Parent Tips: Communicating with your child’s teacher

  • Humble ISD offers the following tips on effective communication: 

    • Attend Orientations and Open House. Meet the teacher and introduce yourself and your child. Pick up any information the teacher has put out. 

    • Keep communications open all year. Make sure the teacher has your current phone numbers and email addresses. 

    • Be a partner with the teacher. Ask what you can do to help your child at home.

    • One of those things might be helping your student to learn organization and time management skills. 

    • Send a note/email or phone message. Be brief and stick to school-related matters. Identify yourself and your child, what you would like to discuss, and how you can be reached. Teachers cannot answer phones when teaching, but return calls during conference periods and after school. 

    • Go to any scheduled parent-teacher conferences. Prepare a list of questions if you have any concerns. This is the perfect time to focus on your child’s grades, progress and behavior. Good questions to ask: Does my child have a good attitude toward learning? Does he make a good effort on assignments? Does she work well in groups and independently? How does his progress compare with other students in the same age group? What can I do at home to help my child?

      Request a parent-teacher conference. This is particularly important if your child has special needs or is upset about something that happened at school, if grades drop suddenly, or if something in your home has changed (for example a divorce, new baby, or serious illness in the family). There are scheduled times in the year for conferences, but parents can request a conference any time of year. 

    • Be courteous. Even if you are angry or worried about something, recognize that teachers are professionals who want the best for your child. Avoid beginning the conversation with criticism or blame of the teacher, especially if you are not certain of the facts. Instead, ask if you can discuss a certain topic. 

    • Volunteer! Offer help with classroom activities, field trips, or something you can do from home. Schools need office helpers, library helpers, chaperones for field trips and competitions, and booster club volunteers. It’s a great way to get to know teachers, students and other parents.