Communication with parents is critical when in the classroom. The teacher needs to be in constant contact with the parents throughout the school year for a varitey of reasons. There are several activities that a teacher can do that allows for simple communication to take place with the parents, that does not consist of a phone call or email.
It is very important to make the parent feel welcome within a classroom; this will eliminate many potential problems in the future. One way to get a parent involved within an educational setting may seem like an easy one, however something as simple as parents sharing their goals with the teacher can go a long way. Ask parents “what do you think is most important for your child to learn this year?” (Davis & Yang, 2005, p. 36). With doing this it “engage(s) the parent in a meaningful way, but they set a tone of collaboration” (Davis & Yang, 2005, p.36). Since this is a conversation that should be had at the beginning of the year with the parents, it sets a nice tone for the rest of the year. It shows parents that you, the teacher, are willing to work with them, to better their child’s educational experience. Along with this, Linda Starr highlights that the first communication with parents should be a “positive one” (2011). Parents do not want to have the first form of communication with a teacher being the teacher complaining about their child, so asking for the parent’s opinion about the goals that they want their child to reach would be a fantastic way to “break the ice”.
Since communication has already taken place with the parent and teacher, it is important to know that it is a teacher’s job to inform the parents on how their child is doing developmentally. Don’t think, for one minute, that it is the right thing to do, to not inform the parent that their child is falling behind in coursework; this is information that they need to know. “As children grow and change throughout the year, it’s helpful to give parents a heads-up on what developmental issues might be coming up for their child” (Davis & Yang, 2005, p. 68). Something as simple as sending a letter home or an email will suffice in this situation. Just for a teacher to inform the parent that there is concern with their child’s development throughout the year, shows that the teacher truly cares about their own child’s well-being (Davis & Yang, 2005, p. 68). Also, with doing this, it updates caretakers with information that they may not know and I would give them a time that I am free for them if they have questions or concerns. Yes, the parents are around their child for most of their life and know most about them, however, it does not mean that they know everything, so it is important to keep them updated with their child’s progression.
So far, it is known that effective communication starts with a positive message about a student is the way to start. Also, updating the parents with the student’s progression throughout the year is a must. However, there are much more fun ways, other than just emailing back and forth, to communicate with parents and make them feel welcome within the classroom. I would want to invest time in inviting parents into their room to help with an assortment of activities such as reading circles, updating the class website, preparing learning center materials from home, or even skyping them while a classroom activity is taking place (Bantuveris, 2013). This may all seem like it benefits the parents, being allowed to participate within the classroom, however, it also helps the teacher. Allowing parents to participate within the classroom gives the teacher an extra adult to take a bit of the workload off their shoulders; both parties benefit from this practice. Another thing needs to be taken into consideration when inviting parents to work within the classroom; how valuable do they feel? I would make them feel valuable, give them something important for them to do so that they feel like they are making an impact, and lastly, I would show how appreciative the class is of them. Showing appreciation makes the parents feel great and makes them more willing to volunteer in the future.
When involving parents in the classroom, many things need to be considered. A teacher needs parental involvement, and they need to have good communication with parents, however, they cannot have control over your classroom nor can they take time away from teaching the students. Properly communicate with parents via email, phone call or within the classroom, do not text parents with questions or concerns. Communicating accordingly constructs the boundary of a professional relationship and personal relationship with the parents.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.2.1
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.2.1A
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.2.1B
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.2.1C
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.2.1D
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.2.6
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.2.8
It is very important to make the parent feel welcome within a classroom; this will eliminate many potential problems in the future. One way to get a parent involved within an educational setting may seem like an easy one, however something as simple as parents sharing their goals with the teacher can go a long way. Ask parents “what do you think is most important for your child to learn this year?” (Davis & Yang, 2005, p. 36). With doing this it “engage(s) the parent in a meaningful way, but they set a tone of collaboration” (Davis & Yang, 2005, p.36). Since this is a conversation that should be had at the beginning of the year with the parents, it sets a nice tone for the rest of the year. It shows parents that you, the teacher, are willing to work with them, to better their child’s educational experience. Along with this, Linda Starr highlights that the first communication with parents should be a “positive one” (2011). Parents do not want to have the first form of communication with a teacher being the teacher complaining about their child, so asking for the parent’s opinion about the goals that they want their child to reach would be a fantastic way to “break the ice”.
Since communication has already taken place with the parent and teacher, it is important to know that it is a teacher’s job to inform the parents on how their child is doing developmentally. Don’t think, for one minute, that it is the right thing to do, to not inform the parent that their child is falling behind in coursework; this is information that they need to know. “As children grow and change throughout the year, it’s helpful to give parents a heads-up on what developmental issues might be coming up for their child” (Davis & Yang, 2005, p. 68). Something as simple as sending a letter home or an email will suffice in this situation. Just for a teacher to inform the parent that there is concern with their child’s development throughout the year, shows that the teacher truly cares about their own child’s well-being (Davis & Yang, 2005, p. 68). Also, with doing this, it updates caretakers with information that they may not know and I would give them a time that I am free for them if they have questions or concerns. Yes, the parents are around their child for most of their life and know most about them, however, it does not mean that they know everything, so it is important to keep them updated with their child’s progression.
So far, it is known that effective communication starts with a positive message about a student is the way to start. Also, updating the parents with the student’s progression throughout the year is a must. However, there are much more fun ways, other than just emailing back and forth, to communicate with parents and make them feel welcome within the classroom. I would want to invest time in inviting parents into their room to help with an assortment of activities such as reading circles, updating the class website, preparing learning center materials from home, or even skyping them while a classroom activity is taking place (Bantuveris, 2013). This may all seem like it benefits the parents, being allowed to participate within the classroom, however, it also helps the teacher. Allowing parents to participate within the classroom gives the teacher an extra adult to take a bit of the workload off their shoulders; both parties benefit from this practice. Another thing needs to be taken into consideration when inviting parents to work within the classroom; how valuable do they feel? I would make them feel valuable, give them something important for them to do so that they feel like they are making an impact, and lastly, I would show how appreciative the class is of them. Showing appreciation makes the parents feel great and makes them more willing to volunteer in the future.
When involving parents in the classroom, many things need to be considered. A teacher needs parental involvement, and they need to have good communication with parents, however, they cannot have control over your classroom nor can they take time away from teaching the students. Properly communicate with parents via email, phone call or within the classroom, do not text parents with questions or concerns. Communicating accordingly constructs the boundary of a professional relationship and personal relationship with the parents.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.2.1
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.2.1A
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.2.1B
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.2.1C
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.2.1D
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.2.6
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.2.8