This is the second post in a five-part series entitled, “What If My Child Hates His Teacher?”
As parents, we know that a positive relationship between teacher and child can make a monumental difference in the school experience.
This series is intended to give big people the tools to help foster a connection between a child and his educator.
Missed the first three posts? Links are at the bottom of this article!
If you feel like your concerns warrant it and you have to do something to get this train turned around quickly because it is very much off to a terrible start, request a quick meeting with your child’s teacher.
It is very important that your child not be aware of this meeting or if they are, write it off as a no-big-deal meeting about a field trip or something similar. The outcomes of the meeting lose their potency if your child is aware of your purpose in calling the meeting.
At the meeting, have the focus be on “introducing” your child to his teacher. As part of this, you might weave in some discussion about your child’s sensitive nature, how difficult Grade X was for them making them really nervous about this school year, how you have noticed that they have had a hard time sleeping this first week of school because of some of their worry, etc. etc.
The hope is that through this “introduction,” your child’s teacher will have his or her own instincts about your child’s needs awakened and find their behaviours and interactions with your child during the school day flavored accordingly. An extra little smile, a softer tone for delivery of feedback, or a extension of generosity in granting your child an extra bathroom break because they know your child really just needs the break (!) are all examples of the intuitive drip-drops that go into filling up your child’s bucket at school everyday.
If you can support your child’s teacher in understanding your child’s soul, the likelihood that your child’s bucket will be intuitively filled increase exponentially.
Give your child’s teacher the chance to be that kind of big person.
Read all five parts of this series: Playing Match-Maker, Birds of a Feather, Making Friends, The Connection Chat and Act Swiftly and Fiercely.
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