Title: Effective Parent Teacher Communication

1Effective Parent - Teacher Communication Year 1 Participating Teachers September 26 2007 Marti Wernle 2Two Sculptors I dreamed I stood in a studio and watched two sculptors there. The clay they used was a childs mind And they fashioned it with care. One was a teacher. The tools she used were books music and art. One was a parent who worked with a guiding hand and a loving heart. Day after day the teacher toiled with touch that was deft and sure While the parent labored by her side and polished and smoothed it oer. And when at last their task was done They were proud of what theyd wrought. For the things they had molded into the child Could neither be sold or bought. And each agreed he would have failed If he had worked alone. For behind the teacher Stood the school And behind the parent The home. -Author Unknown Please fill out the Parent Communication Checklist while you wait. 3Effective Communication

Positive Personalized

Proactive

Partnership

4Positive

Start communicating at the beginning of the year before you need parents help.

Begin and end every conversation with something positive about the student.

Remember that each parents child is the most important child to him or her.

5Personalized

Make personalized phone calls home as soon as possible.

Jot quick personal notes on letters home.

Write quick notes in students assignment books (planners binder minders).

6Proactive

Keep parents informed. Give plenty of notice for special assignments and 

events.

Let parents know immediately when you have concerns.

Work together to prevent problems from developing.

7Partnership

Utilize parents as the premier expert on their own child.

When problems arise ask for their suggestions and ideas (including what works at home).

Encourage parents to respond to your notes by leaving a comments/questions space.

8Communication Dos

Send positive messages to parents. Show respect in your body language and words.

Contact parents at the 1st sign of problems.

Develop contacts and identify personnel and other community agencies that can provide support and services to families.

Identify personnel who can translate.

Develop a class website.

9Communication Donts

Contact parent only when there is a problem. Talk down to parent.

Contact parent only after a problem has gotten out of hand.

Contact parent when you do not have a plan of action.

Send information only in English when parents speak other languages.

Blame parents .

Expect parents to do most of the teaching.

10Establishing Parent Communication Early

Give one/Get one for Back to School Night

11Welcome Letter

Establish the link between home and school Keep the length under a page

Make the tone upbeat and enthusiastic

Tell them that you need their support and consider the education of their children a team effort

Give information about your professional background

Give information about your educational plans and special activities for the upcoming school year

Write a statement expressing your confidence in the success you expect for all of your students

12I was so hesitant to make that first phone call to a parent. But it was great. She thanked me for calling. We had a conference and it changed everything. I thought Gosh I should have called a long time ago. 13Phone Calls

Elementary teachers call parent within the first 2 months with a success story.

Secondary teachers make a goal of calling 5 parents a week to say something positive about their child.

Parents wont cringe when you call with a problem.

14Parent Survey

During the first week or so send home a survey or have parents write a letter about their child.

Use this survey during the first conference to break the ice.

Within 3 weeks send another survey home asking about how their student is adjusting.

15Create a Class Web Page

Go to SVUSD homepage. Go to Teacher Portal and click on Saddlesite so 

you can create your own class webpage.

Keep class webpage updated.

Let students contribute.

Post Student of the Month pictures.

Let parents know of upcoming events.

Post weekly homework.

Create links for students and parents.

16Suggested Elements of Parent Handbook

Class list School address phone number and school hours

A note about yourself

A daily classroom schedule

Grade level curriculum information

Your homework policy

Your discipline policy

School calendar

Policies about absences medical appointments and make-up work

Possible articles reproducibles

Helpful Homework Hints

Weekend learning activities

How to help students succeed in school

Recommended books for students to read

Shared reading time activities

Family games that foster learning

17Form Family Homework Partnerships

Communicate your homework policies to the parents Explain why you assign homework.

Explain the types of homework you will assign.

Inform parents of SVUSDs homework policies.

Explain how homework will affect the students grades and consequences for not competing it.

Clarify the parents role in the completion of homework.

Inform parents of regularly scheduled tests.

18 10 Ways to Help Your Child Succeed at School Encourage reading in any way you can.

Treat your child as though hes an author.

Make math part of her everyday life.

Teach your child how to listen.

Support your childs teacher and the school rules.

Tell the teacher everything.

Make sure your child is ready for school.

Spend time in your childs classroom.

Encourage responsibility and independence.

Ask your child about school every day.

http//www.scholastic.com/schoolage/kindergarten/atschool/helpsucceed.htm

19 Parent-Volunteer Survey Course ________________ Period 

___________________

Semester ___________ Teacher _____________________

Parent name _____________________________________

Home phone ________________ Work phone __________

Fax _______________ E-mail address _______________

Availability M T W TH F Time(s) _____________________

Interests

1. Field trip supervision

2. Curriculum projects

3. Assisting in the classroom

4. Special events and celebrations

5. At-home projects

6. Telephone tree about special projects and programs

7. Class photographer

8. Guest speaker

9. Art projects and related activities

10. Other ______________________________________

20Handling Problems

Problems arise out of poor communication.

