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Ask any parent what they think is the most important factor in a student’s success, and most will say a good and responsive teacher. Ask that same thing to a teacher, and they will say that student success depends on a parent’s involvement. But only by working together will parents and teachers help students succeed to make each child’s educational experience the very best it can be.

Getting involved in a student’s education is important to their success. In addition to teachers and students, parents can help support their children and be involved in the classroom. Through parent organizations, parents and the community help to provide support to every student.

These PTOs and PTAs (Parent Teacher Organizations/Associations) are groups of parents and other community members that are working together toward excellence in education. When people become active in these organizations, they will learn much about what it takes to help students succeed. And only when everyone is involved will kids succeed.

While many things help aid a child’s educational success, research shows that students show significant improvement when parents are highly involved. Due to the critical role both parents and teachers play in a child’s education, here are some tips on how parents can support the efforts of teachers in the classroom.

Parents and Teachers can Network to Reach Student Success

The start of a new school year can be the beginning of a journey toward success when parents, students and teachers work together. Research continually shows that students flourish when everyone comes together and gets involved. When a child knows that people care, they are more likely to attend school more regularly, stay in school longer and perform at higher levels. Family support can make or break a student’s education.

With school back in session and autumn approaching, there is one question looming over every teacher, parent and student: how can we help our students be successful this year? Teachers, parents and students are hoping for the best possible outcome. Teachers are preparing lesson plans and prepping classrooms, hoping they will not have to deal with virtual learning. Parents need help with how to help their children in a traditional classroom or through homeschooling. The students are stressing about succeeding at school and with their peers.

Parents can start talking with their children about the upcoming school year and what will happen on the first day of classes. This discussion should include what is expected from the student, such as dress codes, school supplies and how to treat peers and teachers. If the family is new to the area or school, visit the school before classes begin. Make it a point to speak with teachers and the administration. Walk or drive the way to the school so your child can be more familiar with the trip to and from school. The more everyone knows about the school and how it operates, the more likely your children will succeed.

Working Together for a Supportive Network

Parents, teachers and the community collaborate to create a supportive network around students. Regular communication between teachers and parents ensures that everyone is on the same page regarding the students’ needs and progress.

• Students: They are at the center of the education system and the primary beneficiaries. Their active engagement and willingness to learn are crucial for the success of the educational process.
• Parents: Parents play a vital role in supporting their children’s education. They provide emotional support, encouragement and a conducive learning environment at home. They communicate with teachers to stay updated on their child’s progress and collaborate to address any learning challenges.
• Teachers: Facilitators of learning, teachers are responsible for delivering knowledge, guiding students’ growth and creating a positive and engaging classroom environment.
• Community: The community plays a crucial role in supporting education. Local businesses and organizations can serve as sponsors, providing funding for school programs, scholarships or resources like books and technology. They can also offer internships, career guidance and support extracurricular activities.
• Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) & Parent-Teacher Organization (PTO): Formed by parents and teachers to work together, these organizations help in enhancing the educational experience. They organize events, fundraisers and workshops, promoting communication and collaboration between parents and educators.

Overall, the collaboration between students, teachers, parents, the community and various stakeholders creates a holistic and supportive educational ecosystem, fostering the growth and success of students in their academic journey and beyond.

One more tip (from UEA)

Set aside time for studying every night. Discuss with your child what time of day would work best. Right after school? Just before dinner? Before bedtime? Adjust the schedule as needed to accommodate extracurricular activities. If your child attends an after-school program, find out if students will be expected to do homework there. If your child completes homework assignments away from home, plan to review the work together every night. If there is no homework assignment, have the child use study time for reading or reviewing problem areas.

And don’t forget – whether it’s a bedroom desk or the kitchen table, every child needs a regular place to study and complete homework. This area should be well lit and equipped with school supplies like paper, pencils and a dictionary.

Parents and Teachers Building the Ultimate Classroom

Teaching and learning shouldn’t only occur in a classroom. The reality is that students learn better when everyone (parents, teachers and even the community) partners together to build a learning environment. Everyone needs to work together and be held accountable for a student’s success.

