Tiffany Boley is a Title I Interventionist, assistant track coach, event & wedding planner, #DENstar, #AKA1908, and the Founder/Moderator of #title1edchat.  Connect with her on Twitter at @tiffbutton.

Today, parents have so much to worry about when it comes to helping their child become successful in life. And parents aren’t in this fight alone. When they send their child to school, they are trusting the teacher and administrators to protect them and provide them with a quality education. Everyday, parents and teachers are going in the ring with students and fighting this battle against life because the struggle is a little bit harder than it was back in the day. There are many factors that can affect the academic success of a student if they do not have a strong and positive tag team there in the fight with them. So, let’s talk about the fight we are up against and what parents and teachers can do to help students win

Round 1: Tag Team vs Bullying

Bullying is very real. It happens everyday, mentally and physically. It’s important for parents to make sure they are talking to their child on a daily basis, watching for mood changes, as well as drastic academic changes. Recognizing the signs can prevent serious incidents down the road. Parents can tag the teacher in at anytime to assist with any concerns that they have if they suspect their child is being bullied. The teacher can pay attention to the signs and talk with the child as well. That is why it is very important from day one to build a trusting relationship with your students. 

Round 2: Tag Team vs Academic struggles

It is the job of the teacher to educate each child equally, but not the same. Where one student need has to be met in one area, another student need may be elsewhere. We have to meet them where the need is. Each student should be provided with equal effort, support, and leveled material to help them succeed academically. Teachers can tag parents in at anytime by communicating the struggle and concern to them. Parents can help by reading with their child daily, helping with homework where possible, and using available resources provided to them through the school. Doing this on both parts will benefit students academically.

Round 3: Tag Team vs Peer Pressure

A rather large study done by CREDE (the Center for Research in Education, Diversity and Excellence) suggests that peer groups are highly influential during early adolescence but that peers are less influential as kids get older.

Peer pressure plays a major role in elementary through high school. Kids think they have to fit in to be “cool”, or they are just curious and want to try something new because everybody is doing it. They are faced with it everyday from the way they wear their hair to the type of book they are reading. It’s important for parents to instill positive self thoughts to their child on how they should be their own person, love their self, and not change for anybody. Teachers can support parents with this by helping students identify skills needed to resist negative peer pressure and help them to develop a circle of positive peer influencers.

Tag Team= 3 Life’s obstacles=0: It’s a K.O.!

The parent/teacher relationship should be so strong that they are working together to do everything they can to not let life’s obstacles prevent students from being winners and being successful. Does that mean that teachers and parents have to talk everyday? No, but I think once a week or biweekly is doable…acceptable…commendable. So, ask yourself, how many K.O.’s does your tag team have under its belt?