Tennessee teachers tell parents what NOT to do this school year

by cc-admin · August 13, 2015

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) – It’s back to school for many children in middle Tennessee, and that goes for parents and teachers, too.

Sometimes it’s tough to balance everything when you are a parent with a kid in school, so News 2 wanted to make things go a little smoother.

We asked teachers from all across middle Tennessee what things parents could avoid doing in order to make going back to school a little easier on everyone, including themselves.

Here’s their list of the top 12 things parents should not do:

Teachers are busy during school hours. Don’t text or call their personal number that they gave you while your kid is in school. Send an email or wait until after school.

If you want to come in and talk to the teacher before school, that’s fine. Just let them know a day in advance.

Don’t bribe teachers for good grades. Yes, teachers say parents offer all the time.

READ THE NEWSLETTERS! Parents seem to always say they don’t know about something and 90% of the time it is on that newsletter that teachers send out, several teachers said.

If your kid is sick, find a way to keep them home. Making up assignments is a lot easier than dealing with a sick kid all day while trying to handle 29 other kids.

Don’t have unrealistic expectations for your child’s teacher. “We try our best to give each kid individualized attention, but it’s hard sometimes,” one teacher said.

Don’t try to compare one teacher to the next. They’re all different and teachers have found what works best in their own classrooms.” We work together, but we work differently.”

Nearly every teacher said this one: Do not go straight to the principal if you or your child has a problem. Talk to the teacher first.

Teachers spend a lot of money of their classrooms and students each year. Just remember that.

Six out the 10 teachers we talked to said something similar to this: Some parents think their kid should get all their education from the teacher. Then when the kids get home, the parents do not want to help out.

Don’t wait until the end of the semester to get involved if your kid is struggling. Having a parent ask for last minute extra credit is an awful thing to do. “That’s not learning. That’s just trying to get credit for work you should have already done.”