Sunday, September 21, 2014

Parent Communication

Parent communication is a topic that I believe really differs from teacher to teacher.  Am I communicating with parents too much?  Not enough?  Is there even a way to find a balance between making parents happy and not completely stressing yourself out.  
Home-school communication is even more essential in a community classroom.  Imagine how frustrating it is to have your child come home each day and not be able to hear about his/her day?
I have chosen to use a daily note home with my parents and so far, it has been working wonderfully.  I love the picture format because my students can help fill it out.  Even my non-verbal students can assist in the process!  See an example below.
I make an effort to call my parents about once a week to check in.  I also am a HUGE believer in sending home photos with anecdotes.  It's a quick and easy way to show parents work examples, celebrate an accomplishment or even share a funny story throughout the school day.
I also really recommend tracking all communication with parents. It may seem like extra work that is not necessary… but there will be a day when you will be happy to have crossed your t's and dotted your i's.  It's also a great way to take note of which parents you haven't connected with in a while.  I've included an example of the template that has worked for me in the past!
Keep calm and teach on!
- S


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