Through my research, I have found that many secondary parents feel that they have lost a great deal of communication with both the school and the teachers. I feel that through weekly e-mails and monthly newsletters, I would be able to keep communication up-to-date for the parents. Another loss in the classroom is parent participation. I plan on initiating a “Let Us Teach You” night, so students can present their recent work and show their parents what they have learned. I also plan on including a “Classroom Needs List”, on the newsletter, which will allow the parents to be involved, even if they are not physically in the classroom. Communication does not stop with e-mails. There are times that teachers need to call a parent as well as plan a parent/teacher conference. I believe that these are effective ways in keeping the parent involved as well as helping the teacher to insure each student is successful in their class. With the technology we have today, it would seem to be a waste to not incorporate as much as possible into the communication process. With that said, I would set up a blind copy weekly e-mail, that would provide the parents with information regarding classroom assignments, projects, due dates, etc. With this, it allows the parents to know what is going on in the classroom and what is coming up. I do not believe that the e-mail will be limited to just those items I listed, but can be an ever evolving system. Also, this allows me to know when an e-mail address no longer works, and provides me the opportunity to contact that parent to get updated information and to touch base with them regarding the classroom and their child. Another form of communication is a monthly newsletter. Again, it allows me a cha... ... middle of paper ... ... expectations. This is also a chance for the teacher to see if the parents have concerns and how he/she can assist the parents. The process of getting information to a parent, from a teacher, is an every changing and evolving dilemma. Add to that, the involvement of parents in the classroom, which becomes more and more difficult as students get higher in their education, and you end up with many gaps in the information highway. It is imperative that teachers continuously reach out to the parents in order to keep the communication lines open. In keeping parents up-to-date with the classroom expectations, and curriculum, and in reaching out to the parents to get them involved in the classroom, I feel that a teachers job is made easier, because with open communication, teachers and parents alike feel that they are working as a team to insure the students success.
Graham-Clay, S. (2005). Communicating with parents: Strategies for teachers. School Community Journal, 15(1), 117-129. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/195462342?accountid=34899
Communicating effectively with parents and students is important in order to be successful at teaching. Studies have shown that parental involvement in a student’s education allows for greater success in the classroom (Duarte, G, Cerda-Perez, E & Rosenberg, G 2007). Technology is beneficial in communicating with students and parents. The use of technology allows for students and parents to have access to current lesson plans as well as access to the teacher after normal school hours. This opens up doorways for the student or parent to ask questions about assignments and class discussions. The uses of classroom websites, e-mails, text messaging and student web sites are just a few examples of technology that is used to communicate with parents and students.
Effective communication is the foundation to building a trusting partnership and serves as a first step to other types of parent involvement . Families who receive consistent information about their children 's school performance, have a higher degree of commitment to helping children improve .When families and schools are on the same page, they can have a more concrete discussion around student progress to establish realistic goals and plans to support student achievement . I strive to have frequent contact with all families and use flexible communication strategies through multiple channels including written and printed materials (e.g. personal notes, newsletters), telephone conversation, email exchange, social media (e.g. facebook, twitter) and face-to-face conferences depending on the nature of information and families’ preference. I intend on always making the most of drop-off and pick-up activities by sharing at least one specific information about a child to the family whenever possible. Mobile technology has become a primary way of communication and I plan on enhancing daily communication between home and school through a mobile...
For lack of parent involvement as a teacher I would make sure I can get all the parents to participate in the student’s school life because whether they like it or not their parents or guardians involvement means the most. If I can’t get that to happen I will try to insure my students that they can come to me for help and if they need help with anything they can talk to me. I would show my students I care but it works better with both the teachers and parents working as a team.
With the addition of globalization, the world has become a tech freak in communications via email and phones. Therefore as a paraprofessional, you will require three critically essential tasks as a good communicator. First, it is important to make phone calls to parents whenever the student is have a fantastic day, if you were to simply call just when there seemed to be behavioral problems. The students would practically face less consequences and the frequency of the unwanted behavior doesn’t change. Always communicate with the parents on good and bad days. Second, if a parent doesn’t respond to a phone call, at least leave a voice mail, and if that doesn’t seem to work, then start sending letter home. Multiple means of communication sets a good reputation of who you are. Also those messages are bound to reach the parents at some point. Third, when a parent is upset for some reason, make sure to give the proper space and communicate in manner that is always positive. A mad parent will talk negatively to other parents about you and that will give a bad impression of who you are. The three critical steps are the best style of keeping up with a positive communication with
After reading, “Seven Brilliant Things Teachers Do with Technology,” I was intrigued to utilize some of the basic technology implementations into my own classroom. Last week during our district meeting, we discussed ways to communicate more frequently and clearly to parents. I decide to create my own newsletters via electronically as well as the old paper format. This allowed parents to have weekly access to see what students are learning and what students should be bringing home. This quick ten minute newsletter has given me the power to be in control on my classroom, without the constant calls/nagging from parents. Parents appreciate the feedback and can see what is expected from their child.
