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On the Same Team
Forging A Partnership with Your Child's Preschool Teacher By Judy Molland
Despite your natural urge to be intimately involved with your child's classroom on the all-important first day, most teachers advise against this. "The separation issues will be worse if parents hover at the classroom door," says Rosemarie Clark, M.Ed., a parent and co-author of The School-Savvy Parent. "Instead, why not give your child a photo of yourself, or an object such as a piece of blanket, to help him feel secure." If parents hesitate, this tells the child that the school is not safe. A cheerful good-bye will help your child enter the classroom with confidence and send the message that you trust the teacher -- important for getting communication off on the right foot.
Ongoing Communication
While hanging around too long in the first few days may not be a good idea, most teachers welcome the idea of parents spending a few minutes in the classroom as the year progresses. "If you are lucky enough to be the parent that takes your child to school in the morning, or picks her up in the evening, then you have numerous opportunities to establish a good relationship with the teacher," says Farber. "In the evening, the teacher might mention something in passing like 'Oh, Megan was really talking a lot to the other children today,' or 'Jose was so happy, he was joining in the singing,' or whatever tidbits might come across just from this casual meeting, every day. And that day-by-day interaction with the teacher can be wonderful." 
Sometimes teachers send home projects that the children have worked on, which is one way of letting you know what your child is doing. There are often bulletin boards in the classroom, announcing what the class is working on this week, or maybe a weekly or monthly newsletter that goes home, informing parents of what's going on at school.
Parent/Teacher Conferences
Most preschools schedule regular conferences with parents, usually at least twice a year, and it's important to attend these. When parents come to school at a teacher's request, they may feel anxious or nervous. But Clark reminds parents, "To work with their students, teachers must know as much as they can about each child's likes and dislikes. And parents know their children better than anyone." This is all about teamwork, and at that first conference, parents are establishing rapport with their teammate and figuring out how the team is going to work together.