Does Your Child Have a Quality Teacher?

Every good parent wants their child to have the best education possible. One of the biggest factors in a child's education is the quality of their teachers. Quality of a teacher is not always based on where they got their teaching degree or how high they scored on their most recent certification exams. Parents need to look a little closer and open their minds a little farther in order to truly see if their child has a quality teacher.

A parent should introduce themselves to their child's teacher very early in the year or soon after their child enters that classroom. An initial meeting can tell you a lot about the teacher. Do they seem excited to have your child in the classroom? Don't hesitate to ask the teacher a few reasonable questions about things such as classroom rules, curriculum, parent involvement, and discipline policies. A quality teacher will not hesitate to answer these types of questions and will have appropriate and confident responses. You should get a sense that this teacher has a plan, but understands there will need to be flexibility in some situations.

Once you have met the teacher, much of what you are looking for will be found from outside of the classroom. Talking to other parents can be beneficial as long as you exercise some caution. Parents may provide insight into what you can expect from a particular teacher, as long as they are not simply disgruntled for some perceived injustice to their child. Be sure if you decide to utilize this as one way of learning about a teacher, that you weigh it against other variables as well.

A high quality educator will communicate frequently with parents and not just when things go wrong. If you are receiving newsletters, e-mails, phone calls, or progress reports on a fairly regular basis, it is a sign that this teacher wants you to be a part of your child's education. They are organized enough to know what information a parent needs and are positive enough not to wait until there is trouble on the horizon to communicate with you. These are two strong characteristics of a teacher that cares and is effective in their profession.

Looking at the work your child completes can also tell you a lot about their teacher. If your child comes home every week with piles and piles of worksheets, it could be a sign of a teacher that needs to be a bit more innovative. Although worksheets have their place in a classroom, children of this era need a variety of teaching strategies utilized in order to hold their interest and prepare them for a successful future. Exposure to activities that include cooperative groups, technology, field trips, public speaking, projects, and hands on work are all imperative to children and there should be signs that at least some of this is taking place in your son or daughter's classroom.

Listening to your child can be one of the most crucial ways to learn what is going on in their classroom. Don't just listen when they are complaining about the work or upset that they were asked to stop talking. Listen when they are talking to their friends or when they are telling you about something that took place in the classroom. Also, listen to them if they for some reason no longer want to attend school. Although this won't always have to do with the teacher, it is listening to these types of things that can give you valuable insights.

At some point in the school year, a problem will arise for your child. It could be major or it could be minor, but the way the teacher handles the problem is indicative of the way they handle their classroom. One important factor is that they handle it in a professional and confidential manner. You should not hear in the grocery store that it was discussed in the teacher's workroom or with other parents. If this happens, it is important to deal with it immediately. When handling a problem, a quality teacher will be searching for solutions, not just looking for you to solve it on your own. They might refer you to someone else that can help you and your child or they might be able to help you themselves, but they will not just allow the problem to continue. A quality teacher will also not wait for the problem to grow before contacting you about it.

Teachers are human and they will make mistakes, but that is not necessarily what makes them unqualified or less qualified than other teachers. Looking at some of these other factors will give you a larger and more accurate view of your child's teacher and classroom. The most important thing you can do as a parent is pay attention to your child and their education. If at any point you feel that your child is not receiving a high quality education, take immediate action to find out what can be done. Quality teaching is not only important to the future of your child, but also to the future of the world.