Career Coach

Ten Ways To Enhance Communication With Your Child's School

by Lynn Berger

Welcome to Parenthood & Careers - a monthly broadcast that will help you to balance your work, home, family and any other personal concerns and interests you may encounter and feel good about yourself at the same time.

This month's broadcast will address the top ten ways to enhance communication with your child's school.

1. Become an involved parent and volunteer. You may also wish to be a class or parent representative. Even as a working parent there is opportunity for you to get involved.
   
   
2. Understand the established lines of communication and try to keep them in mind when discussing issues involving you child. Don't step on anyone's toes.
   
   
3. Whenever there is an open school house or curriculum night try to plan ahead and attend if possible. It is a good opportunity to meet the heads of school, teachers and administrative staff.
   
   
4. Give problems some time to resolve themselves. This may prevent overreacting.
   
   
5. Prepare a list of questions for parent teacher conferences with the intention to form a team between the parent and teacher for the sole purpose of your child's best interest.
   
   
6. Avoid blame. Ask a lot of questions.
   
   
7. Schedule additional meetings if any questions require follow-up. You may wish to do this by telephone or E-mail to save yourself a trip.
   
   
8. Share with the teachers any necessary information regarding life at home, your child's peer relationships, study habit's, interests, etc.
   
   
9. Read the handbook for rules, policies and procedures before asking routine questions that might be a waste of time and annoyance to the teachers and staff.
   
   
10. Have a basic faith and trust in the school and the teachers. Most importantly, maintain your sense of humor. School is a time or growth and learning for your children as well as yourself. Have fun.