The Parent-Teacher Team

Now that the kids are settled back in school, the parent-teacher team is ready to meet the challenges the new school year will bring. Working together, this phenomenal team uses similar strategies. After all, children respond the same way to the same interventions whether they’re occurring at home or school. Consistency across environments not only reinforces lessons, it also makes it easier and less stressful to do the learning.

For instance, it’s ideal that a child respects both his parent and his teacher. Halachah requires this respect, but how do the adults command it? Both parent and teacher need to explain the mitzvos involved in honoring and respecting parents. Then, both parent and teacher need to model the desirable behavior in order to facilitate learning (a parent or teacher who screams will obviously have more trouble teaching a child to speak softly and with restraint).

To encourage and maintain respectful speech, both parent and teacher will want to acknowledge and praise the desired behavior when it occurs (“You asked that very respectfully. I appreciate that”).

Finally, in the early days of instilling new behaviors, both parent and teacher will want to reward the performance of the desired behavior in order to help rapidly wire it into the child’s neural network (“And since you asked so respectfully, yes, you can take a short break now”). Model, teach, reinforce with positive feedback — it’s a winning strategy for both parents and educators. Inherently good-feeling, this approach helps children bond with their most significant guardians. The bond itself increases cooperation, compliance, and learning.