Parent-Teacher Communication
Written by: Isabelle Saunders
During the school week, a child will spend an equal amount of their day at school and at home. This leads, in many ways, to a dual tutelage of the child, a partnership of upbringing between teachers and parents. How important, then, is proper cooperation between these key figures in a child’s life?
Teachers and parents each have their own domain: consecutively, school and home/outside of school. It is essential to a flourishing academic life that the gap between the two domains is bridged in a healthy and productive way. During this season of long-distance learning, this bridge is more important than ever before.
This begs the question: how?
How parents can reach out
While parents may find themselves scratching their heads when asked by their child for help with homework, they’re still able to play an active role in their education.
Schedule a parent-teacher conference for a proactive method of head-on conversation. Ask teachers how you can get involved, be it helping your child get more sleep to improve attentiveness or quizzing them before tests. If a student is struggling, they are also encouraged to attend to provide personal input and talk through what would work best for them.
Talk to your child. Ask them what would edify them, taking into consideration their unique method of learning and working. Their points will give you a foundation on which to build your discussion with their teacher.
Help your child’s teacher set goals for them. It’s helpful for a student to have something concrete and attainable that they can work towards.
Engage multiple teachers. For students who have a different teacher for each subject, it’s a good idea to have them discuss how best to instruct your child. Say, for example, your child loves art class, but is less enthusiastic about math. Those two teachers will likely see different behavior and levels of engagement from your child, and the math teacher could discuss with the art teacher which techniques to use to best assist your child. Teachers learn from each other, just like parents.
How teachers can reach out
Don’t be afraid to contact a parent just for the sake of good news. Any parent loves to hear that their child is an asset to class discussions, or really gave it their all on a recent project. Sharing a student’s progress with their parents is an easy way to boost their confidence.
Regular feedback: when trying to help a student through a difficult patch in their studies, it’s crucial to update their parents. Tell them how they can meet their child where they are, and how they can help at home.
Talk to school administrators about hosting school events. Fun, easygoing activities at school can help foster positive relationships between staff and guardians. To adhere to social distancing rules, try hosting events over video conferencing or in the form of a drive-in.
Utilize multiple methods of contact. Communication isn’t a glove perfectly shaped to fit one way. Apart from face-to-face meetings, consider practices such as handwritten notes, emails, and phone calls.
Ask about a child’s personal interests. If you’re a math teacher who can’t seem to get through to a child, and their parents say they’re artistic, consider using visual or artistic teaching methods with that child as a form of personalization. A tailor-made education will always be more helpful than a “one size fits all” education.
Benefits
No child wants to see school as a tempest they have to weather, struggling to keep their head above the water. Especially in the wake of distance learning, many students feel that they’re in danger of being plowed over due to the subsequent lack of direct contact and all it entails. By exercising the strategies detailed above, educators and parents can work together to help students feel more engaged in their own academic life. In the end, the student doesn’t just memorize a bare concept of subjects they’ll forget after a test; they can fully grasp and understand the subject, further growing a well-rounded and truly useful education.
For more information on parent-teacher relationships, check out the links below:
https://www.readingrockets.org/article/building-parent-teacher-relationships
https://www.pbisrewards.com/blog/improving-parent-teacher-communication/
How to Support Your Student from Home
We are now in a new phase of life where “work from home” is the new “normal.” This can cause a great deal of anxiety and difficulty focusing. We are a routine driven society and now that our routines have been “thrown out the window” a lack of focus is expected. However, there are ways to help with regaining focus and attention, whether students have learning differences like ADHD or not.
As a parent or educator, it is essential to develop habits and routines to allow students to perform their best. Please see below for tips on how to help your student stay focused and support them during difficult times.
Think about your feelings working from home and the challenges and uncertainty it has brought up for you. Allow yourself to express that with your student which will encourage them to tell you how they feel. Empathizing with them and helping them feel understood will allow them to come up with a solution with your guidance.
Here are a few things we we recommend:
Set a routine and schedule for every day. Have this posted where the student is working as well as other places in the home to ensure they stay on schedule.
Sometimes time can “get away” from us. Help them use a visual timer to be mindful of their time.
Have all their materials ready and in reach.
Allow short breaks frequently.
Give clear instructions on your expectations.
Break projects into smaller, more manageable chunks.
Always stay calm and encouraging, we are all trying to navigate this tough time and it is overwhelming for everyone. When giving feedback ensure it is always positive which will help with motivation. Use phrases such as:
“I see how hard you are trying. You can do this.”
“Let’s set the timer. I am looking forward to seeing how it turns out when you are finished.”
This time gives us the opportunity to practice and strengthen their executive functioning skills. With our guidance and leadership, they are becoming more independent by completing things on their own. Since children are not born with these skills, the adults in their lives create the opportunities and environment to practice these skills. We hope this advice helps you support your students. For more information on finding a one-on-one academic coach, please visit our website.