Tips for a Successful School Year
Take advantage of this time-tested tips on addressing student behavior & discipline and communicating effectively with parents.
Student Behavior & Discipline
Helping students to govern their own behavior in ways that help them learn is a goal of all teachers. There are a number of ways you can promote good discipline in the classroom. Most of them you’ll probably recognize (and probably have used), but a review can be valuable.
• First and foremost, be the kind of person children respect and trust. Be firm, fair, friendly, courteous, enthusiastic, and confident. Above all, keep your sense of humor.
• Get to know your students. This will help you anticipate problem situations.
• Don’t talk about the misdeeds of students, except to those who have a right to know. Don’t openly compare one pupil to another.
• Admit you’ve made a mistake and apologize if you’ve treated a student unjustly.
• Make sure punishments are appropriate for the misbehavior and explain to the student why he or she is being punished.
• Don’t argue with students. Discussions about class work are invaluable, but arguments are not.
• Show courtesy to every student and display trust and confidence in them all.
• Be consistent in application of discipline and be fair in your requirements and assignments.
• Allow a student to tell you his or her side of the situation. Be willing to consider mitigating circumstances. Don’t use schoolwork as a punishment.
• Give clear directions; confusion leads to disorder.
• Make learning fun, interesting, and relevant to the students’ lives.
• Establish as few classroom rules as possible and keep them simple.
• Be fully prepared.
Communicating with Parents
Working with parents is an important and positive part of teaching. While it’s normal to feel a bit nervous when a parent asks to speak to you or to meet with you, there are some basic things you can do to make communication with parents enjoyable and productive.
The key is to establish a partnership with your students’ parents early in the year and then to maintain it throughout the year.
• Reach Out -- Start by sending a note to students and parents, welcoming them to your class. Or, have a letter ready to hand out the first day of school that introduces you to your class. It might include your goals for the year, an outline of the curriculum and/or your philosophy, a supply list, and some background information on you. A few days or a week later, you might send home another letter, describing your behavior management and homework policies. Be sure to have it returned and signed by the parent and student.
Cautionary Note: Most building principals will appreciate seeing a copy of any parent letter going home with students before it goes out.
• Make Positive Calls -- Too often, we call parents with a complaint about their child. How about “just thought you’d like to know how well ‘so and so’ is doing” call? It makes everyone—parents, students and teachers—feel great!
• Provide Encouragement -- Urge parents to provide their children with a quiet study area, a good breakfast, a time to read together, and guidance and supervision of TV viewing.
• Welcome Parents into the Classroom -- Consider having parents come in as “special guests” or as speakers, or ask them to help with projects at home that require their assistance, while setting realistic limits at all times.
• Take Calls at School -- You don’t have to give out your home number; it’s okay to “draw the line.” You can return calls when mutually convenient, either right after school or in the evening.
• Letters -- You’ll get complimentary letters from parents, but you may also get inquiries that are based on misunderstandings, which can almost always be ironed out with a phone call.
• Electronic Mail -- If you are using electronic mail, and you find that your students’ parents are too, this can be an excellent way to stay in touch, answer questions, and communicate at everyone’s mutual convenience.