Meeting Your Child’s Teacher for the First Time

Building a good relationship with your child’s teacher (or teachers) is an important part of their success at school. A child’s education requires active involvement not only from the child, but also from parents and teachers. Meeting your child’s teacher intermittently during their school career can help to ensure that they stay on track. It can also address any behavioural, social or learning issues, and put you on the same page as the other adult (or adults) who spend so much time with your child each day!

Meeting Your Child’s Foundation Phase Teacher

For younger primary school children, their teacher is a very important part of their life. They spend most of the time with a single teacher at school (Grades 1 – 3). This teacher often has a huge impact on the child. It is common to hear young children say, “my teacher says” as they pay a lot of attention to any proclamations coming from their teacher.

Your child’s  teacher may send a letter home with your child to arrange a meeting with you. This could be part of a routine term meeting to give feedback on your child’s progress. It may also be a special meeting to address a problem or concern involving your child’s behaviour or progress. 

You may also arrange a meeting with your child’s teacher if you need to address any concerns you may have. These can include your child’s progress, or any other serious matter. Suspected bullying, or a change in the child’s circumstances which may lead to altered behaviour at school, necessitate meetings. A change in your child’s behaviour, such as coming home sad or angry, may also warrant a meeting with your child’s teacher.

No matter who calls a meeting, it’s best to be well-prepared. Raise any concerns you may have, and back these up with evidence or examples. Remain calm: both you and the teacher are interested in getting the best resolution for your child. 

If any action needs to be taken, note it down and assign an actionable date together with the teacher. A good tip is to have a little notebook that is sent between you and the teacher. In this, you can mark off the child’s progress or resolutions to the challenges experienced. 

Meeting Your Child’s Senior Primary or High School Teacher

At this stage, your child’s teacher is likely to have less of an impression on them, but is still an adult involved in shaping your child’s future, view of the world, and behavior. As such, it’s important for you to have an open relationship with your child’s teacher, wherein any issues can be addressed before they become serious. You’ll already have experience meeting with your child’s Foundation Phase teachers, but remember that the goal of their senior primary school and high school teachers is different. Therefore their approach to your child may be different too. Your child’s teachers and the school in general will be encouraging more independence and responsibility. Starting at senior primary school level (Grades 6-7) your child will have different teachers for each subject, as well as their homeroom/register class teacher. 

You will normally be invited to attend “Parent Evenings” where reports are handed out. You can also elect to speak to certain teachers if you are concerned about certain subjects. If there is a more serious issue, you will be called to a meeting at the school to discuss the situation. Ensure that you are prepared with all the facts, and all the questions you need to ask. 

It is important to be involved in your child’s education and work together with their teachers to ensure a bright and productive future for your child.

Top Tips for Parent-Teacher Meetings

• Don’t get stressed out. You and your child’s teacher want the same result, and should be on the same team
• Speak to your child before the meeting. Find out if there is anything they are worried about at school, or if there is something their teacher may bring up with you
• Be punctual – especially on parent-teacher evenings, when teachers often have back to back meetings. You want to ensure that you have all the time you need to talk through any concerns without feeling rushed by the next parent waiting
• Prepare for the meeting. Make a list of what you want to discuss, and bring along any material that supports this, like a poor report
• Follow up with any plans or solutions you come up with in the meeting, and the results of these
• Be open to discussing weaknesses. Your child’s teacher may bring up some academic, social or behavioural issues that your child needs to work on. Remember that this isn’t a personal attack, and is rather an excellent opportunity for you to come up with a plan to address these, together
• Don’t blame the teacher. In almost all cases, a child’s poor grades or social behaviour are a result of many extenuating circumstances. The teacher won’t blame a parent, and you shouldn’t blame them either. Rather focus on solutions, together!
• Extra support. Your child’s teacher may suggest this, or you can ask if they feel it’s necessary. Large classrooms and other factors often contribute towards a need for extra support. Look for a reputable company that meets your child’s needs – like BrightSparkz Tutors!

How Can BrightSparkz Help?

If your child is struggling at school or falling behind, your child’s teacher may suggest extra support. Large classrooms, barriers to learning and different learning styles may contribute towards a need for extra support. Look for a reputable company that meets your child’s needs before the problem becomes too serious.  BrightSparkz Tutors offers professional tutors who are highly qualified for all age groups, which will make a huge difference to your child’s confidence and success. If your child has a more specialized learning need, such as needing to learn to study, improving their grasp of their second language with an Afrikaans or Zulu Boot Camp, or test and exam accommodations or concessions, BrightSparkz can help too.