I know you think you know what I'm going to say.
"Consistent communication with parents is key to student success".
It's not wrong. I actually do agree with this sentiment, and I do communicate regularly with parents in my classroom (more on this later).
However, in almost a decade in the classroom, my most important and most effective parent teacher communication strategy isn't a strategy at all.
Each and every time I pick up the phone or write an email to a parent or guardian regarding their child's behaviour, academic success, etc. I ALWAYS take a moment to remind myself that I may be frustrated, confused, disappointed (insert all other emotions here) by the student's behaviour or progress, but no matter how I feel personally, this student is their CHILD.
The number one tip I give to all new teachers about parent communication is this: Make sure the parent knows that you care.
Making this clear from the very beginning, helps to put parents and teachers on the same page and remind us all that we all have the same goal: we ALL want the student to succeed and we ALL want to help.
This simple tip has served me extremely well and although it is simple, I credit the successful parent relationships I've built over the years to it.
Now, back to what I mentioned earlier about consistent communication with parents. I absolutely believe this is also important in nurturing that parent teacher relationship and ensuring that all parties are kept aware of student progress and behaviour.
There are many ways to do this including parent phone calls, emails, notes in the agenda, or even a class website.
My personal favourite is using a class calendar. I send home a weekly calendar each Friday with details about what's to come the next week. This helps everyone prepare for the week ahead, limits questions about due dates and assessment dates, and ensures I leave on Fridays with my week PLANNED. Win, win, WIN!
I also send notes home regularly for missed work, reminders and of course to spotlight the GOOD as well (this is soooooooo important!).
If you'd like to use the templates I use in my class for my parent communication notes and class calendar, click the image below to learn more.
Happy Learning!
Stephanie
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Thank you for reading!
Stephanie
