Improving Communication with Parents
Effective communication with parents can go a long way toward helping students achieve the goals you’ve set for them in school. Of course, there are a lot of parents to communicate with, so time-saving yet effective strategies are the key to making the most of your efforts. This week we provide simple ways to improve your overall effort.
This Week's Tips
Communicate with Parents Early in the Year (Monday)
Create a special packet for parents at the beginning of the semester to communicate class objectives, rules, and expectations about homework. Require students to deliver this syllabus to their parents. Be sure to indicate projects and exams so that parents are aware of weeks that may require extra effort by their kids. You can include information about how you can be reached and attach an extra sheet with parental contact information that can be returned by students (for credit!) and placed in their files.
Communicate with Parents Regularly (Tuesday)
When grading projects or papers, use a separate sheet of paper to write remarks. Include a "Note to the Parents" section at the end and take an extra minute to jot a note about the student's performance to parents. Try to do this several times per semester so that parents receive regular input about their child. This way parents know that you are interested in the performance of their child without you having to write volumes of comments.
Communicate the Whole Picture to Parents (Wednesday)
Communicate with parents about both positive and negative aspects of their child's academic performance. Parents who hear only negative things about their child's academic performance begin to expect only bad news from school and have little opportunity to help their child see what is working at school. Positive communications facilitate the parent-child relationship and may provide an "in" for a parent.
Communicate Specifics to Parents (Thursday)
Suggest specific actions parents can take to help their child improve performance, where appropriate. Because you are the subject-matter expert and parents may have little knowledge of the subject you are teaching, they may need suggestions from you. If a student doesn't seem to understand the subject, suggest review materials that the parent can get for their child. If a student is doing well in the subject, suggest extra curricular activities such as additional readings or clubs to get involved in.
Invite Parents to the Classroom (Friday)
Involve parents in the classroom when possible. Send an invitation to parents at the beginning of the year to solicit volunteers for classroom activities. Whether parents have an expertise in your field or can participate in a class project, create opportunities for parents or guardians to become active in the classroom. This lets parents know that you are interested in their help and want them to be active participants in their children's learning.
