Anonymous
Post 08/15/2013 10:53     Subject: To kindergarten teachers- how can we parents partner with you?

Don't use the word "partner" as a verb. It makes you look like a douche, and teachers hate douchey parents.
Anonymous
Post 08/15/2013 09:59     Subject: To kindergarten teachers- how can we parents partner with you?

With regards to adoption, some teachers are open to have parents come into to talk about their family's heritage (ie famlies come in to talk about their country of origin or talk about special holidays they celebrate) or to read a favorite story to the class. If your child feels comfortable talking about adoption maybe that could be a good time to do so, as a lot of children living with bio families have and an incomplete understanding or huge misconceptions about how adoption works since their understanding of it might come from the media.

However you need to make sure your kid is on board with talking about their personal history. It should be their call.
Anonymous
Post 08/14/2013 22:55     Subject: Re:To kindergarten teachers- how can we parents partner with you?

Oh come on. Even the teachers and principals at our school acknowledged that a once a year conference toward the beginning of the year was not enough but was all the budget could allow. An email or two a year shouldn't make a parent a PITA.
Anonymous
Post 08/14/2013 21:54     Subject: Re:To kindergarten teachers- how can we parents partner with you?

The adoption, no one will care about. I have no idea when and how the adoption would even come up in a conversation with the teacher. As far as partnering with the teacher (I am not a teacher, but my child will be going into the first grade), I say volunteer if you can and if you can not (I could not), then donate as much as possible. When donations were asked for supplies, I always gave. I never emailed, talked to the teacher (except for that conference in the beginning of the year), or anything. It was not necessary. From working with my child at home, I could tell my child was learning and progressing.
Anonymous
Post 08/14/2013 21:14     Subject: To kindergarten teachers- how can we parents partner with you?

She is in school now. Her adoption is her story to tell, or not tell, as she sees fit. No one's business but hers.