Nurturing Positive Relationships at School
Back-to-school is a crucial time in the lives of young primary school students. Developing deep positive relationships with students is essential to fostering student well-being. As important, making every student feel valued, empowered, supported and joyful throughout their school creates the conditions for each one of them to learn.
Proactive, caring support from families and educators alike is key in these early weeks and throughout their schooling. This starts with supporting children through any anxiety they may have about the start of school, and working to build positive, proactive communication between parents, teachers and students.
Keeping old friends, making new ones
When starting school, young students may fear not being able to make new friends, or losing the ones they already have. As school begins, my advice is always to reassure your children about their ability to make friends and also to talk with them about the importance of conviviality and openness to others.
Even if your children are placed in a different class from their current friends, this doesn’t mean the end of their old friendships. It may seem obvious, but it bears repeating: plan playdates outside school to maintain these links! New friendships will also be formed in their new classrooms and activities.
The essential parent-child-teacher relationship
Some children may express fears or concerns about their teacher at the start of the school year. Be sure to take these concerns seriously, but also to reassure them.
Communicate openly with your children and allow them to share any concerns about the teacher. Listen carefully to what they have to say and show them that their feelings are valid and understood. It can be tempting to minimize a child’s fears, but try to avoid that. Instead, take them into account and offer a safe space to express them.
Teachers are here to support you and your child. In case like this one, I always recommend that parents get in touch with the teacher in question. Set up a meeting in person or by phone. Open communication will help you learn more about how the teacher manages their class, their pedagogical approach and their philosophy of interacting with students. It can also help to dispel any concerns based on misunderstandings or incomplete information.
Once parents have had a chance to talk to the teachers and gain a better understanding of how they work, they can then pass on this information to their children. Highlight the teachers’ qualities and expertise, emphasizing the positive aspects of their personality and teaching. Encourage the children to approach this new experience with an open and curious attitude.
In closing, right from the start of the school year, it is essential to create a climate of trust between the children, parents and teachers. By supporting the teachers with your children, parents send a clear message that they believe in the teacher’s ability to care for and support their students learning. Children can then feel secure and understood at school, which is fundamental to their academic and emotional development.
This article is one of three by Vannina Boussouf to support Primary School families as the new year begins. Look for the next one on Sunday, September 10th.
About the Author :
Vannina Boussouf grew up on the Mediterranean island of Corsica, where bilingualism is an integral part of identity. She studied English and Spanish at the University of Corsica, and philology and letters in Cordoba, Spain, before starting a career as an elementary teacher and administrator. Vannina relocated to the United States in 2004, where she taught at the International School in Louisiana. She joined the Lycée in 2007 to direct the Primary School, and during her tenure, she has focused on innovative teaching methods that support the development of the whole child in a bilingual setting.