by Susan Z. Miller

Created on: October 01, 2009

Establishing rapport with your child's teacher at the beginning of each school year is an essential step to becoming actively involved in your son or daughter's education. Every teacher understands that your child is your first priority. But teachers, although they sometimes seem to have superhuman abilities, do not have the time to devote 100% of their attention to your child. It will take a team consisting of you, the teacher, and other school personnel to insure that the educational needs of your child are met. Create a sense of partnership with those involved in the education of your child in order to let him or her clearly know that you all working together to insure his or her success.

Make Contact:
Within the first week of school, contact the teacher through email or by phone. The vast majority of schools now have websites where you can find teachers' contact information. Keep the message brief, and include details such as your name, your contact information, your availability, and the name of your child. Make sure to reflect a positive tone with comments such as, "we are looking forward to a great year."

With this first contact, find out what the teacher's preferred method of communication is. If you prefer to touch base on a regular basis, politely request this. For example, "Do you mind if I email you once a month? I am concerned about Johnny's attendance in math class and I'd like to touch base with you regularly to make sure he is coming to class." Clearly communicate your reason for the contact. If you leave an open-ended question, such as, "How is Johnny doing in your class?" it can be difficult for the teacher to know how to respond.

Attend School Functions:
If the school has an open house, orientation, or parents' night at the beginning of the school year, make sure to attend. Use this as an opportunity to introduce yourself to your child's teacher(s). Be sure to make eye contact, smile, and shake hands. Remember that you want to establish a relationship of trust, and communicate to your child that you and the teacher are going to be working as a team. When you attend school functions thereafter, such as the science fair or a football game, make sure to say hello again. It is very meaningful for your child to see and understand that you have a positive relationship with his or her teacher.

Respect the Appropriate Forum:
Do not use an open house or orientation as an opportunity to ask personal questions about your child. For example, questions such

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