School checklist: Get to know your child's teacher

Gathering school supplies is only part of a parent's annual chore at the beginning of the school year. Establishing a rapport with your child's teacher is, by far the greater task.

Want to start the year off right? Here, local educators share a few tips that are certain to help you establish a solid, working relationship with your child's classroom instructors.

Introduce yourself#8220;Meet the teacher at the beginning of the school year,#8221; says Jill Schweiger, principal of Arnett C. Lines Elementary School in Barrington. #8220;You want to talk, meet, reach out and kind of begin the process.#8221; Kelly Baas, principal of Miller Elementary School in Westmont, agrees. #8220;Try to figure out the best time to connect with your child's teacher face to face,#8221; says Baas.If work limits the time you can make that introduction, Baas says try setting up a time to speak to the teacher by phone or email. #8220;You want to make sure that door is open,#8221; she says. #8220;Let (teachers) know you're open to that communication and interested in your child's education. Talking is important throughout the school year, not just at conference time.#8221;Stay informedThe best way to know what the teacher plans to cover and holds dear is to read the literature that is sent home as part of regular emails, blogs or newsletters.#8220;Teachers provide communication with parents in a variety of ways,#8221; says Schweiger. #8220;Most will send home a newsletter, monthly or weekly, that will outline curriculum. It might also include information about projects, activities, field trips and important dates. Some (teachers) will utilize web pages. This is one level of making sure that parent stay involved and informed.#8221;Caroline Ogunbodede, a special-education teacher at a Northwest suburban middle school, advises parents to review with their child classroom rules and notes that require a signature before turning them in.And parents, she says, should be suspect if their children return home empty-handed most days. In her classroom, she says parents can #8220;expect something every single day.#8221;Stay connectedOgunbodede says you want to make a connection before problems arise. #8220;Don't wait until the child is failing before you call,#8221; she says. #8220;Look at the teacher as your partner to raise your child academically.#8221;Face-to-face conversations and phone conversations are the best way to go, but #8220;if it's a quick question or you need basic information,#8221; then Schweiger and others say send an email.Schweiger says avoid broaching serious matters via email. #8220;That's where email is a downfall,#8221; she contends. #8220;Oftentimes, you can't read the tone in an email, and it gets misunderstood.#8221;If you call a teacher, these educators say recognize that they may have limited time to respond during peak daytime hours. #8220;Teachers are settling kids in in the morning, and basically teachers are with students all day long,#8221; Baas says, adding that most nonemergency calls are likely to be returned after school hours.Unplanned drop-ins before and after school might not yield the results you want, or need, either. #8220;It can be a challenge if you come into the classroom early,#8221; adds Schweiger, who says parents don't get the best conversation that way. #8220;Try to set up a time to speak to the teacher, and usually the teacher will be helpful in determining that. You want it to be confidential and thorough.#8221;Deal with roadblocks head onIf your child reports problems in the classroom, Baas says approach the teacher calmly but without using harsh or accusatory language. #8220;You want to try to bond and collaborate, but it's important that we don't try to attack and make (anyone) feel uncomfortable,#8221; she says.Ogunbodede adds, #8220;You have to know your children and believe in them but also be realistic.#8221;And be sure to get the teacher's perspective. #8220;Teachers cannot fix something that they don't know isn't working,#8221; Schweiger offers. #8220;Let the teacher know where the student is coming from. You can do that in a nonthreatening, nonjudgmental way. Teachers are in this field to help kids.#8221;If all goes well, the parent-teacher conference will be a mere formality for parents who connect regularly with teachers, and the emphasis for the conference Schweiger says will simply be #8220;what does the teacher see as your child's strengths, your child's weaknesses and how you can work together to achieve and get the best results.#8221; 32504000Face-to-face meetings or phone conversations are best when discussing serious matters. Email can lead to miscommunication because tone is difficult to read in an email.