Dear Loving Parent,
A new year is beginning and I am energized and rested from my summer break. I am excited to have the opportunity to help your child grow, change and become a lover of learning. You may be excited, too, but I also know that you may feel anxious or nervous to say goodbye each morning and watch your child disappear through those locked doors. Please know this: together we will mold a mind. Together we will change a life. Together we will love this child.
Your thoughts matter. Communication is the key to our positive relationship this year. You are the expert on your child’s unique gifts and fun personality. Share that with me, but trust me to respond to your child in a way that builds our student/teacher bond in a healthy manner. Allowing mistakes is more effective than coddling and an amazing opportunity for learning and growth.
Your concerns matter. Please share them with me sooner rather than later. When we stew on worries they tend to grow. My mother used to say “Nip it in the bud!” and I am a firm believer in that logic. We may have a different response or approach, but your child’s success remains our shared goal. I will permit your child to walk through a struggle, but my safety net will be right there just in case. I know that every little struggle is one step forward. There is always success ahead, and these small steps bring the child closer to it each day.
Your feelings matter. As a parent myself, I deeply feel the need for my child to be her best self in all areas from grades, to behavior, to friendships. But as your child’s teacher, I recognize that one bad grade is not the end of the world, but an opportunity to learn from the mistake and move forward. As a team we can focus on applauding victories and offering solutions rather than constant reprimanding and candid corrections.
It is going to be a great year! And when your child comes home and you ask “What did you do at school today?” Please know that “nothing” is not an accurate answer.
Sincerely,
Your Child’s Teacher