1. Parent Communication with Purpose
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2. A Cartoon Comparison
Think back to when you were in school. If you brought home a bad grade, what did your parents do? Why are we seeing this shift?
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3. Current Trends Shift from blame on student to blame on teacher
In digital age, many are uncomfortable communicating on the phone or in-person
Role of social media/technology
In the technologically advanced state we are in, texting and ing instead of phone or face-to-face conversations have become the norm and people are not comfortable communicating in person, especially if it’s a tense situation. However, the tone of a text or can easily be taken the wrong way.
Social media and technology has made many teachers jobs more complicated. Now anything you say or can be posted immediately for the world to see. Facebook pages, even Life School’s, receive mean comments from people hiding behind their computer (goes back to the point about new trends in communication).
How has social media affected you as a teacher?

4. Parent Teacher Conference Video Example
If the video does not load, copy/paste the URL in your browser.
Even though this is an exaggeration of a parent/teacher conference, what would be three solutions you would have for this irrational parent?

5. Something to think about…
“The easiest way to communicate for you is the hardest way to communicate for the other person.”
The easiest thing for you to do may be to someone, but that may be the hardest for the other person because of how many s the other person gets. Which form of parent communication do you prefer?

6. General Tips
Start early
Have a communication plan at the start of the school year
Make the first parent contact within the first few weeks of school and make it a positive one.
Begin to build a relationship with students and parents early.
Be proactive
Contact parents before there is an issue.
Once there is an issue, do not wait to make contact.
During your contact, always find something positive to say.
Call, don’t , if there is a serious issue (failing, behavior problems, etc.).
Less likely to be misunderstood
Tone in can be taken differently than intended
Don’t be confrontational.
Use verbiage such as, “I understand where you’re coming from…”.
Be sensitive.
Reiterate you both want the child to succeed.
Be prepared.
Notes about past communication, problems, etc.
Be prepared to show examples to illustrate the point you’re trying to make
Know when to end the meeting.
Know when to end the meeting: if it is a tense situation and the parent will not calm down and you’ve tried to nicely make your point several times but you’re just not getting anywhere, it’s ok to tell them that you need to think about what has been discussed and suggest meeting again in the next couple of weeks.
Name a tip you would like to add to the list for good parent communication.

7. How to communicate…

8. Definitions: Terms to Remember…
Positive Sandwich: Start with a positive. State your concern. Then top it off with another positive!
Student’s presence: It is never too early to ask a student to sit in on all or part of the conference. The student needs to be able to answer for the choices they are making with their behavior.
Communication Plan: Create a plan for all parents so they understand how you will be communicating throughout the year. Give parents a chance to tell you the best form of communication for them!
How has using a “positive sandwich” helped you in a parent conference before?

9. …when a child is failing a class
Be proactive!
Provide Work Examples.
Use the “Positive Sandwich” approach.
Create a plan for communication.
Call as soon as you notice a struggle. Try for a face to face conversation rather than using or phone.
Have work examples present to show parents the struggle their student is experiencing.
Remember to start the conference with a positive, address the area of concern, and then end the conference on a positive note.
Create a plan with the parent for continual communication with the parent on how his/her student is progressing.
List one example of how you have been proactive with a parent to avoid a negative situation.

10. …when a child is having behavior problems
No surprises!
Documentation!
“Positive Sandwich”
Student’s presence
Communication Plan
Make sure to maintain good documentation and good communication throughout the year on all students, especially behavior problems.
Share an experience where you have had a student present in a conference and what the outcome was.

11. …during parent/teacher conferences
Relationships, Relationships, Relationships!
Positive Sandwiches
Allow parent time to communicate to you.
Listen
Be Professional
Sometimes allowing a parent to “vent” and question in a neutral setting can diffuse a negative outcome. Let the parent share his/her concerns and frustrations with you.
How do you work to form good relationships with your parents?

12. …through e-mail When emailing about a sensitive issue:
Be clear, concise and professional
Do not send long s that ramble
Be formal and use proper grammar
Explain the situation, present the facts, and offer a solution
If the issue is sensitive, most likely it is easier on both parties if you schedule a phone call or in-person meeting with the parent
Remember – is not confidential!
If you receive an upsetting , do not respond while emotional. Give yourself time to think thoroughly about your response.
Have a supervisor or trusted colleague read over the before sending it to make sure it sounds professional and appropriate.
REMEMBER: s are considered public record and can be pulled or requested at any time by a parent, with the proper documentation. (Open Records Act)
General s: be positive, upbeat, but still professional. If someone brings up an issue or “replies all,” respond separately.
Do not send long s that ramble: if a parent sends a lengthy , don’t respond with the same. Suggest a phone call.
In the past, how have you responded to an angry parent’s ?

13. Team/Partner Conferences
Think about inviting other teachers to the conference for support and another point of view
Meeting with parents as a team shows you are unified as a team and school.
Also think to include the counselor, 504 coordinator or a fine arts/specials teacher to share with parents
How might meeting as a team benefit a teacher during a parent conference?

14. When to get administration involved…
Difficult Parent Situations that you have tried to solve
If you’re unsure/need support
Parent is upset/not listening
Ask anytime for help/advice!
Reflect on a time you wish you would have had support during a conference, and how you would have handled it differently.

15. Practice Session (8 minutes)
Read through the following scenarios and think through how you would solve the problems.
Scenario 1: Parent teacher conference. The parent is extremely upset with the teacher because their child is failing their class. Confront the teacher and try to come to a solution.
Scenario 2: A teacher has received a very long angry from a parent. You decide it’s best to call to discuss. Act out a phone call you would make to this parent.
Scenario 3: A student is extremely disruptive during class. You’ve just started noticing this happening in the past couple of weeks and you’ve set an in-person meeting with the parent to discuss. Practice doing a “positive sandwich” during this meeting.
Work through all 3 scenarios. If you are with a group, work with a partner. Be prepared to share.
Share how you would handle all three scenarios.

16. Thoughts/Questions?? A few minutes for Q&A Thank you!
Make a list of any questions you have.

17. Communicating Effectively with Parents
Safety | Integrity | Professional | Data Informed | Innovative | It’s not just school. It’s LIFE.