Let's Hear It For he Parents!

One of the things that impresses me about our parent community is the commitment to do the best for their children. This shows itself in a number of practical ways.
· Providing the things their children need for school.
· Coming on school trips.
· Emailing or writing notes with helpful information to help me better understand their child.
· Giving their child the experience and responsibility of looking after the class pets for a weekend.
· Signing the homework sheet and writing little comments that show they are aware of and proud of their child’s achievements.
· Letting their child bring special or expensive treasures to school (e.g. valued books, digital cameras) that will help them with their learning.
· Asking for ways they can help their child at home with spelling or maths.
· Being part of the P.T.A.

It is apparent in the way another parent does road patrol supervision to help keep all our kids safe.
It has also been reflected in several conversations with parents last week—and the great questions they were asking and comments they made. After years of teaching I am convinced that the right emotional climate , including the classroom emotional climate, is an important part of creating a great learning environment for a child. When the child feels safe and cared for they are more able to face the challenges of learning. For instance they are more likely to ask questions if they know that others won’t think that they are “dumb”. A child will offer their ideas and views in a discussion if they know that what they say will at least be accepted, even if it is not agreed with.
I appreciate the way that the parents of the children in Room 4 help set the Room 4 emotional climate. For instance it is demonstrated in the way one parent often arrives at school early and sits and reads with their child on the big comfy chair in our library corner. It is great to see others, where it is part of the family culture, give their children a hug or kiss goodbye. (Yes—It is also normal for some of the older Room 4 children to be at the “It’s embarrassing “ stage, and so we don’t deliberately set out to embarrass our children.)
So this week I simply want to thank all of you as parents for your interest, and the way you support, encourage and nurture your children, and how, in turn, it makes being your child’s teacher a rewarding and satisfying experience.

Have a great week,

Peter Corlett