Parent-Teacher Communication

Parent-Teacher Communication Monica Drake Reflective Practitioner Spring 2008

Parent-Teacher Communication… WHY? • Why is parent-teacher communication so important?

Because… • Creates a relationship between the parents and the teacher • Likely to receive more parental support and involvement if parents are comfortable with the teacher • Keep parents updated on classroom goings on • Gives an opportunity for reminders and providing you classroom schedule • Provides both parents and teacher the opportunity to ask questions and receive answers as well as express any concerns or positive news.

Ways to Communicate with Parents • Written • (Newsletters, Emails, Blogs/Websites, Notes, Postcards) • Verbal • (Phone Calls) • Face to Face • (Conferences, Chat Time, Parent’s Tea, Monthly Chats, School Visits)

Before the Year Officially Starts… • Take the time to hand write post cards for each students in your class once you receive your final roster. • Creates an excitement for the year to begin and to be in your classroom for your new students • Starts an open line of communication between yourself and parents • Makes your students and their families comfortable asking questions or expressing concerns or news before the year starts • Feel free to include tips for a positive first day or suggestions of anything special to bring in or to expect in your classroom for the first day

Welcome Back to School Packet • This packet is handed out at Back to School Night: (example courtesy of Ms. Senatore, 4th grade teacher) • Teacher Information • Email, phone number, etc. • Grading • Explanations, homework guide and expectations, grading policy • Schedule • Scheduled field trips, assessment dates, daily schedule, early release schedules, class roster, birthday treat guidelines, specials schedule • Reading Log • Examples and sheets to photocopy if needed • Math Tips • Quotes, classroom philosophy, etc. • Explanation of Math Curriculum • Explains the program the class will be utalizing • Spelling Lists • Writing Traits, priority words, core words, word study examples, take-home word list example sheets

Early in the School Year… • Make a point to be available to parents for questions, comments, clarifications, or concerns • Hold a Parent Tea on the first Friday of the school year. Parents will be curious to see what their child has been doing the past week and this way there is a scheduled time for the parents to meet you officially (*Previous to Open House*). • These can be also held throughout the year! Students can make decorations, help set up food and drinks, set the table, help serve refreshments, etc. • Start a habit of having a page to take home each day that highlights something new learned, a favorite part of the day, etc. This can be done the last 5-10 minutes of the day. • This can be either sent home daily or students can save the pages for the end of the week, at which time a cover can be made and sent home as a mini-book.

Example “What I Did Today/This Week” • Today/This week I… • My favorite part of today/this week was… • *Students can either write single words, sentences or pictures depending on the grade level*

Written Communication • Newsletters: Most traditional way to communicate with parents. • The teacher can decide how elaborate or simple to make the newsletter. • Able to include many pieces of information in one document such as upcoming classroom events, important reminders, birthdays, new major concepts being studied, etc. • Downside is that you have to rely on students to pass these onto their parents. A suggestion is to send them home on Friday for the next week and have the parent sign and return a portion of the newsletter on Monday.

Written Communication • Online: • Websites and Blogs • Easy for parents to log on and see what is going on in the classroom. • Essentially you can put your newsletter online and parents access it themselves • Parents can leave general questions on a blog or website, this may help to answer questions that many parents might have • You can include a homework section that includes the day’s take home work or any make-up work that a students might need from missing class time • Online: • Email: • This can be the quickest form of communication for some families as parents may be able to answer while at work. • Works well for quick reminders and questions/answers • ELL parents might be more comfortable being able to write questions and answers if not comfortable with speaking English • Gives parents and teachers the opportunity to formulate their thoughts before sending • What do you feel are positives and negatives for emailing as a form of communication?

Written Communication • Written Notes Home • Daily notes home may be required for some students (behavior or emotional issues) • Remember that any communication with parents can express positive news, but hand written news can be personal and mean a lot to both students and their parents • Assignment Sheets • Useful too keep parents updated on student homework and projects • Have parents sign the assignment sheets to help with accountability at home • Tip: “We Missed You” Sheet: Outlines what a students missed during their time out of class. Includes subject, assignment, and a check when completed box. Have parents sign this as well.

Verbal Communication • Phone Calls • Great way to make a personal connection to parents • One of the best routes to giving congratulations or very positive news, at the same time can be good for initiating conversation about not so positive news • Downside: It can be difficult to reach parents during school day hours, so will often have to be made during evening hours

Face to Face Communication • Open House or Parent Tea • Initial contact for most parents, make it positive! • Monthly Chats • Hold chat time once a month or so with evening hours for those parents who cannot drop by before or after school • School Visits • Be prepared for parents to drop by before and after school to talk with you. If there is a serious issue to be discussed, have a time set so you can be prepared for the conversation. • Conferences • Scheduled by the school, generally twice per year. • Looong days :0)

Any Additional Ideas? • Has anyone heard about another idea to share?

Activity • There are certainly times when one way of communicating with parents is better than another… • How would you choose to communicate in these situations? • What way would you avoid? • Todd received a very high grade on a project, but you are not sure that he completed it on his own • A new field trip opportunity has come up, and you need parent volunteers to be able to go • Erin stayed in from recess to help a classmate who was having trouble finish an assignment on their own • Recently some of your class library books have been stolen, and you think it is Stephanie • Picture day is next week! • Joshua threw rocks at another student but deny it (very out of character for him) , and you want to know if something is going on at home to make this happen

Parent-Teacher Communication