Parent-teacher communication during the entire school year is a necessary step in ensuring student success. Getting parents involved with school can be done in several ways, one being giving them the opportunity to volunteer in some school organizations. Again, to keep the lines of communication open, parents need to be constantly informed and involved in everything their children do at school.
We have listed below some ways by which educators can ensure an excellent communication with parents;
- Open House – Open House or “Back to School Night” is a great way to keep parents informed and make them feel welcome. A packet of information that teachers can distribute to parents at such events can include contact information, school or class website information, educational objectives for the year, classroom rules, etc.
- Monthly Newsletters – Newsletters are simple ways to keep parents informed with relevant information. These newsletters can include monthly goals, school events, assignment due dates, extension activities, etc. It is always the best for teachers to include their contact information in progress reports, just in case parents have any questions about their child’s progress they may want to ask.
- Create and operate an Open-Door Policy – An open-door policy is one that will give parents the opportunity to help out whenever it is convenient for them. For working parents, it can be hard to find the time to get involved in their child’s education although they may want to. In such situations, teachers can incorporate technology since it is an easier way to get information out quickly.
- Parent Conferences – Meeting parents physically is the best way to communicate, and a lot of teachers often choose this option as their main way to communicate. During the conference, it’s important to discuss academic progress and goals as well as concerns parents may have with their child or with their education.
- Parent-Teacher Organizations – A great way for parents to interact with the teacher and school outside of the classroom is to become involved in parent-teacher organizations. Parents get informed about school events, classroom procedures, educational strategies, assignment dates, behavior, academic progress, or anything school related.
Research has shown that students do better in school when their parent or guardian is involved. Some parents may genuinely be too busy, so educators must make it easy and provide them with a variety of ways to get involved for the benefit of their kids.
Based on: http://k6educators.about.com/od/parentcommunication/a/Parent-Teacher-Communication.htm
