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In my first years as a principal, I went through what we call the “trial by fire”. No amount of administrative training can prepare you for the complex role that a principal plays at a school site…particularly with parents.
One of the first encounters I had as a new principal was with a very angry parent. The parent came to school, stormed into the school office, and demanded that she be able to speak to the principal, right then and there. Thankfully, I was able to gently calm the parent and get to the heart of what was causing her to be upset. As was frequently the case, this parent was unhappy because one of my teachers had failed to communicate a concern to her regarding an issue with her child. I soon discovered that sharing with my teachers the importance of early communication is the key to a positive working relationship between parent and teacher.
A big learning lesson for me was that communicating with parents from the beginning can help teachers to avoid difficult, challenging encounters down the road. And it’s never too late to get started!
Below are three suggestions to help you get started working with parents.
1) Start with Positive Communication
Not only is it important to make the effort to communicate with parents at the very beginning, but teachers should start with some positive news. Often, teachers only communicate with parents to deliver bad news. At the beginning of the year, consider using a use general template letter or email such as “Dear Mr./Mrs. Jones, I really enjoyed meeting Sandy, who is very bright.” Then add a personalized sentence or two about each child, making sure that it’s positive. This way, your first communication with the parent is positive versus negative. Include information and links to your school website, class website, your contact information, where they can find homework, your meeting hours, school supplies needed, and other important dates or information. At the end of the email, ask the parents to respond to your email and share what the best time is to contact them and how they would like to help.
2) Seek the Best Method for Communication
We live in a very busy world! Nevertheless, that can’t be an excuse for not reaching out to our parent community. Communication is the key to your success as a classroom teacher. So, ask parents about the best way to communicate with them. Is it via e-mail, text message, or a short note or letter sent home? In our growing digital world, it may be easier and quicker to send an email or text message about all news concerning the students. There are many great free programs that do this well and parents will really appreciate that you went that extra mile to reach out. Many parents spend a lot of time working and may not have the chance to meet with you face to face. When you give them these communication options, you will see how much they appreciate your flexibility.
3) Parents Need to be a Part of the Team
It’s important to invite parents to participate in helping their children succeed. Ask them for their input. Ask them what they think about the curriculum that’s being studied. Ask if they have ideas on how to enhance it. In the past I’ve had parents suggest an activity for school projects or field trips. In this same way, a teacher can ask for input on classroom projects. You might be surprised at the great ideas they come up with. Then, invite parents to volunteer and help! You can even hold a parent workshop in your classroom or collaborate with a colleague to do it. Take the time to share in a more intimate setting what you are working on and the kinds of activities you are doing with their children. I know this takes extra time, but parents will really get to know you better and will be grateful to you for the effort that you made. Also remember that parents can decorate school/classroom bulletin boards or gather and organize fundraisers and many other fun projects that benefit not only the school but individual classrooms. They can even be guest readers or guest speakers at a School Career Day!
I share these three parent outreach suggestions with you, as a former principal, because I find that many teachers are still reluctant to put them into practice. I want to take this time to encourage you to be proactive with your parent community. Reach out! Remember… just like students, parents need to feel valued and involved. They really are their child’s first teacher. It’s not always easy to connect to our parent community, but we must keep seeking ways to do it, and to do it successfully, for the benefit of our students.
