Part II: Back-to-school questions for parents to ask teachers

The back-to-school transition is the perfect opportunity to advocate for your children while fostering a healthy and constructive parent-teacher relationship.

Given the positive feedback on these 10 questions for parents to ask teachers, here is a Part II! Answers to these questions will (hopefully) shed light on learning priorities, school routines, and parent involvement. Let your child’s educators know your partnership is key to your child’s academic and social success, and open, respectful, and honest communication is a great place to start!

  1. What will show up in our school’s culture on a daily basis that will influence my child’s attitude about education?
  2. What will be the most challenging thing my child is going to read this year? And why?
  3. How will you respond to another student distracting my child?
  4. What is the most common disciplinary issue in our school, and what is the typical consequence?
  5. How can I communicate that my child has an issue that is urgent and needs immediate attention?
  6. If I am concerned over materials my child brings home, how should I communicate that, and how will it be addressed?
  7. If I am concerned about the effect a teacher has on the values and attitudes of my child that are contrary to what we teach in our home, how should I communicate that, and how will it be addressed?
  8. What is your classroom policy for missing work, incomplete work, and student noncompliance to complete assignments given? How does it affect a student’s grade?
  9. How do you use devices in your assignments?
  10. What is your plan to ensure my child’s academic and social success?