Do you know your child’s class teacher?

 Some children are too sensitive to public rebuke or correction. Others fear failure so much that an examination becomes a nightmare to them. Let the teacher know the other side of the child. A class, irrespective of its size, is like a family where children share different learning activities and spend most time together. By virtue of their work class teachers spend most of their time with the child.

They toil to shape our children and parent them while we are away. A class teacher is expected to understand your child’s learning weaknesses and strengths. This level of proximity strengthens the bonds and instills a brotherly relationship among children.

The class teacher becomes intimately involved in the children’s lives and is viewed as the head of the class family. He/she becomes the mentor, role model, guide and parent to the children.

At the dawn of a new school year like this, many parents often dump their children in schools without having the slightest courtesy to know or talk to the child’s class teacher. It is like dumping your child in the wilderness without caring what happens to them.

The teacher is a critical factor in learning and the child-teacher relationship determines whether the child dislikes or loves the school. This relationship begins from the first day the child joins a new class.

Before you unite your child with the class teacher, you must build a personal relationship with the class teacher. Did you know that teachers find it easy teaching a child whose background is clear to them? How will you find out your child’s progress at the end of the term if you don’t even know the class teacher? This is how to go about it:

 Let the teacher know the number of schools your child has attended so far. This is because change of school often affects a child’s learning. Has your child ever repeated a class? What do you think might have caused this? Avail this information to the class teacher.

 Does your child have any chronic ailment? Does the ailment call for the attention of your family doctor or can the school nurse handle it?

 Does the child have problems with certain subjects? Share these difficulties and how you have handled them before.

 Assure the child that the new class teacher is caring. Strange faces in a strange environment frighten young children. The class teacher should not show signs of cruelty or aggression to the children.
The child should also understand that teachers are human beings who cannot be perfect all round. Interpersonal relationship is not based on perfection but on adjustment and tolerance.
Have a pleasant term.Do you know your child’s class teacher?

Gira Emmanuel