Why You Should Attend Back-to-School Night
Back-to-School Nights aren't meant to be social mixers where have lots of time to talk with the teacher and with other parents. However, there are some very good reasons to attend. Be prepared before you go by thinking about your child's learning style and the kind of academic environment that would be best for your child. Don't go empty handed either. Take a notebook and a pen or pencil so you can take notes if you need to. Be sure to take some business cards to hand out, too. If you don't have any, you can print some out with templates you can download for free or templates that come with MS Word.
Although it is unlikely that you will have a lot of time for any one-on-one conversation with the teacher, you can still get a sense of what she will be like as a teacher. Does she seem warm and friendly or rather aloof? Does she seem like a no-nonsense teacher or one who may be flexible and forgiving? Keep in mind that no teacher is likely to be a perfect fit for every child, so what you want to do is consider whether the teacher is a good fit for your child. Some kids need a no-nonsense teacher, while others need a more flexible and understanding one. The point is not that you want to change teachers if you think the fit isn't perfect, but to have an idea of what to expect and how you might help your child do her best.
The teacher will tell you what your child will learn throughout the year and what she will be expected to do to have a successful year. Will there be projects? If so, what kind? What kind of tests will be given? How often? How much homework will be given each week in each subject? What are the learning goals for each subject? What kind of reading and writing is expected? Learning the about learning goals will tell you how much your child will learn during the year -- or whether your child already knows much of the material that will be covered. You might also get an idea of whether there will be any room for individualization of instruction. Will there be any ability grouping, for example, or differentiation?
It's unlikely that you will have much of an opportunity to chat much with other parents. However, as the teacher is explaining what will be taught during the year and how the class will be run, take a look around the room to see how other parents are reacting. For example, if the teacher says she likes to have students work together in groups of mixed ability so more advanced students can help other students, see how other parents respond. Does anyone question this practice? Look skeptical? Disapproving? Pleased? Before leaving the room, try to introduce yourself to the parents who seem to have the same reactions you had. If you can, ask for the names of the children of those parents. At the very least, hand out a "business card."
When you understand your child's learning style and match it to the teacher's teaching style, you might get an idea of how well your child will fit in the classroom. Ideally, the two styles are a perfect match, but that doesn't always happen, nor should we always expect it to happen. Knowing where the two match and don't match can help you help your child. You can help your child adapt, if necessary, to the teacher's style of teaching. If you do see problems occuring, you can talk to the teacher about a mismatch of styles rather than making her feel she is not doing a good job. Knowing how much of the planned curriculum your child already knows can also help you help your child, by supplementing the lessons, for example.
If you can get the support of your child's teacher, you are more likely to be successful in getting the teacher to support your child by providing the work he needs. And you can better support the teacher by having a positive attitude rather than a negative one. In other words, building a positive relationship by finding ways to help out will be more useful than being negative by complaining. It may not be easy to help in the classroom if you are a working parent, but you never know what you might be able to contribute. Teachers are often looking for new ways to teach a concept or for a fun activity to promote learning. At the very least, let the teacher know you are willing to help anyway you can and give her your "business card."
1. Meet the Teacher
Although it is unlikely that you will have a lot of time for any one-on-one conversation with the teacher, you can still get a sense of what she will be like as a teacher. Does she seem warm and friendly or rather aloof? Does she seem like a no-nonsense teacher or one who may be flexible and forgiving? Keep in mind that no teacher is likely to be a perfect fit for every child, so what you want to do is consider whether the teacher is a good fit for your child. Some kids need a no-nonsense teacher, while others need a more flexible and understanding one. The point is not that you want to change teachers if you think the fit isn't perfect, but to have an idea of what to expect and how you might help your child do her best.
2. Learn about the Curriculum
The teacher will tell you what your child will learn throughout the year and what she will be expected to do to have a successful year. Will there be projects? If so, what kind? What kind of tests will be given? How often? How much homework will be given each week in each subject? What are the learning goals for each subject? What kind of reading and writing is expected? Learning the about learning goals will tell you how much your child will learn during the year -- or whether your child already knows much of the material that will be covered. You might also get an idea of whether there will be any room for individualization of instruction. Will there be any ability grouping, for example, or differentiation?
3. Meet Other Parents
It's unlikely that you will have much of an opportunity to chat much with other parents. However, as the teacher is explaining what will be taught during the year and how the class will be run, take a look around the room to see how other parents are reacting. For example, if the teacher says she likes to have students work together in groups of mixed ability so more advanced students can help other students, see how other parents respond. Does anyone question this practice? Look skeptical? Disapproving? Pleased? Before leaving the room, try to introduce yourself to the parents who seem to have the same reactions you had. If you can, ask for the names of the children of those parents. At the very least, hand out a "business card."
4. Look for Potential Problems
When you understand your child's learning style and match it to the teacher's teaching style, you might get an idea of how well your child will fit in the classroom. Ideally, the two styles are a perfect match, but that doesn't always happen, nor should we always expect it to happen. Knowing where the two match and don't match can help you help your child. You can help your child adapt, if necessary, to the teacher's style of teaching. If you do see problems occuring, you can talk to the teacher about a mismatch of styles rather than making her feel she is not doing a good job. Knowing how much of the planned curriculum your child already knows can also help you help your child, by supplementing the lessons, for example.
5. Look for Ways to Help
If you can get the support of your child's teacher, you are more likely to be successful in getting the teacher to support your child by providing the work he needs. And you can better support the teacher by having a positive attitude rather than a negative one. In other words, building a positive relationship by finding ways to help out will be more useful than being negative by complaining. It may not be easy to help in the classroom if you are a working parent, but you never know what you might be able to contribute. Teachers are often looking for new ways to teach a concept or for a fun activity to promote learning. At the very least, let the teacher know you are willing to help anyway you can and give her your "business card."