21Barriers to Family Involvement

Transportation Child Care

Lack of Time

Not Understanding The System

Language and Cultural Differences

Feelings of Inferiority and negative feelings about school

22Problem-solving Phone Call Planner(Jot down points you want to cover in each of these areas during the call.)

Begin with a statement of sincere concern. Describe the specific behavior that necessitated 

the call.

Describe the steps you have taken to solve the problem.

Get information from the parent.

Document parent comments.

23Problem-solving Phone Call Planner(continued)

Present your ideas for solutions to the problem. .

Express confidence in your ability to address the problem.

Plan for follow-up contact.

Send home a copy of your agreed upon solutions and the date of your follow-up contact.

24Dealing With Different Types of Parents

Belligerent Parents - Remain calm and thank the parent for expressing 

concern.

Listen to the parents complaints.

Ask the parent to be more specific.

Clarify what is in the childs best interest.

Suggest working together to solve the problem.

If the parent is still upset suggest that he or she talk with the principal.

Indifferent Parents -

Contact them by e-mail or phone. When using e-mail make certain to use the option that reveals to you that they have opened your e-mail.

Verify that you have the most current telephone numbers. Let your principal know about efforts to contact this childs parents.

Dont give up!

25Dealing With Different Types of Parents

Reluctant Parents - Speak with the student to find out information 

about their home situations.

Let the parent know how much you value and encourage their support and participation.

Invite them to keep you informed of important events in their childrens lives.

Cooperative Parents -

Recruit these parents to serve as liaisons between you and the other parents.

Be careful not to take advantage of these parents!

Overly Interested Parents-

Their children may be experiencing difficulties of which you are unaware.

Make an effort to invite them to a conference.

26Parent Conferences

Send home a conference invitation early so you can schedule parent conferences at a convenient time for them.

Prepare samples of each students class work.

Write down all the issues you plan to discuss.

Post a conference schedule outside your class so that parents will respect conference times.

Greet parents enthusiastically.

27Conferences continued

Provide adult-sized chairs in your room and have chairs outside the door as parents wait their turn.

Sit beside your parents.

Ask parents for their perception of their childs strengths and needs .

Listen intently

Say something positive in the beginning and again at the end.

Have a translator if necessary.

28Parent Conference Planning Sheet

Students name ______________ Conference Date _____________

Example of students unique quality _______________________

Past problems to be updated _at_ conference _________________

_____________________________________________________

Academic strengths of student ____________________________

Academic needs that should be discussed __________________

Academic goals for student ______________________________

Parent input on students academic performance _____________

_____________________________________________________

7.  Social strengths of the student ____________________________

8. Needs in the area of social development ____________________

9. Social development goals for the rest of the year _____________

____________________________________________________

10. Parent input regarding students social behavior ______________

   _____________________________________________________

11. Additional issues parent wishes to discuss ___________________

_____________________________________________________

12. Additional conference notes ______________________________

  _____________________________________________________

29Components of Good Communication

A trusting relationship Using good listening skills

Empathetic acceptance

Congruence between body language and verbal language

Clearly defined roles and expectations

Desire to promote the parents involvement in their childs education.

Nonjudgmental conversation

Honesty

Linguistic Skills

Paraphrasing

Clarifying

Pausing and using silence

Mediational questioning

30Paraphrasing

Paraphrasing communicates that the listener has HEARD what the speaker said

UNDERSTOOD what was said and

CARES

Paraphrasing involves either

RESTATING in your own words or

SUMMARIZING

Some possible paraphrasing stems include the following

So

In other words

What Im hearing you saying

31Clarifying

Clarifying communicates that the listener has HEARD what the speaker said but does

NOT fully UNDERSTAND what was said.

Clarifying involves ASKING A QUESTION

Some possible clarifying stems include the following

Would you tell me a little more about

Let me see if I understand

Id be interested in hearing more about

NOTE Why tends to elicit a defensive response

32Mediational Questions

Mediational questions help the parent HYPOTHESIZE what might happen

ANALYZE what worked or didnt

IMAGINE possibilities

EVALUATE the impact

Some mediational question stems include

Whats another way you might

What would it look like if

What do you think would happen if

33Scenarios

At your table practice reflective conversation skills using the scenarios provided.

Use the fishbowl technique.

34Web Resources for Working with Non-English-Speaking Parents

American Federation of Teachers (AFT) www.aft.org

AFT helps teachers at state and local levels with collective bargaining public relations and research. Areas of research include bilingual education. AFT-sponsored Learning Activities Hotline 1-800-242-5465

Involving Hispanic Parents in Their Childrens Education

www.topher.net/spurgeon/

Parents can play a significant role in helping their children succeed in American schools. This report includes suggested information for parents and constructive steps that educators can take.

Model Strategies in Bilingual Education

www.ncbe.gwu.edu/miscpubs/used/familylit

This report offers teachers and administrators examples of many strategies used to work with parents of students designated with Limited English Proficiency profiling exemplary sites.

Translation Search

rivendel.com/ric/resources/dictionary.html

When writing letters to parents go to the Web for translation in the languages the parents speak. Some sites offer literal translations so write the letter without any idioms that might cause confusion. Try this site for free online translations in many languages.

