Positive parent-school communications benefit parents. The manner in which schools communicate and interact with parents affects the extent and quality of parents' home involvement with their children's learning. For example, schools that communicate bad news about student performance more often than recognizing students' excellence will discourage parent involvement by making parents feel they cannot effectively help their children. Parents also benefit from being involved in their children's education by getting ideas from school on how to help and support their children, and by learning more about the school's academic program and how it works. Perhaps most important, parents benefit by becoming more confident about the value of their school involvement. Parents develop a greater appreciation for the important role they play in their children's education. When communicating with parents, consider your remarks in relation to the three categories that influence how parents participate. For example, are you communicating about:
Substantial evidence exists showing that parent involvement benefits students, including raising their academic achievement. There are other advantages for children when parents become involved — namely, increased motivation for learning, improved behavior, more regular attendance, and a more positive attitude about homework and school in general.
Research shows that parental involvement can free teachers to focus more on the task of teaching children. Also, by having more contact with parents, teachers learn more about students' needs and home environment, which is information they can apply toward better meeting those needs. Parents who are involved tend to have a more positive view of teachers, which results in improved teacher morale.
Good two-way communication between families and schools is necessary for your students' success. Not surprisingly, research shows that the more parents and teachers share relevant information with each other about a student, the better equipped both will be to help that student achieve academically. Opportunities for two-way communication include:
Personal contact, including conferences, home visits, telephone calls, and curriculum nights or open houses, seems to be the most effective form of communication and may be among the most familiar. However, the establishment of effective school-home communication has grown more complex as society has changed. The great diversity among families means that it is not possible to rely on a single method of communication that will reach all homes with a given message. It is essential that a variety of strategies, adapted to the needs of particular families and their schedules, be incorporated into an overall plan. Some strategies to consider include:
Effective communication strategies involve:
Parents are not accustomed to hearing unsolicited positive comments from teachers about their children, especially in a phone call from the school. Imagine how you would feel, as a parent, if you were contacted by a teacher or the school principal and told that your son or daughter was doing well in school, or that your child had overcome a learning or behavior problem. When you make calls to share positive information with parents, be prepared for them to sound surprised-pleasantly surprised. Research shows that school-home communication is greatly increased through personalized positive telephone contact between teachers and parents. Remember, when a phone call from school conveys good news, the atmosphere between home and school improves. When you have good news to share, why wait? Make the call and start a positive relationship with a parent.
Sometimes, as a new teacher, it's difficult to make the first call to a parent or guardian. Preparing for the call will make it easier. Before making a call, write down the reasons for the call. One reason can be simply to introduce yourself to the parent or guardian. Here are several guidelines you can use as you prepare:
It is back to school season and in the midst of lesson planning, juggling assignments and trying to learn everyone’s name, it is easy for teachers to forget that parents and families can be of tremendous support. Here is an infographic along with some tips on how to foster relationships with the parents of your students.  First Impressions You want your encounters with parents to be warm and gracious. Try sharing tidbits about yourself. Provide food at a back to school night. You can never go wrong with free food! You can also try fun icebreakers with parents. Have them share their favorite school memories or share what they would bring to a show and tell. Two Truths and a Lie is a popular icebreaker and a great way for you to get to know the parents and for parents to get to know each other. Communication Techniques Most parents want to know how their child is doing so it’s important to communicate often and through various channels. You could use the standard email or phone call. You could also use apps like Remind, a platform where teachers can schedule and send reminders, assignments or homework. Class Dojo is another great communication app that you can use to update parents on their child’s progress. Other tools you could use include Google+ or Slack. There are many more apps you could use in your classroom. It’s important to declare your intentions. Discuss goals each of you have for the child for the school year. Try providing weekly updates on what’s going on in the classroom. For many parents, a phone call about their child is their worst nightmare. A positive call home letting them know how well their child is doing would be greatly appreciated. Learn from Parents Just as parents can learn from teachers; teachers can learn from parents. Listen to parents when they’re talking about their child. They may give you insights about the child that you were unaware of. As children get older, parents are not often asked how they can contribute or don’t know what to do. Let parents know how they can help you. Provide ways they can help at home and in the classroom. Try getting to know what skills, passions, and interests a parent has. Invite them to share their knowledge with the class. Be Resourceful When parents come with questions, point them in the right direction where they can find help. If you share a concern, be prepared to suggest resources. Another thing you can do is create a resource. Create a website with basic information such contact information; policies, supplies needed, and expectations that you have for students and parents for a successful year. Great platforms for building websites include WordPress, Wix and Weebly. If families do not have internet access, prepare a pamphlet or a newsletter and distribute them to parents. Explain Decisions and Invite Input Take the time to explain any instructional or any other decisions regarding the child. Many parents may not understand certain aspects of the educational system (i.e. standardized testing, curriculum choices, proper protocols). Educating parents who are unfamiliar with the education system makes it easier for them to understand what you’re doing and why. Also, invite parents to have inputs in decision making. Give them the information needed to form an opinion and listen to their solutions. Two heads are better than one and the parent may have knowledge you’re unaware of or come up with a solution that you may not have thought of. Final Thoughts Remember that the parent and teacher relationship should be a partnership. When parents and teachers can successfully work together to ensure a child’s success. It’s a win-win situation for all involved! |
What are some of the strategies teachers could use to establish positive relationships with families?
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