Communication with Parents

 

Communicating to parents is a major part of our jobs as educators.  There are many different ways to communicate with our students' guardians.  Most of the time, we must communicate when the students has misbehaved or made a poor grade.  I feel communication needs to first be positive to open up the line of communication. In your comment, please explain how you communicate with parents.  Also tell of any problems you have had with your style of communication. 

Example:
I got my first teaching job mid-year.  I sent home a letter with the students on my first day introducing myself, telling how the rest of the semester was going to go, explaining my rules and procedures, and listing my contact information.  I had 125 students, or else I would have called each child's home. I am currently taking the year off of teaching, but in my next job, I will do things differently. 

I plan to send home a letter as soon as I get my class list.  I will also do personal phone calls. I feel this will set a good tone with my students' parents.  I will communicate with my parents weekly through a newsletter.  I will use email, phone, and planning time to talk with my parents about their children.  I will not only talk about the problems in my class; I will make sure to also discuss the good times. 

What do you do? Blog? Newsletter? Email chain? Phone calls? Tell us all about it! Let's open up our line of communication!