Parent engagement is central to education. They are the ones who will continue teaching their children long after they’re out of class. – Nitzah Santiago-McRae, Aspiring Educator (NEA)

Strong partnerships between teachers, parents and community members, are among the greatest needs in most public education systems. When parents are willing to help teachers both inside the classroom and outside, everyone has a better chance at succeeding. Parents need to be willing to help continue classroom education in their homes and other places. When students continually set their minds to learning, not only are they more likely to succeed, but they are also more likely to thrive in life.

PTAs are built specifically for this purpose. They work together with everyone in the education process to keep things running smoothly. Everyone has a role to play in supporting learning in the classroom and beyond. When appropriate, invite parents and community partners to advocate for educators with decision makers. Remind the public that you are fighting for things that impact children and educators.

Parents, make time to meet and get to know your child’s teachers. Let the teachers know that you appreciate feedback on your child’s progress – both positive and negative – and that you will follow through at home. Alert teachers to medical or other problems that may affect your child’s ability to learn. Make a point of meeting the principal, school secretary, bus driver, cafeteria staff and others who work at the school. The better you know the school and how it operates, the more likely your child will be to have a productive and positive school experience.

Identification in Education: Photo ID and Lanyard Best Uses

Name tags, lanyards and other identification will help in any educational setting. We have every solution you need, from quick adhesive badges for volunteers to the always classy photo ID. Schools frequently use name tags to identify teachers, lanyards to support school spirit and badge holders for PTA events.

Giving teachers and other staff photo identification enhances your school’s safety. Use them with matching lanyards to provide easy visual identification for those who belong within the school. This also makes it easier to quickly identify any outsiders that may come into the school, including volunteers and parents.

Most schools require that teachers and staff wear identification while on campus. Not only do these name tags provide quick identification for teachers and other staff, but they also provide a way to allow people into the building securely. Adding photos to name tags makes it super easy for school administration to quickly know who belongs and who doesn’t. It also helps students find their teachers and other staff who can help them in their learning.

These two products go together so well that it just makes sense to get lanyards when you order photo ID badges for your teachers. Adding photos, names, titles and even grade levels is important. And pairing them with lanyards is even better. No matter a staff member’s position, matching lanyards and photo ID badges are the perfect way to keep everyone identified. Not only does photo identification help increase your security measures, but upgrading with a lanyard ensures instant access to those badges.

Photo ID Badges

One of the most important features of a photo ID badge is the security it offers. Providing employees with a picture and a name and title makes sure that the proper people are entering and exiting your building. Quickly and easily identify someone with photos and provide security in the workplace. Fully customize each badge by selecting the orientation and fastener (deluxe magnet, pin or a variety of other fasteners, including punched slots.

Custom Lanyards

Choose from various styles, colors and options that will best suit your lanyard needs. From full color printing to simple cords, we have a lanyard that will fit your style and you can customize most of them to match school colors and add logos or mascots. And don’t limit yourself to thinking they are only for identification. These colorful lanyards will help to promote school spirit for students. They also provide easy access to key cards all at the same time.

Getting Involved

Education involves more than just the student. Everyone can play essential roles in supporting the learning environment. The start of a new school year can be the beginning of a journey toward success. Especially when parents, students and teachers work together.

When students and staff wear name tags, it becomes easier for them to start up conversations and build connections. Name tags act as quick and friendly introductions, and they break down any barriers that occur when new people meet. This creates a warmer and more inclusive atmosphere. By seeing each other’s names, everyone at school can address each other personally. This simple act will create better social interactions and help to promote a sense of belonging among scholars.

Teachers are the most vital part of any educational system. So, there is no doubt that teachers are of great importance to student success. Without them, students can’t learn, and every system would fall apart. So making sure that teacher wellness is maintained should be central to every school’s operation.

