I can’t believe how quick the summer has gone.  Fall is already in the air!  One of my favorite things to see during this time is all of the traditional Facebook pictures start popping up of kids’ first days of school.  It reminds me of when I taught Kindergarten!  Ah!! Those were the days…

Speaking of classroom teachers, do we really know what teachers do?  I do!  Right about now, most teachers are going back to school.  They are getting their classroom assignments and class lists.  They are sitting through days of professional development, yearning to set up their classrooms.  They are learning about what more they will have to incorporate into their already packed days with the children.  They are thinking and planning for the first days, weeks and months of school.

I used to describe my life as a teacher with only 10% of what I did actually teaching.  These days teachers have A LOT on their plate.  Most days they are there later than most professions and they bring their big tote bags home to do more work at night.  They have to think about meeting the needs of all of the children they teach.  They have to figure out how best to communicate with parents, caregivers and families of their students.

What is the best way to communicate with your child’s teacher this year?  Respectfully!  Teachers work hard and they want to work with you.  They want to be a team.  They need you to help with the job too.  You can help your children by communicating that school is important, making sure they have healthy foods to eat and get plenty of sleep. Talk to them about their days and keep the communication open between you and their teacher.  Setting children up to succeed right from the start is a great goal for teachers and parents.