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Parent Communication with
Purpose
Safety | Integrity | Professional | Data Informed | Innovative | It’s not just school. It’s LIFE.
A Cartoon Comparison
Safety | Integrity | Professional | Data Informed | Innovative | It’s not just school. It’s LIFE.
Current Trends
Shift from blame on student to blame on teacher
In digital age, many are uncomfortable
communicating on the phone or in-person
Role of social media/technology
Parent Teacher Conference Video Example
https://www.youtube.com/watc
h?v=sr5kWOdkHYA
If the video does not load,
copy/paste the URL in your
browser.
Something to think about…
“The easiest way to communicate
for you is the hardest way to
communicate for the other person.”
General Tips
Start early
• Have a communication plan at the start of the school year
• Make the first parent contact within the first few weeks of school and make it a
positive one.
• Begin to build a relationship with students and parents early.
Be proactive
• Contact parents before there is an issue.
• Once there is an issue, do not wait to make contact.
• During your contact, always find something positive to say.
Call, don’t email, if there is a serious issue (failing, behavior problems, etc.).
Less likely to be misunderstood
Tone in email can be taken differently than intended
Don’t be confrontational.
Use verbiage such as, “I understand where you’re coming from…”.
Be sensitive.
Reiterate you both want the child to succeed.
Be prepared.
• Notes about past communication, problems, etc.
• Be prepared to show examples to illustrate the point you’re trying to make
Know when to end the meeting.
HOW TO
COMMUNICATE…
Definitions:
Terms to Remember…
Positive Sandwich: Start with a positive. State your
concern. Then top it off with another positive!
Student’s presence: It is never too early to ask a student
to sit in on all or part of the conference. The student
needs to be able to answer for the choices they are
making with their behavior.
Communication Plan: Create a plan for all parents so
they understand how you will be communicating
throughout the year. Give parents a chance to tell you
the best form of communication for them!
…when a child is failing a class
Be proactive!
Provide Work Examples.
Use the “Positive Sandwich” approach.
Create a plan for communication.
…when a child is having
behavior problems
No surprises!
Documentation!
“Positive Sandwich”
Student’s presence
Communication Plan
…during parent/teacher
conferences
Relationships, Relationships, Relationships!
Positive Sandwiches
Allow parent time to communicate to you.
Listen
Be Professional
…through e-mail
When emailing about a sensitive issue:
•
Be clear, concise and professional
–
Do not send long emails that ramble
–
Be formal and use proper grammar
•
Explain the situation, present the facts, and offer a solution
•
If the issue is sensitive, most likely it is easier on both parties if you schedule a
phone call or in-person meeting with the parent
• Remember – email is not confidential!
• If you receive an upsetting email, do not respond while emotional. Give yourself
time to think thoroughly about your response.
• Have a supervisor or trusted colleague read over the email before sending it to
make sure it sounds professional and appropriate.
• REMEMBER: Emails are considered public record and can be pulled or
requested at any time by a parent, with the proper documentation. (Open Records
Act)
Team/PartnerConferences
Conferences…
Team/Partner
Think about inviting other teachers to the
conference for support and another point of view
Meeting with parents as a team shows you are
unified as a team and school.
Also think to include the counselor, 504 coordinator
or a fine arts/specials teacher to share with parents
When to get administration
involved…
Difficult Parent Situations that you have
tried to solve
If you’re unsure/need support
Parent is upset/not listening
Ask anytime for help/advice!
Practice Session (8 minutes)
•Read through the following scenarios and think through how you would solve the problems.
• Scenario 1: Parent teacher conference. The parent is extremely upset with the teacher
because their child is failing their class. Confront the teacher and try to come to a solution.
•Scenario 2: A teacher has received a very long angry email from a parent. You decide it’s best
to call to discuss. Act out a phone call you would make to this parent.
•Scenario 3: A student is extremely disruptive during class. You’ve just started noticing this
happening in the past couple of weeks and you’ve set an in-person meeting with the parent to
discuss. Practice doing a “positive sandwich” during this meeting.
•Work through all 3 scenarios. If you are with a group, work with a partner. Be prepared to
share.
Thoughts/Questions??
A few minutes for Q&A
Thank you!
Communicating Effectively with
Parents
Safety | Integrity | Professional | Data Informed | Innovative | It’s not just school. It’s LIFE.