Even though many kids are already a few weeks into the school year, it’s never too late to establish open communication with your child’s teacher. From my experience, teachers are always grateful when parents (or students) take the initiative to reach out. One teacher even shared, “You are my favorite parent!”
While personalized notes are often associated with younger students, their benefits are valuable at any age. A simple introduction helps the teacher connect with your child and provides insights that can set them up for success.
If you're wondering what to include, here are a few key points to cover:
A brief introduction of your child, focusing on their strengths, interests, and temperament.
A summary of past educational experiences that might be useful.
Descriptions of any challenges they face and strategies that have worked well in the past.
Your commitment to collaborating with the teacher for your child’s success.
Your contact information and the best way to reach you.
We’ve created templates and sample letters you can download [here] to make this process even easier.
Why it’s worth reaching out:
You Get to Share Your Child’s Story: This is your opportunity to offer the teacher a well-rounded view of your child’s strengths and challenges. By sharing more than just their ADHD diagnosis—such as their learning preferences and behaviors—you help the teacher understand how to better support them in the classroom. Providing this context helps ensure your child gets the accommodations and encouragement they need to thrive.
You Build a Strategic Partnership: Reaching out fosters a collaborative relationship with the teacher, turning you both into partners working toward the same goal: your child’s success. When you and the teacher are aligned, it’s easier to identify potential challenges and develop effective strategies to support your child.
You Open the Door to a Stronger Student-Teacher Connection: Children often perform better when they feel seen and understood by their teacher. Sharing your child’s interests, hobbies, and what excites them outside of school allows the teacher to build a personal connection. A stronger relationship between teacher and student can help build trust and motivation, making school a more positive experience for your child.
For older students (8th grade and up), it can be especially helpful for them to write the email themselves, with your guidance. This empowers them to advocate for their needs and builds a direct relationship between the teacher and the student. We’ve included a couple of sample letters in the download [click here] to help guide your child through this process.
Whether you’re writing the email or helping your child craft their own, taking the time to send a thoughtful message can set the stage for a successful school year. It opens the door to collaboration and ensures your child has the support they need to thrive.
We hope this makes communication with your child’s teacher a positive and valuable experience.
Let us know how it goes—we’d love to hear from you!
Warmly,
Coco & Vicky
P.S. It's never too late to contact your child's teacher. You can download several templates and samples here: Letters to Teachers.
Click the image below to grab our FREE guide!
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