Back To School

It is that time of year again. Back to school time. This time of year can be stressful or it can be smooth sailing. To make this time of year smooth for both you and your child I have a few tips that I want to share with you. Please take my advice. I am an Educator and what I say is 100% fact. These are things that I have learned over the years that I think that parents need to know.

1. Buy everything on the supply list. When the school supply list comes out you need to by everything that is on the list and buy name brand. Yes it will cost more. However, named brand works better and last longer. Also buying everything on the supply list helps your child's teacher out. It is less that they have to buy for the classroom. You would be surprised at how much of their own money that teachers spend on their classrooms each year.

2. Continue to help with supplies. There are always things on the supply list that the classroom uses all year long and goes through lots of. Make sure to help your child's classroom out by refreshing those supplies often.

3. Come to Parent Night/Open House/etc. Come to school for Back To School Night. Meet your child's teacher and get to know them. Take a look at your child's classroom. Make the visit short, but come. Also if there is anything specific that your child's teacher needs to know make an appointment to see them before school starts. That way you can explain those things to them.

4. Bring your child to school on time. The first 2 weeks are the most critical for a child as they are learning routines in their classroom. Make sure you get your child to school on time so they don't miss out. Also make sure to review the policy on tardies , late arrivals, and absences.

5. Make sure if there are transportation changes that you send a note. If you plan to send your child home on a different bus, pick them up, pick them up early, or whatever it is send a note. DO not email your child's teacher with the message. That will not work with the school. The has to have a note from you stating the change in transportation. They keep a record for the safety of your child.

6. Remember to write excuses. If you know ahead of time that your child will be missing school you should send in a note to that affect. Not only will that help your child's teacher, but also lets the school know of the plans. Also if you child has an unscheduled absence be sure to send in a note to school about why this occurred.

7. Do not talk bad about school. If you have something bad to say about school don't say it in front of your child. Talk about it with other adults. You need to be positive about school in front of your kids. That way your child will like school and will want to do well.

8. Get involved in school. No you don't have to become a part of the PTO or PTA. However, volunteer at your child's school. When there is a fund raiser at school support it. The more you are invested in your child's school the more they will be.

9. Get to know the teacher. You don't have to become your child's teachers best friend. However, get to know them. Find out if there is something (within reason) on their classroom wish list and get if for them. Find out what they like and get them personalized gifts for the holidays. Also you could organize the parents in your classroom to do goodie baskets for your child's teacher. This boost their moral and helps them do a better job.

10. Encourage that teacher! Right from the start, take the time to tell them something you love about their classroom, or how they run things, or something your child brought home. You can just scrawl a note in the take home folder, or send an email. A little bit of encouragement surely goes a LONG way this time of year!

11. Believe that they are FOR you and your child. No matter what happened last year, this is a new teacher and a new year, and you want them to let your child start fresh, right? Do the same for them. If you've had a bad experience, that was before. This is THIS teacher. Give them a chance! So choose to believe they want your child to succeed and thrive. The VAST majority of them do! If there's something that concerns you these first few weeks, just talk to them about it. Send an email and ask for a conference. Look at them across the table so you can see in their eyes and hear in their voice how very much they value your child, and how very hard they are working to do a job that can be difficult, even on the best days.

12. Remember that they are real people, too. They have children who were sad when they left this morning, sitters who called in sick, to-do lists miles long, a car in the shop, bills piling up because it's been a while since they got a paycheck, babies who woke in the night, parents who need care, husbands who miss them while they're gone so much during preplanning week. They're just humans, and they sit with the weight of educating dozens of little minds, and they don't take it lightly for a second. Be patient with them. Give them the benefit of the doubt, every single time.

Friends, teachers LOVE what they do. They love the smell of new crayons and writing your child's name neatly on their desk and planning a wonderful year of growth. If you parents can lock arms with them and make sure they know that you've got their back and will support them all year long, the children are the ones who will benefit!

Happy 2017-2018, teacher friends. The work you do is noble.