In Teacher ones classroom she mentions the way she meets with the parents for conferences and open houses is through communication. For the parent conferences it is optional three times a year this is to review the student’s progress within the classroom. She mentions how she sends home a note to the parents and is available when ever is best for the parents. The open house is only for Pre-K counts, but this year it is her goal to have an open house for this class. In the end she feels that she has great communication with her parents about her student’s progress.
As I wrote this assignment, I felt as though I was put in a situation of that of a normal EC teacher. I had to use my writing abilities and communication skills to make sure what I wrote could be understood by every parent, but not to over-educated nor to under educated in my writings.
Carrie Scott works at French Elementary in Widefield district three. She has been teaching since 1995 she first started at Webster Elementary in fifth grade and then moved to French where she now teaches fourth grade. Mrs. Scott is very good about communicating with parents. She is constant contact with parents who she believes she needs to be in contact with. With her students that don’t need that constant email contact with parents she requires of everyone to get their planner signed every day. Also in addition to that she has a monthly piece of paper that is stapled inside of their Friday folders. When those folders go home once a week the papers are to be signed by parents just so she knows that the parents are seeing all the graded papers they need too. Mrs. Scott hardly ever phones parents unless the parents have been avoiding her emails and not signing their child’s Friday folder and planner. She said she does it this way because she has learned that most parents will respond to a simple email but may get snippy on the phone and not respond as well. Mrs. Scott understands that the parents of her students should be her partners for the school year and she feels that if she constantly “bothers” them for small things when she needs them for big things they won’t want to support her. For each subject, Mrs. Scott most uses one-way communication she emails and for two way communication she uses the Friday folders and the student planners. In Math, she uses primarily one-way communication she uses email when she knows students are struggling. Also though she uses two- way communication because if the students are really struggling she will have the student and the parents come in before or after school to talk about how they can ...
It is very important for parents and teachers to have a partnership in the classroom. When teachers work with families it makes families feel like they're involved in their child's school life.Relationships turn into partnerships when the both parties involved have the same goal, for example doing what best for the children, and work together to reach that goal. Partnerships start with positive relationships. And positive relationships begin with communication. It is imperative that teachers have a open line of communication with all families of the children in their care. Communication includes listening and speaking to each other. I'm with all the different types of technology that we have today there are many ways that
Sometimes a student is successful in one area and having difficulty in another or a student has trouble using their words to communicate and becomes aggressive. At this center, the teachers have the tools to assess each child and the parents are interested in knowing the strengths and supports their child needs. The article Understanding Families, states that there should be “opportunities for families to discuss their beliefs about their children, what they want for their children, and how they support their children’s development” (Christian, 7). As conferences occur every 6 months, parents also communicate with the school and teachers via email and during drop off and pick up times. Another great example of parent communication is in the article Building Bridges from School to Home. The teacher builds relationships with parents by getting them to understand the areas that their child struggles and continues to strive in. Making sure they know that their child will master these skills when they are ready (Lawrence-Lightfoot, 2). At Staples Child Care Center, all teacher will assessments and observations about the child and a few suggestions that the child will benefit
The responsibility of developing positive relationships with parents and the community lie within all the school personnel stakeholders. For instance, it is the responsibility of the Superintendent and the central office staff to devise a plan and procedures for keeping the board, staff, and public well-informed on school matters. More importantly, these individuals should work with key groups and influential individuals in the community to help impact the community’s educational policies and problems. With regards to an individual school’s relationship, this influence lays within the school administration; the administration is tasked with ensuring that they have a specific, and well – designed plan to help communicate with the students and parents surrounded by their school. Furthermore they should ensure that they are organizing and administering communication to parent and students that is school specific, and provides a way for the school to put its best foot forward. Finally, it is the resp...
U.S. Department of Education, Educational Resources Information Centre (ERIC)(1995). Teachers school-to-home communications and parent involvement: The role of parent perceptions and beliefs (Report 28). Retrieved from http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED383451.pdf
As an educator it is my job to make sure that parents are informed about their child or children. So we can address the matters and attempt to help with whatever is going on. I also feel like it is important for teachers to reach out to parents when things are going good. When a student’s grades change for the positive, I also think contact should be made. I think that teachers should find out what means of communication works best for the parent. Maybe the parent works a lot and can only read an email or take a quick phone call at lunch. As a teacher you have to be flexible for the parents in many
A lot of children have two main educators in their life; their parents and their teachers. Parents are their first educators, the majority of what a child learns in the first few years of their life is taught by their parents. It is only when the child starts to attend an early years setting that they start to learn from another educator. Both parents and teachers continue being a major influence on their children's learning all throughout school and for the rest of their lives. The parents and the child's school both have important roles to play in the child's education and should therefore work together as a team. Parents can get involved in many different ways such as; getting involved with the school itself by helping in the classroom or supervising lunch and break times, or for those parents who work in the day and cannot find the time to help at the school they can get involved by; reading to their child at home, assisting with homework and other learning activities, teaching them songs or nursery rhymes and letting them help with everyday tasks like cooking, baking and chores. This can be categorised as: Involvement of parents in the school life or involvement of parents in supporting the individual child at home.