How to Communicate With Parents

Communication between parents and teachers is absolutely essential for the successful operation of any classroom. Each teacher must take the lead in developing a communication plan. It's also important to keep the communication plan in operation throughout the school year, not just the first month of school. Use these tips to help you develop a communication plan for your classroom.

Instructions

1. Proofread. It is absolutely essential to your credibility as a teacher to make sure all communication, whether it is written or oral, be professional, courteous and grammatically correct. If you know grammar is not your strong suit, ask a colleague to proofread your work before you send it home.

2. Communicate with clear and concise language. Omit the fancy education jargon you learned in college. Speak in layman's terms that parents can understand.

3. Make sure any forms or homework you send home with students are legible. Type or write in decipherable handwriting. You're an adult-use an ink pen, if you want to write the message in longhand.

4. Give your administrator a copy of every note that goes home with your students. Also, keep a copy for your files.

5. Log all verbal conversations. This may include discussions of discipline, medications, safety hazards, feedback from parents and special education accommodations. Remember, many of these meet confidentiality guidelines, so don't leave your log out on your desk for anyone else to see.

6. Contact every parent at least one time each semester. This is true for all grade levels. More frequent contact is better, but this should be a minimum standard. The contact may be as simple as a phone call or a classroom newsletter.