He’s very enthusiast, but he candidly he told us: “I don’t know anything about single parent families. So, I’m reaching out to both of you as experts. I want to do a super job for all my students. What do I need to know to work effectively with single parent families?”

We’re all gearing up for the start of school – and we’re glad to offer this fledgling teacher some advice.

Families are different. Don’t assume that all of your students live at home with both mom and dad. Things at home may have changed since parents filled out the school enrollment forms.  Ask kids who they live with, and they’ll gladly tell you.

Communication is key. Make sure you have contact information for both parents (or responsible family members). Each parent has the right to receive all school communication no matters where the child may live.

Don’t jump to conclusions. This was a big issue for me. When my kids had school difficulties,  some teachers were quick to blame things, like a messy desk or confusion with multiplication, on our status as a single parent home. When a teacher said “broken home” I just saw red. Please ban that nasty phrase!  Be open to new perspectives on different types of parenting challenges.   Solomother shares her perspective today on the difficulties her first grade son faces this school year.

Give parents time to plan. It’s a burden when, as a parent, you get a note saying: “Your child needs to bring in a set of colored pencils.” Or, maybe it’s a last-minute class snack; or supplies needed for a diorama. Often, money is tight. And there just isn’t another adult around to take charge at home while the other parent makes a dash for the  store. Most of us maintain tight routines at home, so it’s great when school assignments follow a pattern so we don’t have to keep tweaking our schedules.

Of course, this teacher is not the only one facing a challenging new situation.

We understand that some of you coped with some tough changes at home this summer. Maybe your divorce is now final? Or, you got remarried? Perhaps you’ve just moved to a new neighborhood?

What would you like your kids’ teachers to know about how best to work with your family?

Do you have any additional tips for this enthusiastic young teacher? Thanks!

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One evening, his son came home very excited: he’d found out that his math teacher had a Facebook page. And he had a plan:

“Look!” his son exclaimed, “Isn’t she hot, Dad? You should definitely ask her out.”

Because his son was not Facebook friends with this particular teacher, he could not see her entire profile. But after seeing a glimpse of her profile photo, Dad did not deny this: she looked stunning in her skimpy bathing suit.

Still, this Dad wondered how to respond to his son’s well-intentioned suggestion. What was our first reaction?

No one but you should make the rules in your life. That said, we caution any parent from dating one of your kid’s teachers. We see this as an irresponsible parenting choice for one reason:

The potential for drama and fall-out on your kid is just too big a risk. We’ve posted comments on other sites stressing our belief that it’s crucial to have boundaries when it comes to your child’s school. We believe that school is “your kid’s place” — not a pick-up spot or a romantic opportunity for you.

No doubt, social networking is such a big part of life today that more and more social circles are intersecting. So, we’re curious if you are friends with any of your kid’s teachers on Facebook. (Rachel at Single Mom Seeking, for example, is Facebook friends with a handful of her child’s teachers!)

Or, maybe you are a teacher on Facebook?

We’re wondering: Have any of your kids ever tried to look up and befriend their teachers?

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