A recent study showed that 77% of teachers said that “poor teacher mental health is having a detrimental impact on pupils’ progress. An overwhelming number of respondents, 94%, said that their energy levels in the classroom drop during periods of poor mental health, and 90% said that their teaching is less creative during these times. Many of the mental health issues were caused by excessive workload and constant work scrutiny.”

“The survey also revealed that a significant number of teachers, 81%, said poor mental health has a negative impact on the quality of their relationships with learners. The same percentage said it affected their behavior management skills, with teachers citing ‘lower levels of tolerance,’ ‘focusing on the negative’ and being ‘quick to anger.’”

So, we can see that teachers find it hard to communicate and educate students effectively when they feel drained. As with any job, mental wellness is important. Without a little focus on how a teacher is feeling, they can often face burnout or need to miss too many teaching days. Because of this stress, teachers are looking for ways to keep themselves going and continue helping their students.

So, why is teaching stressful?

From behavior problems to mandatory testing procedures, teachers don’t have a lot of time to influence students appropriately, let alone focus on their wellness. As such, teachers often face overlooked mental health issues and end up finding it hard to continue in their chosen career. Research has discovered that over a third of education professionals are expected to leave their job by the end of the year.

There is no question that teachers are crucial for student success. Most teachers and educators know the rewards that come from seeing classroom learning and student achievements. However, teaching is proven to be one of the most stressful and demanding occupations. Unwatched teacher wellness can turn into teacher strikes, shortages and high turnover rates. Research shows that up to 46% of teachers report high stress affects their daily life. This stress contributes to lower teaching performance and poor health.

One of the main reasons for teachers leaving the profession is the workload they are required to carry. Burnout often happens when a teacher doesn’t get a break from the complexity of their job. From exhaustion to feeling inadequate, this burnout is happening far too often. Teacher wellness needs to start becoming a priority for many educational systems. 

So, what can teachers and administrators do to make sure good mental health becomes a priority?

Most companies will agree that a happy and healthy employee is one who can do their job and do it well. So, why not take a day to yourself every once in a while. It’s okay to take a mental wellness day. It will make it so that when you are at work, you are putting your best foot forward. And, that isn’t just for business, teachers need this advice too.

And, if larger corporations put in the effort to make sure their employees are finding balance, why not do this for teachers too? From adding zero gravity chairs to a break room to scheduling alone time during a busy school day, teachers need to be aware of their mental health.

There are many remedies for teacher burnout. From taking a mental health day to seeking out therapy, every teacher should find a way to take the necessary daily breaks. After all, teacher wellness encourages school growth and student success. As this English teacher points out, she has four go-to tips to help her unwind and find a way to power through tough days.

A Few Tips from Captain Awesome

1. Get out when you can.

If your school lets you leave during your planning period, do it. Grade papers at a coffee shop. Take a walk. If those aren’t options, just go to the library to do your planning. Anywhere away from your classroom will work. Because if you’re in your classroom, you know what will happen? The teacher across the hall will come in, sit on your newly-Lysoled tables, and start in with, “I don’t know why I even bother with Joselin …” And by the time she’s done, you won’t know either. But you’ll be in a bad mood third period because you spent all of your planning time listening to her instead of making your copies.

2. Do nice stuff for students.

Four kids in my first period had birthdays last week. One of them is a girl who’s really struggling. Under the auspices of celebrating “class birthdays,” we brought in breakfast, organized gifts, and threw a lunchtime birthday dance party. And that was enough to keep me going for the rest of the week.

3. Localize your own whining.

This one is tricky, but it’s essential for the final tip, which is the most effective one. Pick one person to whom you will complain about work. That is the only person you can go to when you’re feeling stressed about the negative school environment.

4. Be a ray of freakin’ sunshine.

This is my favorite. Refuse to participate in negative talk, especially about kids. When your colleague comes in, flops into a seat, sighs heavily and groans, don’t commiserate. Make your response as over the top as you can.

EXPERT TIP:

Have daily affirmations that you repeat to yourself as needed, but at least once a day.

These are especially helpful when students are difficult or you’re having a rough day.

