Parent-teacher communication begins at the beginning of the school year. It continues until students advance to the next grade level. Teachers and parents will introduce themselves to one another and gradually build a relationship based on what they have in common: the student. Parent-teacher communication can occur in person, typically during parent-teacher conferences or at student drop-off and pick-up times. Teachers can also contact parents by phone or email.
If there was ever a time when school-to-home solid communication was required, it is now. With many schools transitioning to distance learning, parents play a critical role in assisting students with successful at-home learning and also with their assignments. If parents can’t help with the assignments, there are companies that can help with assignment writing such as papernow. And we know that strong parental involvement leads to better student outcomes and performance.
Regular parent-teacher communication is the only way parents and teachers can work together to provide quality education for students. How then can this level of communication be reached?
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Identify Various Communication Channels
Schools cannot rely on a single communication method to reach all homes with a specific message; instead, a variety of strategies must be developed that are tailored to the needs of families and their schedules. Not all parents can be reached or interacted with in the same way. The urgency of the message/the dynamic nature of the situation must be considered when deciding which platform/method to use. Most importantly, how would the most vulnerable families be reached?
The use of Apps and Online tools.
Various digital tools are available to help teachers communicate with parents. Parents can receive individual or group messages via app or SMS while keeping their phone numbers private. Teachers can send short announcements, reminders, images, or files, and the messages can be translated into more than 70 languages. They can set office hours, receive read receipts, and schedule messages to be sent. Teachers can also group parents so that they all receive the same messages (if they are working together on something, like fundraising or a class project). Teachers can use these tools for free, but the paid version might include more features such as sending longer messages, school or district accounts with administrator oversight, and community-wide communication options. Some tools that perform this purpose include Remind, TalkingPoints, ClassTag, etc.
Aside from all these new apps and tools, regular emails and phone calls can also help build communication between parents and teachers.
Furthermore, teachers can create class websites to post announcements, homework, and reminders. This helps to ensure that assignments are not misplaced in the communication between the classroom and the home. You can visit beadbanter.com if you need assistance with your assignments.
Find the right tone.
· Be welcoming and cheerful, whether you’re communicating via email, text, or in person, and offer encouragement.
· Communicate frequently and regularly, and work with caregivers to develop a feasible method of communicating and informing.
· Encourage trust; trust is the foundation of effective communication with parents. Parents must have faith in their children’s teachers. When speaking with parents, ensure that they understand that communication is confidential and that the main goal is to serve the students’ best interests.
Other ways to improve online communication are by:
· Sharing images/videos of students’ learning processes.
· Using pictures/videos to provide a concise, simple explanation.
· Allowing students to verbalize their learning and share it with their parents.
· Making opportunities for family involvement available (learning projects, virtual family meet and greet lunches)
Benefits of Digital Communication
Digital communication has many advantages over traditional forms, including the ability to exchange timely online information and provide immediate feedback between parents and teachers, especially during the pandemic. Assignments are also a form of feedback between students and teachers and as students you might need help, payforessay offers professional academic assistance to students across the globe. These are a few benefits of digital communication between parents and teachers.
· In addition to the positive outcomes among students, effective and frequent two-way communication fosters a positive partnership between parents and teachers by providing both information about what is going on with school work and at home.
· Families are aware of their child’s strengths, weaknesses, and interests. They also know how their child is adjusting to learning during the pandemic. Teachers also have information about their students’ academic performance. Through communication and exchange of information, teachers will better understand how to create a quality learning environment for their students, and parents will better understand how to improve the student’s home life.
· Other benefits include easy information storage and the ability to communicate with the entire school community at the same time through the use of online communication channels.
· It also enables parents and teachers to communicate at times convenient for both parties.
Limitations
Problems may arise due to teachers’ lack of expertise in online communication, a lack of time during the school day, and the possibility of being misunderstood. It lacks specific rules, takes time, and follows teachers from school to home, blurring the lines between work and leisure. As a result, practical communication skills are required to avoid unnecessary conflict with parents and to foster a positive partnership, mutual respect, and trust among all families.
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