3 Tips for Improving Teacher-Parent Communication
Hey, you! Here’s a fun fact: Did you know that 75% of teachers struggle with parent communication? Surveyed teachers mentioned in a recent study that they don’t know how to communicate certain topics with parents, don’t receive adequate support from them, and/or lack the resources they need in order to communicate more effectively with parents.
I’m not sure about you, but that number seems pretty high to me. In fact, I think it’s way higher than it should be. Luckily, with the 17+ years I have of experience working directly with parents, I have some tips for you that will help remediate this situation and get you more than prepared to communicate as well as possible with your classroom parents. Are you ready? 👏🏼
Tip 1: Build Confidence
When speaking to a parent, it’s important to remember their baby’s life and education is in your hands (no matter how old the baby is). I always lead my parent-teacher conferences with the following “sandwich” model:
Start with a praise/compliment about their child
Tactfully, but honestly, state the current situation or difficulty you are having with the child using facts only (things you have observed, no assumptions)
Then, provide sample solutions to the issue and get the parents involved
Ask them for their input and suggestions
Also, ask them for their help in redirecting or improving the issue at home
Later, end the conference by providing supporting resources (people or objects such as worksheets or websites) that might help the parents feel more secure and confident about your position in the class and as their child’s teacher
Thank them for their continuous support and make sure to follow-up in a timely manner
This method has worked wonders for me in the classroom and I’m sure it will help build confidence, trust and security in ways that will make your teaching experiences amazing!
Tip 2: Ask for Help
This is something I see quite often when visiting other classes and coaching educators. Many teachers are afraid to ask for help, support or even supplies for their classrooms. Often times, they have been previously mistreated by parents or have been told by their administration not to ask for anything.
Do you know what the problem is with this? That teachers NEED help. They NEED support and guess what? They NEED resources and supplies, too.
It’s all in the way you communicate with others. If you have made an effort to communicate effectively with the parents in your class, have made them involved in their child’s education, and made them feel like their opinion matters, then I can assure you they will do ANYTHING to make sure you have what you need.
Don’t be afraid to ask for help, my friend. It is what can truly make the difference for your kiddos! 💕
Tip 3: Gather Resources
Nowadays, there are TONS of ways you can communicate with parents! You can write notes, use apps, send emails, call them… the list can go on forever.
Whichever method you choose, I recommend using 1 resource or form of communication consistently. That doesn’t mean you can’t call them every once in a while or send a happy note home. It simply means to pick a form a communication that you will utilize daily, weekly or monthly (weekly is probably best) and be consistent.
I particularly LOVED these newsletter templates. They are editable so I was able to:
Pick a theme
Select the color or black/white option
Choose a template style
Type in the section headers and important information my parents needed to know
Print on colored paper or on white paper with colored ink
AND if I wanted to go digital, I simply:
Typed up my newsletter
Saved the slide as a PDF
Upload it to my classroom website, Remind app or sent in an email to my parents
Want to start using these newsletters with your parents? Don't miss our Editable Newsletter Templates - School Theme which includes 12 months of color and b/w templates with 4 different template styles. It also contains ideas for section headers and editing directions.
I hope this post on improving teacher-parent communication helps you feel confident in working with your classroom parents and creates better relationships among all! 💖
Questions about this unit? Please feel free to email me at chanty@chantymacias.com and comment below if you've already downloaded this resource to let me know how you used it in your classroom! 👏