Effective communication with children’s families Meet the Parents Effective communication with children’s families

Families today…. Different configurations and relationships; Parents overscheduled, and so are children; Products of a culture of entitlement; Consider the children helpless or gifted; Children are alone more; Expect the school to furnish many services.

What do we expect from parents? Support for school policies; Support for teachers’ decisions; Help with homework and assignments; Response to teachers’ notes, messages; Presence at school activities; Provision of school supplies, lunch, clothing; Supplement/follow-through with lessons; Accountability for children’s whereabouts

What do parents expect? Quality instruction; Order and discipline in school and classroom; Fairness; Individual consideration of the child; Updates on child’s progress; Communication of problems; Teachers’ presence at activities; Bang for the buck.

Communication media School/classroom newsletters Notes, letters Phone calls P/T conferences E-mails

When should teachers contact parents? Concern over academic progress; Behavior problems; Learning difficulties; Serious incidents that may involve health/safety Discussion of child’s accomplishments; Get acquainted; Reminders Schedule a meeting or conference

Hints: Written notes should be free of grammar, spelling errors. Your principal should see every note that goes home. Check that the note describes the child’s behavior, problem. It should not label the child.

More Hints NEVER give out your personal e-mail address or home phone number. Face-to-face is always best. Always be objective and focused on behavior; beware labels or names. NEVER prescribe a medical solution. Have sample of child’s work available.

Even more hints: Avoid argument; keep focused on the subject. NEVER compare siblings. Start meetings with a prayer. Don’t get personal; you’re the professional. Set up the objectives before the meeting. Check for understanding/use follow-up.

A note: Susie is usually prompt with assignments and works hard in class. Lately, however, she has failed to turn in assignments, and seems to have stopped trying hard to learn. Write a note to Susie’s parents describing the problem and suggesting a solution. Share your note with a neighbor and point out effective and ineffective points.

A phone call Kyle has been observed hitting other students in his sixth grade class. Several of his classmates have complained to you that Kyle threatens them with retaliation if they don’t share their homework and other assignments. Make a phone call to Kyle’s parents to share this information and discuss what should be done.

A conference Tiffany’s mother has called to schedule a conference with you. She won’t tell you what she wants to discuss. What do you do?

A conference Tiffany’s mother, a single parent, has been told by her daughter that you don’t like her because her father is not present in the home. Tiffany also has told her mother that you always make fun of her assignments because they aren’t always done on a computer.

Remember: Parents expect communication. Parents expect you to provide personal attention to their children. Parents expect you to know your material and your craft. Parents expect you to be fair in your handling of various situations. What goes on in the classroom is curriculum; what leaves the classroom is marketing.