A student’s learning is impacted significantly when teachers and parents work together. However, developing relationships can be challenging.
Teachers can invite students’ families to participate in classroom-wide announcements and events, and also offer open communication channels such as email, text messages, and video conference software. They can also schedule meetings during student pick-up and drop-off times.
1. Listen to Your Students
When parents feel comfortable talking with teachers, they’re more likely to share concerns about their child’s academic performance and behaviors. This allows teachers to address a student’s challenges collaboratively, rather than viewing the issue as one side versus the other. For this reason, teachers should work to establish effective lines of communication early in their careers by taking a nonjudgmental approach and learning how to communicate with diverse families.
For example, when meeting new students’ parents, teachers should put their best foot forward by introducing themselves, making eye contact, and asking a few “get to know you” questions. This will help make the parent feel valued, which in turn can encourage them to engage with their child’s learning at home and support the teacher’s instruction.
Additionally, when a student shares a challenge with a teacher, the teacher should be ready to discuss how they can support the family in meeting the challenge head-on. This shows the student that the teacher cares about their progress and is willing to collaborate to find a solution.
To foster productive conversations, teachers can also teach their students how to be good listeners by establishing listening guidelines early on in the year and practicing them frequently. For example, they can incorporate the acronym SLANT (sit up, lean in, ask and answer questions, nod your head, track the speaker) to reinforce that active listening is the key to a successful conversation.
Furthermore, a teacher can encourage their students to speak up during class by providing skeletal outlines and knowledge checks throughout the lesson so that students don’t have to split their attention between listening and taking notes. Lastly, they can use short activities and feedback to help students practice their listening skills in small groups or on a 1-on-1 basis with a peer.
Finally, to reach parents who may be struggling with other personal or professional commitments, teachers can offer multiple ways for them to communicate with their students’ teachers, including in-person meetings, email, and phone calls. For instance, when in-person meetings were disrupted due to the pandemic, high school history and journalism teacher David Cutler started sending out short, introductory videos via email to introduce himself and his course syllabus. This allowed him to share his personality and warmth with parents while still communicating essential course information.
2. Share Your Knowledge
Regardless of whether students are in preschool, elementary school or middle school, parents and teachers need to be able to communicate. This is particularly true when it comes to sharing information about the student’s progress. Teachers may use a variety of tools to communicate with families, including annual open houses, parent-teacher conferences and written notes that are sent home each day.
Teachers who are able to establish a two-way communication relationship with their families have more success at helping their students learn. However, this type of communication can be challenging for teachers who are not trained in communication skills.
When communicating with families, it is important for teachers to consider the unique characteristics of each family. For example, some families may prefer to speak in person or email rather than text or call. This is especially true for families that have limited access to technology or those who are not accustomed to receiving information electronically. It is also helpful for teachers to be aware of the nuances of language, culture and traditions when communicating with families.
The way a teacher communicates with parents can make all the difference in building a trusting partnership. Teachers who communicate clearly, concisely and professionally are able to build trust with their families and provide them with the information they need to support their child’s learning.
This can be done by introducing yourself, establishing expectations and providing relevant information as soon as you begin working with a new family. Teachers can also help their families feel comfortable by being aware of the nuances of language, culture, and tradition and using a respectful tone in all communications.
Finally, it is important for teachers to remember that parents have a role in helping their children achieve academically and socially. Therefore, teachers should be willing to work with parents to develop a collaborative approach to learning that includes both sides bringing in their expertise.
It is also helpful for teachers to take advantage of technology and online resources that can help them share information with parents and families. For example, ClassTag has a parent newsletter feature where teachers can curate all the noteworthy observations they want to share and send them out to parents in a weekly update. Parents can then respond to those comments or add their own.
3. Encourage Your Students
Students are more likely to be enthusiastic about learning if they feel their efforts are being appreciated. Encouragement goes a long way in making students feel valued and important, and teachers can help to promote this in their classrooms by providing positive feedback.
When giving student feedback, avoid negative language and focusing on mistakes and weaknesses; instead, use affirmative statements like “nice work”, or even “I love the way you think outside the box”. This positive reinforcement will help to boost students’ self-esteem and give them confidence that they can be successful in their learning.
Teachers can also reinforce their students’ learning in a variety of ways by providing them with the resources they need to succeed. This includes allowing students to work in pairs or small groups, using different methods for presenting material (such as audiovisual presentations), taking the class outdoors, and encouraging students to share their knowledge with one another. These activities will not only improve student engagement, but can help to build teamwork skills and social competence.
Parents can also support their children’s learning by attending teacher-parent conferences and information sessions, as well as by supplementing lessons at home. They can also provide encouragement and support in a variety of ways, such as encouraging their child to study more at night or assisting them with difficult homework problems.
It is important for parents to know that they can reach out to their children’s teachers if they have concerns, and the teachers will be more than happy to talk about these issues. It is also vital that both teachers and parents respect the other’s point of view, listen actively, and communicate clearly.
When teachers do have to discuss a student’s academic progress or behavior with parents, they should be prepared to discuss the strategies they have already tried in order to address the issue, and to offer suggestions for moving forward. This will make parents feel that their input is valuable, and it will help to foster a collaborative environment where both parties are working together toward the same goal.
4. Encourage Your Students to Communicate
Teachers who prioritize two-way communication will see a host of benefits in their classrooms. Students will be more likely to work with and reach out to teachers they trust, while parents will feel like their insights are valuable and appreciated. When students and teachers are able to cultivate strong relationships, they can then focus their efforts on helping children achieve their academic potential.
Getting to know your students and their families is key to effective communication, which means knowing how each person prefers to communicate. For example, if a student’s mother prefers to call or text instead of email, it is important for the teacher to let her know and then adjust accordingly.
Also, teachers should make sure to keep in mind the time constraints of parents when determining how frequently to communicate. Too often, teachers are overly eager to share all the great things their students are doing and neglect to take into consideration that parents may have to juggle many responsibilities outside of school.
When a teacher shares bad news with a parent, she should be prepared to explain not only what she has already done to mitigate the problem but also what other possible solutions she would like to try. This will show the parents that she values their input and is willing to be flexible based on their feedback.
In addition to fostering trust, it is also important for both teachers and parents to remember that what they discuss with each other is confidential. The last thing a teacher wants to do is leak out information about their students to the wrong audience, which can damage both their reputations and their relationships with their families.
When it comes to nurturing students’ social development, a student’s home life is just as important as their school environment. Parent-teacher communication plays a key role in both, and when parents and teachers communicate effectively, they can create the best learning environment for their students. Whether it is discussing homework or explaining complicated classroom topics, parents can help their students grow by supplementing their education and providing extra support when needed.
