The “Perfect” Teacher
The anticipation is over. Summer break has officially come to an end. As we watch our unstructured days give way to the hustle and bustle of stricter sleep patterns, homework, and after school schedules, I find myself swimming in a sea of mixed emotions. I am so excited to have three children in school all day. Now I can get my house clean, cooking done, and catch a morning news show (of course all of this is going to happen before I am off to work. No, really). And at the same time my mind is riddled with questions about the upcoming school year, such as: What will this year bring? Will my children have teachers that will both challenge and love them? What can I do to support my children’s success in the classroom? How can I support my children’s academic growth and their extra-curricular passions without over scheduling? There are two people that play an important role in the answers to many of these questions. Myself (the parent) and my children’s teachers. So I am going to take the next two blog posts and explore what makes the “perfect teacher” and the “perfect parent”.
School is now well underway and this week we are meeting our children’s teachers. This is a time to get to know the teacher’s style and expectations. I like to get clear on these two things quickly so that I can help my children navigate their new environment. The transition to a new school year is much easier for a child that understands what is expected of them. As a parent, I often find myself thinking about what type of teacher would be best for my children. Even though each of my children have unique needs, there are some basic qualities that might make a “perfect” teacher for any of them such as; someone that is loving/caring, holds high expectations, is consistent, has a knowledge of grade-level content and how to effectively teach it, is equitable and fair, and enjoys teaching and learning and wants their students to enjoy it as well.
Wait a minute! That sounds familiar. It sounds a lot like me (at least the “me” that I want to be for my children)! Can it be that the “perfect” teacher is not that much different from the “perfect” parent?
Stay tuned for next week’s blog post when I try to answer that question by interviewing local teachers and asking them to describe the “perfect” parent.