Parent Communication can seem like a daunting task. At the end of a long day sometimes the last thing we want to do is spend more time on the phone, writing emails, or on social media.
But we have to remember one thing:
Parent communication is of the utmost importance. As a teacher, you want parents on your side and you want them to know how much you truly care for their child. As a parent, you want the security of knowing that the teacher understands you send them your most prized possession each day. As a part of the Back 2 School series I am sharing 4 parent communication tips to help make the task easier.
This is one of my favorite ways that I would communicate with parents. When I switched grade levels I just never got my page going again and I can honestly say that I missed it SO much. It was so simple to do.
A Facebook page allows you to easily share pictures with parents and show them the learning that is happening in the classroom! I could post reminders about the library, field trips, or even items left behind in the classroom. Be sure to have permission from your parents to post pictures, though. You probably also want to make sure your page is private. You can send direct links to parents to request to join. This will help protect your students.
You can do this monthly, weekly, or even at the beginning of each grading period. It’s the perfect time to remind parents of things and help them plan ahead. Check out my Editable Calendar and Newsletter Templates HERE.
I have always used a grade level newsletter for parent communication. This helped us stay on the same page as a grade level and also the task of writing one each week was never on the “to-do list”. One less thing to do? Yes, please!
In our time, text messaging is at our fingertips almost all day. Catherine, from The Brown Bag Teacher, uses this to communicate with her parents and has a few tips to share with you. Check out her post HERE.
At the end of the school year we always have had to turn in a communication log. Mine was simple and just kept me on track. I’m sure you have heard it said before to “build the bank.” I strive to make at least 1 positive contact for each student during the first 2 weeks of school starting. It’s good to reassure the parents of how much you care for their child, are excited about them being in your classroom, and appreciate them helping their child get back into the routine of school. It’s nice to be able to look back and see who you have reached out to in a positive manner or who is getting overlooked because they are just that awesome!
Grab this FREEBIE here to help you keep track of your contacts made!
No matter if you are a new teacher or have taught for 20-something years, parent communication is a priority and something that we should begin tackling early in the year! Use one of these parent communication tips to help you get the ball rolling and make the task simpler!
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If you are looking for more Back to School Tips and Ideas, check out my Reading Ideas, Science Notebook Tips, and Meet the Teacher Tips.
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I’m a K-1 teacher who is passionate about making lessons your students love and that are easy to implement for teachers. Helping teachers like you navigate their way through their literacy block brings me great joy. I am a lifelong learner who loves staying on top of current literacy learning and practices. Here, you’ll find the tools you need to move your K-2 students forward!
6 Responses
Amanda,
Loved your home to school communication ideas! I just opened a store on TpT and wanted to let you know about my Letters Home to Parents series. Each set contains ready-to-use letters home to use throughout the year. They can be purchased individually or as a bundle.
I hope you’ll check them out at http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Pizzazz-Learning.
Continued success to you!
Linda Schwartz
Pizzazz Learning
Thank you! I hope you have have a successful TpT journey!
Thank you for the communication log. I am always looking for easy. Do you keep it on a clip board, binder, in separate file? How do you keep it handy?
Hi Lisa!! I actually keep it in a small binder right next to my phone. The first page of the binder has a a list of the parent’s names and numbers and then I have a communication log for each child with a clear page protector behind it. In the page protector I keep all of the notes or things that that child’s parent sends to school. I like your idea of a clip board, though! That wouldn’t require you to open anything. I just like to keep everything that is sent communication wise and keeping it in one place is simple for me. 🙂