A positive relationship between parents and teachers is vital for the holistic development of a child. School management software helps to build a strong communication channel between the two parties to benefit students. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it has become difficult for teachers to stay connected directly with the students. To make it happen, schools are resorting to various technological advancements. Although building a robust connection during the ongoing pandemic is challenging.

Here are 5 tips on how parents and teachers can establish a positive relationship at home.

1.Everyday Greetings

Because of the current crisis, teachers and parents cannot meet at regular intervals. Meetings are crucial as they allow the stakeholders to discuss the progress and performance of students. Teachers can share their insights, while the parents can share the challenges their ward is facing. Hence, it is recommended for both teachers and parents to stay connected via everyday greetings. This can be done with the help of school management software, or the direct messaging feature. The idea is to break the ice and connect the two parties to start a conversation to improve the performance of a child.

Teachers can share messages in bulk, and use the same thread to pass on important news. Parents can also share greeting messages to nurture a courteous relationship with the teachers. By doing so, both parties can build better understanding to help students improve their performance.

2. Show Gratitude

Each one of us is going through a tough time at the moment. It is indeed very challenging for parents to make their ward understand the current situation and to help them learn at home. Working parents also have to build the right balance between their office schedules and the time dedicated to their children. Hence, whenever a parent opens up a conversation with a teacher, they should thank them.

Showing gratitude to parents is a great gesture. The same is advisable to parents as well. The efforts of teachers often go unnoticed. Therefore, parents, too, should not forget to thank teachers for the hard work they put in the classroom, especially during the ongoing pandemic when educators are trying their best to ensure the continuity of learning.

3. Be Compassionate and Kind to the Child

In the modern world, the role of a teacher is not limited to delivering education. There are a lot of ways students can learn in the digital age, courtesy, technological advancements. Hence, instead of dictating students, teachers need to act as mentors. A little kindness goes a long way. Also, to build a better relationship with parents, teachers first need to develop a better association with students.

The well-being of students should be the topmost priority of every teacher. Hence, they should be compassionate to them. To do this, teachers can contact parents to know about the challenges their ward is facing or directly contact students to understand their mindsets.

4. Ask Questions

To build a strong relationship with parents, teachers must show interest; otherwise, it will seem forceful and superficial. At home, teachers can weekly or monthly engage in a constructive banter, and the simplest way will be to ask questions. As students are also resorting to online platforms such as YouTube, teachers can ask parents who’s the favorite YouTuber of their ward, or which book they are currently reading.

Teachers can also ask parents how their child is responding to online learning amid the pandemic. These small gestures will help you win parents over. Parents are mostly concerned with the better performance of their child, and when they see a teacher is actively involved in the development process, they feel assured. Hence, teachers must ask questions to build a positive relationship with parents.

5. Encourage Feedback

Online learning is a new concept in K-12 education. Hence, students need time to adapt to it. Not to mention, teachers are trying their best to provide the optimal learning experience to students at home. Since it’s a new concept, teachers should ask parents about their feedback and suggestions for changes. By doing so, teachers can change their strategies as and when required.

An open-door policy will be the best option here. Parents will feel more involved in the process and contribute to the holistic development of their children. Hence, timely feedback will be one of the best ways to build a positive relationship between parents and teachers.

Although COVID-19 has posed a lot of challenges for the school ecosystem, teachers and parents can put some efforts to build a healthy relationship. Also, it’s a rough phase for us all. Hence, we should support each other instead of making things difficult. Just follow the tips mentioned above and develop a connection more robust than ever. Remember, this too shall pass, and we are in this together!

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Cheers!