English teacher Sean McComb, named the 2014 National Teacher of the Year, has some advice for parents this back-to-school season. 

To build relationships with their children's teachers, he told Parade, parents should stay connected and be open to constructive criticism.

Raised by a single, alcoholic mother, he was a high school sophomore when he began spending long stretches after class at the school television station to escape a difficult life at home, reported Parade. He grew close to the station’s charismatic faculty supervisor, who became the adult role model McComb never had.

McComb, in turn, has become a great role model for his own students.

“I tell kids that I’m their teammate, and that they can make it,” said McComb, whose energy and commitment to kids are legendary at Patapsco High School and Center for the Arts in Dundalk, MD.

See the full story to read all of McComb's advice for parents.

Article by Celine Provini, EducationWorld Editor