There’s a lot to be excited about when you’re a student returning to school after the long summer holidays. Many are excited to move up a year level, see friends again and start learning new things with a new teacher. However, for some students returning to school can be fraught and so parental anxiety can run high.
In my consultancy practice, I often meet with parents who are anxious and exhausted from trying to navigate their child’s education. They have tried in vain to create a dialogue with the school to get more appropriate learning for their child. They have seen their child become increasingly disengaged from learning and school. They are acutely aware that their once thirsty-to-learn child lacks motivation and is underachieving, masking to fit in, or even refusing to attend school. Parental attempts to engage the school in dialogue sometimes results in nothing more than the parent feeling like they are “pushy” and up against a brick wall. It is a hard journey.
The purpose of this blog post today is to provide you with a straight-forward process to begin communication with your child's new teacher as early in the new school year as possible.
1 - Send a meeting request by email to the new teacher early in Term 1. Timing is important. Don't contact them too soon, but don't leave it too long. I think the sweet spot is the Monday of the second week of term, or about five days after your child is in their new class.
2 - Make the request via email so you can easily follow-up if needed. Verbal requests can be easily forgotten.
3 - In your email include some specific details such as:
the background,
reason for the appointment
and the hoped for outcome.
Keep your email succinct and unemotional, sticking to the facts. Here are some examples:
"Jenny was assessed as being gifted in 2021. She had some school refusal during 2023 and started seeing a psychologist. We’d like to speak with you about her well-being so we can support her as a team. We are available…"
“Joey was identified as being gifted in 2020. He had an IEP to extend him in Mathematics for a couple of years but not in 2022 or 2023. We’d like to discuss with you our concerns about his achievement in maths. He used to love maths when he was younger but now says he hates it. We’d love to get your help with how we can turn around his attitude and achievement in maths. We are available…”
Expect the teacher to take a few days to reply with a suitable time. The beginning of a school year is hectic.
On the day of the meeting, make sure you are clear about what you'd like achieved. Make a note for yourself, but please don't take a laundry list of past issues. Before the meeting take some time to ensure you are calm. Go in with a positive mindset centred on your child's needs. Remember that, despite previous challenging years, this meeting is the opportunity to reset and establish a new relationship with your child's teacher.
I wish your children a calm and happy start to the new school year and I wish you every success with your first meeting with the new teacher. Should you require any assistance, please reach out via email or make an appointment.
Helen