6 things teachers want parents to remember

Taking on the responsibility for someone else's kids can be difficult when you're a teacher, but it helps when parents and teachers are on the same page. Below are 6 things teachers want parents to know about their jobs.

As a parent, you know your child inside out and you feel you know what's best for them. Sending your little one to school can be daunting and expectations are likely to be incredibly high. However, it's important to remember that teachers are doing their best to educate a group of diverse students that they may not yet know very well. In carrying out this role, teachers are fully aware that they don't qualify as parents and that you know best when it comes to parenting your child.

As a parent, it's hard to accept anything less than perfection for your child. The idea of sending your child to a school is scary enough and you may be concerned that the school does not provide the ideal conditions within the classroom. However, meeting everybody's expectations simultaneously is seldom easy for teachers, so there needs to be some degree of accommodation and acceptance among parents that it won't always be perfect.

Managing a class of students takes a lot of effort and a great deal of commitment. It's nearly impossible in the kind of environment mentioned above to guarantee the perfect conditions for everybody, but teachers still try their best. Give them credit for always aiming to improve and making the atmosphere as comfortable as possible for your little one.

Part of the learning process involves making mistakes and learning from them. Although it's hard to resist the urge, sometimes it's not a good idea to make an excuse if your child hasn't completed a homework assignment, unless there's a valid cause. If your child is in trouble, it's hard to avoid making justifications for the behaviour, but it's important to remember that making mistakes is expected and necessary as part of growing up.

If your child has been unkind or violent toward other students, punishment provides consequences and your child may learn from the experience. The last thing teachers want are pupils who think they can get away with anything just because their parents said it was okay to behave as they please.

Teachers are often well aware of suitable types of praise that will benefit your child. It's important to them that parents do not praise their child in a way that may hinder the child's academic progress. For example, telling your child that they're "smart" will often backfire.

By remembering these points, you can lay the foundation for a healthy and harmonious relationship with your child's school. This will set your child up for an easier and more productive journey through school, while also making the teacher a great deal happier about devoting time to help them succeed.