When you look around the carpool lane, every other parent seems to just have it. These highly successful parents are smiling, laughing, and look stress-free.
What is their secret? Whatever it is, you want it! And you want it right now.
Because school is definitely not easy-peasy for you. Every day is a struggle. Your child just isn’t doing as well as you would like. The school doesn’t seem to want to cooperate.
Successful parents don’t magically just happen. It takes some work to get school right.
Highly successful parents follow these 11 essential habits.
1. Email the teacher
Not just emailing the teacher though. Successful parents use smart email techniques to get exactly what they want in school. They are sandwiching their request, comment, or question between two positive statements. That makes even a hard ask easier to sell to the teacher.
2. Log everything
Smart parents keep track of their communications in a neat, organized way. Your copy of Talk to the Teacher has a built-in communication log ready for you to use! Write down the type of communication, who was involved, the topic, the date, and the resolution (what happened in the end). Then you’ll be able to look back quickly and easily down the road!
3. Meet regularly
Sure, you met during parent-teacher conferences, but what about the rest of the year? Its important to check in, face-to-face, with your child’s teacher more than just once per school year. Your meetings could be formal and scheduled out or more casual. Go with the style that best suits you! Email the teacher to plan a formal meeting. Casual meetings can happen anytime you pop into school or see the teacher in the halls. Just know that these meetings might not be as productive or lengthy.
4. Preparation
Part of school success is preparing correctly. Olympic swimmers don’t just jump in the pool. They practice, warm up, and rehearse every aspect of their event. School should be the same. Plan out your emails, phone calls, and meetings with Talk to the Teacher. Use done-for-you scripts to get exactly the right words for your next meeting, from basic conferences to challenging IEPs.
5. Use logic
Getting emotional and upset rarely solves problems effectively. Instead, use cold, calm logic to get what you want in school. If you feel yourself getting upset or ready to fly off the handle, use some easy calm down techniques.
6. Find a routine
A great way to stay calm is to use a routine for your daily life. When the day runs smoothly, it’s easier to focus on the bigger picture and handle any trouble spots that pop up.
7. Use resources wisely
Ever been handed a golden ticket? Do you want one? Download the Ultimate School Success Kit to help your child have a great school year from Day 1. Inside your free e-book, you’ll find all the tools and resources you’ll need to survive and thrive in school. Learn how to find a great school with an easy comparison tool. Introduce your child to the teacher with a fun printable. You can even handle academic rough spots with three free email templates!
8. Get online
How children learn is changing, for better or worse. And it’s important to know where to turn when homework or assignments just look different. Set up a favorite or bookmark category on your web browser just for homework helpers. You can even separate them by math and reading.
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9. Get a tutor
Smart parents know that investing in their child’s as much as they can as often as possible a great idea. Whatever the reason, hiring a tutor can be a huge win for your child. Make sure you follow a few guidelines to find the perfect tutor for your family!
10. Call in the pro
School is definitely hard, no questions about it. For parents who are in over their heads, stressed out, and pushed to the limit, hiring a professional advocate or coach can be amazing! Working with a professional can help parents find clarity, confidence, and empowerment. Your advocate or coach can help you learn better communication strategies, understand the education system, help with special education plans, and be your voice with the school. The options for how an education coach or advocate can help you are truly limitless. If you have questions about how an education coach can help you, contact me today!
11. Do the reading
Having a good book or guide is so valuable. Try to find some options that either fit your child perfectly (ex: books about a specific disability, gifted childre, special education, etc.) or more general (ex: books for elementary school students, homeschooling supplement books, research-based books).
For everything school communication, check out my book, Talk to the Teacher! I’ve laid out a roadmap for parents to get better home-school relationships through easy communication fixes. You’ll learn exactly what to say in emails, at meetings, and on the phone to build a great parent-teacher team.
What do you do to succeed at school? Share your best tips in the comments!
~Meg
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