Teacher's Children

As a teacher in a small school, you may have the privilege and responsibility of teaching your own children in the classroom. Teaching your own child can be both rewarding and challenging. It's a unique dynamic because you already have a personal relationship, and that can influence how your child learns and responds to instruction. Before the beginning of the school year, certain decisions regarding how you will relate to your child as a student will need to be made:

• Discuss and decide how your child will address you in the classroom. The term "teacher" may work well in many situations.
• Maintain ongoing dialog with your child about how classroom life is working.
• Be objective and fair-don't expect more of your child than you do of others in the classroom.
• Avoid showing favoritism-don't expect less of your child than you do others in the classroom.
• Make realistic expectations.
• Keep school time and family time separate. Remember children need their parent at home, not the teacher.
• Remember that your spouse also needs to participate in parent-teacher conferences.
• When conflicts arise at school, allow your spouse to be the parent so you can be the teacher.
• Remember that no matter how fair you are, teachers are often accused of "playing favorites" with their own child.