Communication between instructors and parents is something that many educators consider a must.
Even the most well-intentioned parents can come across as a low priority when they add late-night parent-teacher conferences, phone calls at lunch, and being ambushed after school when you\’re already hurrying to get to your co-curricular supervision.
As dedicated educators, we recognize that parents can be among your most valuable resources. Let\’s find out how to improve communication between parents and educators.
6 Ways to Improve Your Student-Teacher Relationship:
It\’s not until you become a teacher that you grasp how quickly your family will grow. Teachers spend a great deal of time with their pupils over the course of a school year, so the bonds they form with the children in their care are crucial.
Positive parent-teacher interactions are an outgrowth of these bonds and are crucial to the success of any school.
Building excellent relationships with the families of your students is crucial to maintaining an effective and enjoyable learning environment. If you follow the advice below, you can build a strong classroom community that benefits both you and your pupils.
1. One of the most important things to remember is to communicate:
Your mind should be racing with new lesson plans from the time you open your classroom for the new school year. Discovering your new students\’ identities, histories, and needs is probably near the top of your to-do list.
To ensure that parents are aware of your routines, expectations, and preferred ways of communication throughout the year, it is a good idea to create information for them before the start of the term.
A parent information night is often held in early September at most schools. You should take advantage of this chance to meet the parents of your students in person. Distribute the Parent Handbook and \”sell\” yourself to the parents as the child\’s instructor.
Maintaining constructive relationships with parents requires consistent availability for open dialogue throughout the academic year.
Here are a few suggestions for improving your communication skills:
Various modes of interaction –
How can we help families thrive? Is it better to call or send an email after school hours?
Consistency –
Do what you say you\’re going to do when you make a promise.
Communicate frequently and openly –
Having a class website or newsletter is a terrific method to be in regular contact with parents. This will keep parents informed about classroom activities without requiring you to contact them personally.
Just tell it how it is-
Both positive and negative school experiences should be shared with parents. They\’re not stupid, and they know it! Let them know that you\’re taking their kids on a learning journey, complete with successes and setbacks.
2. Work Together:
Kids are a common term used by teachers to describe the pupils in their classroom. When you consider everything that teachers do for their students during the day, it makes sense. Multiple roles, including teacher, counselor, mediator, team member, nurse, and collaborator. We have a strong sense of responsibility for the well-being of our kids and take every precaution to ensure that they have a positive school experience.
They may call themselves \”kids,\” but in reality, they belong to someone else. This is not a competition, though. Working together with the actual parents of our children is a fantastic method to provide them with the most positive and enriching educational experience imaginable.
Knowing that you and a parent are on the same page and working together for the benefit of your students is invaluable. Parents trust that you\’ll do everything it takes to help their child succeed in school, and you know they\’ll have their child back at home, reinforcing lessons and assisting with homework.
There are a few simple approaches that can facilitate parent involvement:
Prove that you understand their kid:
What they prefer and dislike, what they require, and what they excel at. Parents adore it when teachers acknowledge and celebrate their children\’s individual qualities.
Take preventative measures if you can foresee an issue:
Don\’t make parents wait until they get their child\’s report card at the end of the semester to learn about their child\’s difficulties. When a problem develops, get together quickly and solicit input on how to solve it.
You should be prepared to provide them with more details:
Because of your extensive teaching expertise, you are likely better equipped to handle some situations than a parent. You can expect them to enquire as to the methods you have already employed in an effort to resolve the issue. Give them something tangible they can utilize to aid their child even while you\’re still working with them.
Consult with them and see what they recommend:
A teacher can\’t know a student better than their own parents. Talk to the child\’s parents or caretakers if you\’re at a loss on how to reach out to them, what\’s bothering them, or how to handle a certain situation. This shows that you value their input in your child\’s education and fosters an atmosphere of mutual trust.
3. Prioritise sending upbeat messages:
Consider the most recent time you wrote a letter to your mum and dad. Where did that conversation take place, exactly? To request the return of an unreturned note? Want to get some new paper? Sharing news about an upcoming school activity with parents? Or the one that parents fear the most, informing them that their child has a problem.
It\’s a sad truth that maintaining a positive attitude isn\’t usually a top concern while talking to parents. Imagine if the only time you heard from your child\’s teacher was when there was a problem or when they needed something from you for paperwork. If you\’re anything like me, you\’d probably just skip over that email, convince yourself you\’ll read it later, and then forget about it entirely.
Our positive correspondence advice includes the following:
Put a letter of encouragement in each student\’s diary once a week. It\’s as easy as telling them how much their grin brightened your day.
Take a sticky notepad and circulate it among your pupils while they work. Put a note in your pocket to remind you of the incredible things you see. Put it in their journal and you won\’t have to worry about forgetting your compliments.
