10 Things Teachers Wish Parents Would Do

1. Be involved. Parent involvement helps students learn, improves schools, and helps teachers work with you to help your child succeed.
2. Provide resources at home for learning. Utilize your local library, and have books and magazines available in your home. Read with your children each day.
3. Set a good example. Show your children by your own actions that you believe reading is both enjoyable and useful. Monitor television viewing and the use of videos and game systems.
4. Encourage students to do their best in school. Show students you believe education is important and that you want your children to do their best.
5. Value education and seek a balance between schoolwork and outside activities. Emphasize your children's progress in developing the knowledge and skills they need to be successful in school and in life.
6. Recognize factors that take a toll on students' classroom performance:
   • Consider the possible negative affects of long hours at after-school jobs or in extracurricular activities. Work to maintain a balance between school responsibilities and outside commitments.
   • View drinking and excessive partying as serious matters. While most parents are concerned about drug abuse, many fail to recognize that alcohol, over-the-counter drugs, and common substances used as inhalants are the most frequently abused.
7. Support school rules and goals. Take care not to undermine school rules, discipline, or goals.
8. Use pressure positively. Encourage children to do their best but don't pressure them by setting goals too high or by scheduling too many activities.
9. Call teachers early if there is a problem so that there is still time to solve it. Don't wait for teachers to call you.
10. Accept your responsibility as parents. Don't expect the school and teachers to take over your obligations as parents. Teach children self-discipline and respect for others at home-don't rely on teachers and schools to teach these basic behaviors and attitudes.

10 Things Parents Wish Teachers Would Do

1. Build students' self-esteem by using praise generously when appropriate while avoiding ridicule and negative public criticism.
2. Get to know as much as you can about each child's needs, interests, and special talents as well as the way each child learns best.
3. Communicate often and openly with parents. Contact them early about academic or behavior problems, and be candid rather than defensive when discussing school problems.
4. Assign meaningful homework on a regular basis that helps children learn. Provide parent with direction on how they can work with their children to make the most out of homework activities.
5. Set high academic standards for all students. Expect all of them to learn, and help them to do so.
6. Vary your teaching methods -- make learning challenging and relevant to children and their world.
7. Care about children, since children learn best when taught by warm, friendly, caring, and enthusiastic teachers.
8. Treat all children fairly, and don't play favorites.
9. Enforce a positive discipline code based on clear and fair rules that are established at the beginning of each school year. Remember to reinforce positive classroom behavior rather than just punish negative actions.
10. Encourage parent and family involvement by reaching out to involve parents in their children's education. Show them how they can help their children at home. Remember that parents want to work with teachers to help their children do their best.

Reprinted with permission from "Teachers’ Best Ideas for Helping Parents," National PTA web site.