest in anything relating to cars. I tell you all of this to stress to you that you should expect teachers to show interest in your child. Your children will be motivated to reach new heights when their teachers encourage them and take an interest in their lives.
We will be talking about everything from IEP meetings to communication; the single most important ingredient when navigating your child’s school experience. Although there are many different school experiences such as private school or home schooling, we will primarily focus on public schools. Tune in next time for some communication strategies that will make school less about walking on a tight rope and more about feeling heard and seen as your child’s most critical advocate.
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