We’ve all said it, and we’ve probably all heard it, “if there is anything I can do, let me know!” As parents, we say this often to teachers, and of course, we mean it. But have you ever had someone say this phrase to you and thought, “I’d love their support, but I’m just not sure what to ask for!” Keep reading to learn about real and concrete ways that parents can support teachers as we embarque on a brand new school year.
-Communicate during business hours. If you need to send an email to a teacher late at night, begin by saying that this is your only chance to send an email, but you are not expecting a response outside of working hours.
-Ask teachers what school supplies are most needed in their classroom, and provide a few. Or, connect with other parents or businesses and do a drive to gather school supplies. Teachers often buy extra supplies with their own personal funds, and sincerely appreciate these extra donations from parents. And remember that school supply drives don’t have to be an event only held in August. They can happen any time!
– Talk with your child about ways to exhibit kindness at school. Help them think of ways to be kind to teachers and peers alike.
-When offering to volunteer in the classroom, follow up with the offer if you don’t hear back from the teacher in a week or so. They may be so overwhelmed they are not sure what they need, or have forgotten to respond.
-Offer to go once a week to make any copies needed for a teacher. What teacher has time to stand in the copy room for hours after school?
-If you cannot volunteer at school due to your schedule, as if there is another way you can help. Can you staple packets that the teacher sends home and send them back? Could you cut out shapes the teacher is using for a project?
-Send an email or note of appreciation to a teacher “just because.” Do it on a week that is not a teacher appreciation week, not the teacher’s birthday, just a random day.
– Several teachers told us one thing you can do to support them is to VOTE for candidates that support teachers! We’ll have more information about local candidates in our October newsletter!
