Ten Tips on How Parents and Teachers Can Work Together in a Classroom

Parents and teachers have important roles to play in the life of a child. While parents are there by default, teachers on the other hand enter the life of a child out of training and a commitment towards the betterment of the child. Both have independent and equally important roles to play and hence the parent is the representative at home and the teacher that of the classroom; the child's second home, or home away from home.

However, when there is a mix of these two roles in one particular area such as the school campus, with parents offering to help at school, there could be a clash of titans. The school might require for parents to be involved in school events, inviting them to be as volunteers, but that does not mean that parents have a free hand at everything that goes on at school. Hence, like in most schools, there is a set of rules to be followed by every parent who offers help at school; Do's and Don'ts. While this article takes the reader through ten ways a parent can help the teacher in a classroom, another section discusses the ten ways a parent cannot help the teacher in a classroom. 

Here’s what parents can do to help at school.

 1. Read the rules and guidelines:

A parent should know why she (he) is there. She (he) should read the rules carefully and be aware of the role she (he) is to play. The guidelines usually lay down the do's and don'ts for parents in such cases and the places they have access to and the rooms they are to keep away from. Following rules would be silence at the appropriate times, being punctual and always keeping the welfare of the children in mind.

2. Familiarize self with surroundings:

It is important that parents get to know the layout of the school. They might need help initially, but this is how they also learn to help others around the school campus.

3. Report to the authority figure

In 99 % of the cases, a parent volunteer will report to a class / subject teacher. Parents are never given a free hand at school and hence all work, assessments and feedback for children is through the teacher.

 4. Be screened or assessed for core talents

Parents should be screened by the principal so as to have one's strong or weak areas highlighted. While some might be good at Arts and Crafts, another might be good at Math or Languages. This helps to make use of one's talents to the benefit of the child/children.

 5. Assist the teacher:

The parent should be a support to the teacher and follow instructions and guidelines. A parent is expected to give in whole hearted support within one's means towards activities in the class room.