The Gardner School supports families by partnering with parents to provide engaging early childhood education for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers. The first step in providing exceptional early childhood education is getting to know each individual child. As a parent, you know your child better than anyone and can offer unique insights to help us better understand the individual needs of your child. Teachers will also gain knowledge about your child that they can share with you. This exchange of information between teachers and parents can lead to an ongoing reciprocal relationship that will help your child thrive. We’re sharing some ways you can build a partnership with your child’s teacher and taking a closer look at the benefits of this approach.
While the focus for parents and teachers alike is the child, fostering and maintaining a healthy teacher-parent relationship is equally important. That relationship can flourish with trust, which starts with open and honest communication. Here are some tips to get started:
Get to Know Your Child’s Teacher
Get to know your child’s teacher as soon as possible so you can feel comfortable communicating with each other. Figure out the best way to communicate with the teacher, whether it’s during drop-off or pick-up, through email, or via text. TGS also holds parent-teacher conferences to update families on their child’s progress and development. This is a great opportunity to build on your communication and overall parent-teacher relationship.
Get Involved
Involvement can mean participating in orientation events, volunteering to read a book to a class, and attending an open house or other special event hosted by the school.
Help Your Teacher Get to Know Your Child
Share information with your child’s teacher to help them understand your child’s skills, interests, preferences, and needs. Always let the teacher know about unusual or stressful events happening in your child’s life. Whether it’s a move, a new sibling, or a change in sleeping patterns, this valuable information will help the teacher be better equipped to observe a child’s behavior patterns and provide individualized support each day.
Exchange Comfort Strategies
Letting your child’s teacher know about any words or actions you use at home to comfort your child will be incredibly helpful to them. And they may have a few tips to share with you, too!
Research shows that children thrive when their families are involved in their care and education. As your child sees your partnership with their teachers develop and grow, it provides them with an added level of comfort that helps them feel safe and focus on learning. You can also connect with your child by showing their teacher some love and support together as a family.
The Gardner School understands that the transition to preschool is a significant time for both children and parents. It’s why we work hard to cultivate relationships between students, teachers, and families. We also provide support for families by offering guidance ranging from how to prepare for preschool to tips for continuing the early educational learning process at home.
Find A Caring Community With TGS
The most exciting part of early childhood education is watching individual students blossom in our classrooms and at home. Our teachers are committed to partnering with parents in order to help each student thrive academically, emotionally, and socially. Schedule a tour at The Gardner School near you to meet our friendly staff and explore our safe and secure learning environment for preschoolers. You can also explore a variety of articles in the “Family Living” category of The Gardner School’s blog that offer at-home learning ideas, as well as suggestions for activities to do with children at home and in your community.
