Throughout many years of teaching young children, I’ve seen how important it is for our students that their parents get engaged in their school life and how much it contributes to their academic and social development. That’s why I have always tried to work together with their families.
But… sometimes, things are not so easy. Some parents are not involved in their children’s lives at school. Maybe it’s because they’re too busy, or because they think that it’s not something they should pay much attention to. We have to improve communication so they understand how they can get engaged in the process.
Other parents, on the contrary, are over-involved. We call them ‘helicopter parents’ because they hover around their children like a helicopter, protect them from pain and disappointment, and take responsibility for things their children can and should do on their own, and fix their mistakes. They also tend to hover over the teacher, asking her lots of questions every day. If this is the case, communication is usually the solution.
It’s easier for the teachers to have communications unified in a simple interface that allows parents to see their child’s progress at school, message the teacher with any concerns or questions, and see all class and school announcements.
I remember a mother who was particularly obsessed with her son’s spelling mistakes. She asked me almost every day for extra activities for her son, Noah. At home, she helped him with homework and fixed all his mistakes.
Besides talking with her about how important it was that she stopped doing that, I started using an amazing platform that allows parents, kids, and teachers to stay connected. Exactly what I needed! Among other things, I could send stickers with messages to incentivize the children and, at the same time, keep their parents informed about their school days. Using EZ Stickerbook, everything was much easier!
Helicopter parents might be challenging, but they usually have good intentions. Providing immediate and personalized information about their children’s work in class and guiding them on how to allow their kids to work independently and make their own mistakes is the best way to bring them back on track in a short time.
Analia Rossello
I’m an English teacher with many, many years enjoying classroom time with first-graders, as well as with high school students. I really love teaching; I love planning and creating the best content and activities for my students, those that will give them enjoyment and learning at the same time. However, what I love the most is watching them while that magic happens and after that, when they’re praised or rewarded for their achievements. That completely fills my heart!
