How to Write a Teacher Letter to Parents

Write teacher parent communications that make you look good.

A letter from a teacher to parents must be concise, accurate, and easy on the eyes. Kick the business letter format to the curb. Parents will feel that their time is respected when they can easily and quickly get the information they need.

Instructions

1. Give the letter a title that conveys the topic or main idea. That way, parents will instantly know what it is about without having to read the whole thing first. Use the five W's (what, where, when, who, why) and as subheaders for the letter. The information behind those subheads will help define what actions parents need to take.

2. Use bulleted lists, fonts at least 14 points in size, and white space to make the letter easy to read. Use subheadings, bold font, and underlining to highlight key words and phrases in the letter.

3. Put a little style into it, but not at the expense of brevity. Add a few adjectives, or a metaphor. Add a graphic that relates to the topic. This looks more attractive and will draw in the reader.

4. Double-check everything to eliminate errors. Ask a colleague to proofread the note.

Tips & Warnings

• Offer to proofread your colleagues' teacher parent letters if they do it for you.

• Be especially careful in proofreading if you are using a communication from last year, and you're just changing dates and other details.

References

• Priceless Teaching Strategies