During our EdCamp time, I engaged with a few different topics however I was most drawn to the discussion on communicating with parents/guardians as an educator. Looking to the future and my career as a teacher, communicating with parents does feel like a somewhat daunting task. Sharing goals and intentions with parents is certainly a necessary component of our jobs as educators however, where to start with such communication can feel overwhelming.

First and foremost, start on a positive note. Right away, at the beginning of the year, start establishing strong relationships and clear networks of communication. Starting off the year this way helps to build a strong foundation for parent-teacher communication. In an Edutopia article, Paige Tutt provides a number of tips to start communication on a positive note including;

-determine families’ preferred methods of communication (not every parent/guardian likes email communications)

-add a personalized touch when communicating (teachers are human beings! Tell families something about yourself)

-ask guardians for any important information about their child/children (send home a little get to know your child survey asking for anything parents think/would like you to know about their child)

-try connecting outside of just emails or phone calls

As a group, we felt it may be helpful to send out an introductory letter to parents letting them know about your policies and practices as a teacher and the goals you have for the class. This way parents can get an idea of what their children will be experiencing right from the start. Another idea discussed during the EdCamp was creating and sending out weekly newsletters to parents that provide them with information about the class, what happened that week, what students were learning etc. This is a good way for parents to be engaged in their child’s education and keep track of what has been happening. Now creating a weekly newsletter certainly may not be for everyone and may not necessarily be useful to all parents. An alternative to this is simply sending out a weekly email with 3 categories:

1.) Need to Know – important information for parents such as upcoming events/field trips, materials/information students need to bring to school, etc

2.) Want to Know – this information can be a little more specific such as what may be addressed in certain subjects the following week, or that the class will be working on a collaborative project with another class

3.) Nice to Know – this information is more enjoyable/fun to know, for example, possible class achievements

Providing these 3 different categories allow parents to choose what information they would like to engage with. Next, it is important to communicate with parents/guardians about more than just bad news! No parent wants to pick up the phone to constantly hear about problems/bad news, you need to let them know about positive experiences/information too! Inform parents about student progress and achievements, let them know about positive events that take place in your classroom. Related to this, let parents know you care about their children and how they are doing. Put effort into communicating a child’s progress and your expectations for them with the parents.Lastly, open up your classroom to parents/guardians/families. Your classroom isn’t a closed-off setting where what children are doing is a mystery! Welcome your students’ families into the classroom to share skills they may have or traditions they engage with. Learning from others can be an extremely enriching opportunity for everyone involved. Make your classroom a point of entry where both your students and their families feel welcomed and included.

Photo by Tim Marshall on Unsplash

Resources:

American Federation of Teachers. (2007). Building Parent-Teacher Relationships. https://www.readingrockets.org/article/building-parent-teacher-relationships

Tutt, P. (2021). Teacher-Parent Communication Strategies to Start the Year off Right. https://www.edutopia.org/article/teacher-parent-communication-strategies-start-year-right

9 Ways to Improve Parent-Teacher Communication. (n.d.). https://www.waldenu.edu/online-bachelors-programs/bs-in-elementary-education/resource/nine-ways-to-improve-parent-teacher-communication