There is nothing a teacher desires more than an email from a parent.
That's the takeaway from a conversation with several Peninsula school teachers, who all said that communication between child, parent and teacher is key to having a successful school year.
We talked to Merry Kennedy, a sixth grade social studies teacher at Booker T. Washington Middle School in Newport News, Mia Williams, a guidance counselor for Dutrow Elementary School in Newport News, and Rebecca Hopkins, a chorus resource teacher at Hines Middle School in Newport News.
Here's what they had to say on a variety of hot topics.
Q. Let's talk about bullying. As a teacher, what would you advise parents to do by way of prevention and then addressing the problem, should it arise?
Kennedy: I have seen some cyber bullying. Although it happens outside of school, it is school-related because it carries over into the school day. My advice to parents would be to never give up on this situation, if it is happening. Start with the teacher, but go up the chain of command if you have to. You have to be your child's advocate.
Hopkins: Be sure you monitor your child's social media accounts and their text messages. If you suspect bullying is going on, call us. As teachers, we see how they interact with others every day. Being aware that it is happening is a huge first step.
Williams: Process difficulties that happened throughout the day with your child. Role play with them. Ask them how things could have been done differently. Help them to become assertive and empowered to solve social problems. Role playing at home helps them prepare.
Q. How can parents motivate their children to complete their homework?
Kennedy: Start with positive motivation before taking everything away. Try setting a timer for the homework. If they have five math problems to complete, set a timer for 20 minutes and let them know they should be finished with those math problems in that amount of time.
Hopkins: Make sure they are organized. This is the age that they need to start taking on some of that organization and learning those skills. Use an agenda. Make sure all the homework is written down in the agenda and check on it. Set aside a specific time to do homework and make sure it is completed before they can go outside or play a video game. It's all about rewards and consequences. I do that in my classroom. You don't get a reward unless you have earned it, and you don't get a consequence unless you have earned it.
Check through their book bag. If it looks like a trash can, that's a good indicator of how they're doing in the classroom.
Q. What is the best way for parents to stay connected to their child's day at school and to their teacher?
Kennedy: Most teachers have a website. In Newport News, it is called Parent Express, and parents are able to check their child's grades every week. Set aside time to check at least once a week. Or make it your child's responsibility to log onto the website and bring the grade report to you. The best way to contact the teacher is usually through email, because we can see that throughout the day. You can expect a response from a teacher in 24 hours if you email. Finding time to make phone calls is much harder.
Hopkins: Know the dates that reports come out and mark them on your calendar. Email is the best way to initially contact a teacher, and if there is more follow-up needed, be sure to schedule a phone call or an in-person meeting.
Last year, one father would send an email to all five of his child's teachers asking for a monthly reflection on how his child was doing in school. That was a great way to stay in contact with the teachers.
Williams: Teachers really want parents to be involved. Know that teachers want your child to be successful.
Q. What else should parents know about working with teachers and the school system?
Kennedy: If there is an issue, parents should try to go to the teacher first. A lot of parents go straight to the principal, when the problem could have been solved in a five-minute conversation with the teacher.
Hopkins: As a resource teacher, I appreciate when parents keep in contact with me. You're able to connect the dots more when you are in contact with more than just the homeroom or main-subject teachers.
Williams: Sometimes some kids need a little down time after school to process the day, and they won't talk about it right away. Give them that time. Later, ask leading questions about what happened that day. If you know they had art class, ask them what they made. Ask the teacher for a schedule of the day. If you know how their day is going, you can ask specific questions about it later.