We have all seen the studies that give findings that teaching is one of the most stressful occupations. However, these studies also find that helping teachers with classroom organization and individual needs will minimize the effect this stress causes. By supporting this type of communication, teachers find that their input can become invaluable. 

And, by being able to give input and have an effect on what is taught in their school, teacher wellness becomes better. There will be fewer teacher sick days, and students will feel that their teachers can care about their success.

However, it is important to remember that not all teachers experience stress equally or for the same reasons. Nor will they respond the same to solutions proposed by their administrators. So make sure there are multiple game plans to help teacher wellness on individual levels. Whether it’s donuts in the break room for the weekly boost of sugar or a simple sit down one-on-one with a colleague, every teacher should feel that their wellness begins with the administration.

Teacher Wellness Solutions

Finding workshops and other programs for teachers is a great way to help reduce the stress put on teachers. Giving them an outlet to learn how to cope with day to day struggles will help every teacher’s well being. And by providing these opportunities, teachers are able to address their stress before it becomes overwhelming. 

Cognitive behavioral therapy can help teachers in a one-on-one setting. This therapy educates individuals to observe their mood changes and how they affect daily interactions. By avoiding triggers, teachers can focus on student achievements and development. 

Another solution for supporting teacher wellness is meditation. Give the teachers in your school a method to cope by providing a space for them to de-stress. Use those zero gravity chairs or relaxing music in a safe place so that teachers can unwind for negativity or other triggers they may experience throughout the school day.

Making Teacher Wellness a Priority at the Three Village School District

Rich Glasheen, a math teacher at Ward Melville High School on Long Island, New York, usually spends around 10 to 15 minutes, sitting in the zero-gravity chair, maybe drinking a cup of tea and reading while listening to calming music.

Special education teacher Katherine Jimenez is also partial to the zero-gravity chair, but she relaxes to the ambient sounds and images emanating from the 65-inch flat-screen television bolted to the wall. Alyssa Ward, who works in Ward Melville’s attendance office, likes to spend a little time in the oversized massage chair. Speech pathologist Kathryn Fenigstein found a recent “lunch and learn” session with a nutritionist particularly helpful.

Zero-gravity chairs, soothing music, aroma diffusers, yoga, visiting nutritionists. You might ask what kind of staff room is this?

Actually, it’s not any kind of staff room. This is “WellVille,” a wellness center designed for staff in the Three Village School District. Part of the district’s wellness program, WellVille is a reconfigured classroom inside Ward Melville High School. It’s open to all staff to help them de-stress and then walk back to their classrooms feeling rejuvenated.

“WellVille not only allows us to clear our mind from our daily challenges,” explains Jimenez. “It re-charges us with positive energy that we bring back to our students. I have become a much better teacher as a result, and I see how my students have benefited as well.”

District Superintendent Cheryl Pedisich didn’t hesitate to sign off on the project.

“We acknowledge the important correlation between wellness and job effectiveness and satisfaction,” Pedisich explains. “Providing the opportunity to decompress and participate in wellness activities and workshops is not only healthy but rejuvenating. Ultimately, our students benefit from educators who are happy, supported, and devoted to their profession.”

Finding Balance without Burnout

Most teachers, at some point, will experience burnout and worry about their wellness. But, that doesn’t mean burnout needs to define how teachers cope from day to day. There are many things they can do to make sure that their burnout is short lived. Using the above methods and techniques will help any teacher focus on their wellness goals.

From eating healthier to getting a good breath of fresh air twice a day, teacher wellness is important. After all, students are our future, and teachers are the ones making the most significant impact. So, they need to stay at the top of their game. They need to find that coveted balance between work and social life. And, they need to find internal zen that will help them remain confident in their abilities to teach.

So, take that teacher wellness day, and don’t feel bad about it. You work hard and you deserve the break. And, most importantly, those around you (especially students) will thank you for focusing on you so that you can focus more on them. Be proud of your talents and career and take a step forward by focusing on your wellness today.

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Parents Networking for Better Education