While grading, wander about with your smartphone or laptop and snap photos of anything noteworthy. Surprise your student with this when they return home from school by sending it to a parent through email.
Set aside time once a week to call five families and compliment their child on a great accomplishment. This is especially effective when a youngster has completed a challenging task, such as reaching a certain reading level.
Focus on the students who aren\’t the center of attention. Send a postcard home to show your appreciation for your child\’s efforts in class, even if you don\’t get to see their parents very often or have much to report to them.
4. Be cordial and competent:
The parent-teacher connection is one that should be cordial but always formal. Parents may assume they have all the answers when it comes to their child\’s education because of how well they know them. Parents will have less faith in your expertise if you don\’t present yourself professionally.
I know I said before that teachers and parents should work together, but you are the one with the education credentials. You are the one who has taught students of varying ages, intelligence, and backgrounds. Ignore the parents!
You may avoid coming out as cold, aloof, or domineering to your loved ones while yet maintaining your professional demeanor. Communicate with families in a way that is warm and assured, both verbally and in writing. Have faith in your own judgment and expertise.
Remember the following when interacting with parents:
Again, prepare.
If you want to persuade parents that you know what you\’re talking about in an interview, be prepared to back up your claims with evidence. If a student is struggling in English, provide them with an example of why they received a failing grade and an illustration of your minimum acceptable standards (with the student\’s identity removed, of course).
Speak to the common man:
You can sound knowledgeable without resorting to educational lingo. Do you feel comfortable explaining how you\’re tailoring your subitizing techniques to encourage their daughter\’s higher-level thinking? Or perhaps you\’d like to elaborate on how you\’re challenging their daughter by increasing the level of difficulty in your number recognition exercises. If parents don\’t get anything you\’re talking about, it\’s helpful to not treat them like idiots.
You shouldn\’t make yourself constantly accessible:
You shouldn\’t feel obligated to immediately reply to messages sent late at night or on the weekend. They\’ll get that you have interests and obligations outside of school as well. If you receive a message or email that requires a reply while you are away from school, simply say that you will get back to the sender as soon as you return.
When getting ready for Parent Teacher Conferences, keep these things in mind:
5. Show parents that they are valued and needed:
Parents will be grateful if they are invited to take an active role in their children\’s education. However, many educators find it overwhelming to have parents constantly coming and going from the classroom during the school week.
You should seize the opportunity with both hands if your parents are willing and able to lend a hand at school.
Without going overboard, there are a number of simple ways to involve parents in your day-to-day classroom operations.
Volunteers from the parent community may make a huge difference in a teacher\’s day:
So that no one feels left out or undesired, it\’s important to take the time at the beginning of the year to ask for parent-assistant volunteers and to prepare a roster for the year. Show them how you want them to help your pupils, and by the third week of class, they\’ll be doing it without thinking.
Get your parents involved by asking for classroom donations:
This need not be extremely costly. Used materials such as furniture, household goods, cardboard boxes, toys, puzzles, and books can all be put to good use in the classroom. You\’ll be helping the planet out in the process of upcycling and repurposing these resources.
Positive notes to send home –
for kids! Has a birthday kid brought in some really tasty cupcakes for everyone to enjoy? Has properly identified and named stationery been made available? Is there proof that a parent reviewed the assignment with their child and helped them grasp the material? Write your family and thank them for supporting you. The simple things parents do outside of school can have a big impact, and this is something they will enjoy.
6. Be careful not to take anything to heart:
My last piece of advice is brief but crucial. Avoid taking things to heart. Remember that the children in your care are not yours to keep just because you\’re a professional!
To a parent, their child always comes first. Listen to what they have to say, and set up a meeting if you need to in order to convey your side of the story. In most cases, parents have to rely on secondhand accounts from their kids at home. Sharing your perspective as the responsible adult in the room can help to resolve the conflict.
Bring in a Principal or Deputy to help out or give you some guidance if you need it. Explain to the parent why you feel a mediator is necessary. Make sure you try to fix the problem in a more intimate setting before calling for backup. When parents show up to a meeting and you bring in the big guns, it\’s easy for them to feel cornered. Always try to solve problems on your own before asking for assistance.
Demonstrate to the parents that you are a responsible adult by admitting when you are wrong. If you demonstrate a willingness to include parents\’ suggestions in your teaching, you won\’t lose their respect. All good teachers know that education is a lifelong pursuit. Demonstrate to the parents that you are a responsible adult by admitting when you are wrong. If you demonstrate a willingness to include parents\’ suggestions in your teaching, you won\’t lose their respect. All good teachers know that education is a lifelong pursuit.