Tips for Meeting with your Child’s Teacher
by FAU CARD | Wednesday, Aug 02, 2023
The start of the school year can be an exciting and trying time for parents, students and teachers alike. There are supplies to be purchased, classrooms to be set up, routines to be established and changed and transitions to be made. Many schools host a “Meet the Teacher” event during the week prior to start of school. This is a great opportunity for parents and caregivers to have some face to face time with their child’s new teacher. Below are some tips for parents to help you make the most of this time.
1. Take time to introduce yourself and your child to your child’s new teacher. They are likely just as nervous as you are about the start of the school year. Be optimistic and engaged in this introduction!
2. Inform the teacher of any special safety risks presented by your child. If your child is at risk for elopement or wandering, be sure to tell them. Even better, give them a letter that states this and one that urges immediate notification of police, if your child should be missing.
3. If your child has a Project LifeSaver International electronic locator device or other electronic tracking device be sure to share the Frequency Code with the teacher and school administration. In the case of an elopement it is critical that the person making the call to 911 specify the code for your child’s device so that the police can begin the search as quickly as possible. Urge your child’s teacher to share this code with office staff, administration, and support staff.
4. If your child has other safety risks, be sure you specify these for the teacher. This might include special issues with certain materials or situations, food allergies, or a tendency to eat things they should not be eating.
5. The first week or two of school can sometimes be a bit of an evolution as classes get sorted out and everyone adjusts to what may be a new schedule. Remember to remain upbeat and positive and be prepared to let the teachers work things out. Try to resist the urge to get too upset about minor things.
6. For many families, aftercare is a necessity. If this is the case for your family and your child is registered to attend aftercare at their school, take this opportunity to introduce yourself and your child to the aftercare director at the school. You should provide the aftercare director the same safety information that you provided to your child’s teacher. For some students with more special needs, this may call for additional aftercare staff support. If this is the case, be sure to provide a reasonable amount of advance notice so that arrangements can be made. If you encounter unfixable issues here, contact your FAU CARD clinical support specialist and they can provide you with some advice that may be helpful.
Last and certainly not least, thank your child’s teacher and let them know you appreciate everything they will be doing to help your child learn and grow. Let them know you want to actively communicate with them and that you stand ready to help in the classroom, if you can, if help is needed.