Parental Involvement

ericweb.tc.columbia.edu/abstracts/ed285400.html

35Possible Parent Web Sites New http//www.yahooligans.com - This website gives you access to links for Arts Entertainment Computers Games Science Nature Sports Recreation School Subjects and Cultures. New http//www.getsmarter.org -  This site offers students parents and teachers a fun and free way to compare Math and Science skills to other students worldwide.  It provides interactive testing and then likes and resources to help increase skills. New http//www.EnchantedLearning.com/Home.html  - Enchanted Learning produces childrens educational web sites and games which are designed to capture the imagination while maximizing creativity learning and enjoyment. www.reading.org/links/index.html This is the International Reading Associations website.  http//pbskids.org/lions/index.html - Between the Lions is produced by WGBH Boston and Sirius Thinking Ltd. and is funded in part by a Ready To Learn grant from the US Department of 

Education through the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.  On this site you can read stories print the stories play games and learn songs.  There is even a parent and teacher resource section with over 300 tips on helping your child read.  http//www.acs.ucalgary.ca/dkbrown/index.html This website gives you access to links specifically to help you find books for your children.  You will find booklists that you can browse to find books suitable for your children.  At your fingertips you will find access to books that every child should read 100 best picture books and also links to help you be creative in your storytelling.  Plus you have access to many bestsellers list such as Barnes and Noble Borders and the All-time Bestsellers list. This is a must-use site.  http//www.ipl.org This is the site for the Internet Public Library.  You will not only have access to sites for Reading Math Science and Social Studies but also Art Nutrition Fun and Games and Sports and Recreation. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 36www.scholastic.com offers many resources for parents and students. Parents will have access to articles from Scholastic News Junior Scholastic Parent Child and other Scholastic classroom magazines. Your children will be able to play games and puzzles that extend from stories they may have read. Children will also be able to meet other students their age and see what books they recommend for reading. www.bigchalk.com offers a wide spectrum of service and resources for parents and students. Parents are provided support for school related 

issues and it also focuses on Fathers roles in education. Students have the opportunity to get homework help for every subject. To encourage struggling readers that like technology they will be able to read stories on-line. www.m-w.com Merriam-Webster Online The Language Center will help strengthen you childs communication skills. You will have access to the complete Merriam-Websters Collegiate Dictionary and Collegiate Thesaurus. This will help increase your childs vocabulary. This site provides links to word games and allows your child to even create their own words. www.bookadventure.com will help your child choose books to meet their level and interests. There are more than 5400 recommended book title for children. We highly recommend this site! http//www.cde.ca.gov/statetests/star/readinglist.html California Reading List Web Site Reading is important both in and out of school . . . Reading and literacy skills provide students with the keys to lifelong learning. The more students read the better readers they will become. Every effort should be made both at school and at home to get students to do as much reading as possible. http//www.scholastic.com/smartparenting/schoolsuccess/ Scholastic Smart Parenting Sucess at school and what to expect at various grade levels. http//www.lexile.com Check this site out...you can search for lexile levels of any book your child is reading. 37http//www.factmonster.com/ipka/A0876084.html Prime numbers Do you know what a prime number is Check out this site to see if you are correct! http//www.sosmath.com/algebra/algebra.h

tml S.O.S. Math Algebra A review of every imaginable Algebra concept is found at this site. From complex numbers factorization quadratic equations to inverse functions this site provides detailed coverage on all of those topics plus many more. http//www.scholastic.com/titles/Scholastic Book Central Check out book titles for your childs reading. http//www.factmonster.com/homework/studyskills4.html Study Skills-Getting ready for tests Check out this link to assist you in getting ready for tests. http//www.scholastic.com/smartparenting/schoolsuccess/ Success At School How to help your child succeed at school. http//www.eduplace.com/math/mathsteps/5/b/index.html What is Prime Factors/Prime Factorization Etc... Check out this site Parents it may help you to help your student with these and other concepts... 38Communicating with Parents Websites www.4teachers.org/testimony/sumner/index.shtml This is a site that shows an how an effective website can be used as a way to communicate with parents. www.teach-nology.com/ideas/parent_communication/ This website gives you tried and true tips on short and easy ways to communicate with parents. www.glencoe.com/sec/teachingtoday/educationupclose.phtml/5 By forming effective partnerships with parents teachers can get a boost in helping their students to succeed. This article provides three essential strategies for making these collaborations work. www.inspiringteachers.com/tips/index/page10.htmlThis website offers all kinds of tips that other beginning teachers have used to make communicating with parents a positive 

experience. www.education-world.com/tools_templates/index.shtmlparent Communicate with parents by snail mail or e-mail with these editable and printable forms and letters. 39www.glc.k12.ga.us/trc/cluster.aspmodebrowseintPathID4628 This website has a list of Web Resources in Parent Communication teacher.scholastic.com/products/instructor/speakinglanguage.htm This site recommends the following 7 strategies for successful teacher-parent communication. teacher.scholastic.com/professional/parentconf/ Scholastic resources to help you establish rewarding partnerships during parent-teacher conferences and throughout the year.