It’s important that teachers and parents have a good relationship. When teachers open trustworthy channels of communication and establish good relationships with parents, students are better set up for success.
How can teachers work effectively with parents? Lisa Wright, PhD, faculty member in the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences at Purdue Global, discusses how educators can improve parent-teacher communication.
Why Is Good Parent-Teacher Communication Important?
“Good parent-teacher communication is a key element in ensuring the student's educational experience is as productive and positive as possible,” says Wright. “Effective communication helps ensure that parents are informed about their child's progress, strengths, and areas that need improvement.”
When parents are involved in their children’s schooling, students show higher academic achievement, school engagement, and motivation, according to an American Psychological Association review of 448 independent studies on parent involvement.
“Not only does this collaborative approach lead to improved academic and developmental outcomes,” Wright says, “but when parents and teachers work together, they can address any issues that come up in a timely and effective manner, both at home and in the school.”
What Does Good Parent-Teacher Communication Look Like?
Good parent-teacher communication is a collaboration.
“The parents provide valuable insight into their child's learning needs, which in turn encourages the teachers to adapt their teaching methods and curriculum to better suit each child,” Wright says. “That communication creates a feedback loop where parents can express concerns and ask questions, and teachers can provide insight into their teaching methods and expectations. It should be timely, it should be frequent, and it should be two-way.”
Communication Strategies and Grade Levels
Some of the core strategies used to collaborate well with parents are the same, regardless of the grade you teach:
- Determine a family’s contact preferences.
- Ask parents if there’s anything they want you, the teacher, to know about their child.
- Share a digital class calendar (this is especially important for working parents).
Other strategies will vary depending on the age group.
Infants and Toddlers up to Age 3
Parent-teacher communication in this age group is mainly focused on the child's development and well-being. There should be a significant focus on the child’s progress toward reaching milestones (crawling, talking, etc.).
“Educators of children in this age group should be open and welcoming to parents and caregivers, encouraging dialogue, and sharing data,” says Wright. “We are very data-driven, so we share our observations and show artifacts such as photos, videos, and examples of children's work to help parents better understand their child’s experiences in the educational environment and how they're developing.”
There's also a big focus on behavior — promoting sensory-motor development and talking to parents about how they can do that at home.
“There will be parent-teacher meetings, and this is where we discuss progress, goals, and strategies. There are even parent workshops,” Wright says. “It's a great time for parents and teachers to work together on parenting strategies and educational activities that parents can do at home. It’s also a good opportunity to discuss with parents what to expect at what age in development.”
Communication level: Very frequent/daily
Preschoolers (Ages 3 to 5)
Educators should continue to have frequent and open conversations with parents. For this age group, these conversations should include strategies to develop literacy.
“The conversations for preschoolers are more focused on learning numbers, developing literacy, and how to promote those skills at home."
Communication level: Frequent; perhaps weekly instead of daily
Ages 6 to 8
As children get older, parent-teacher communication will begin to focus more on academics.
“Children in this age range begin to understand how letters and numbers translate into concepts,” Wright says. “For example, they know that the plus sign means to add, and they are able to apply such concepts to learn, draw conclusions, and problem solve.”
Communication with parents should address how their child is doing academically and socially.
“Conversations will continue to explore behavior expectations, social strategies, and how the child is faring in these areas,” says Wright. “Educators should be providing families with strategies on how to continue working on these at home.”
Communication level: Frequent; weekly
Older Elementary Students Through Middle School
At this point, there's more focus on using online portals and students checking their own work. Communication with families might even include student-led conferences.
“The communication changes a little bit in this age group,” Wright says. “With the younger ones, the parents access all of the apps and communication tools. As the students get older, they're the ones who access them — and they might even be an intermediary for parent-student-teacher conferences.”
Communication level: Less frequent; can range anywhere from monthly to once a year
High Schoolers
By high school, there’s an even greater focus on using online platforms and apps in the education process. There will still be parent-teacher conferences, but they might be led by the student.
“Parent-teacher conversations in this age group should focus more on what the child's goals are — higher education, career guidance, and so on,” Wright says. “Don't wait until they're getting ready to graduate to have these conversations. Guide them toward career centers or the college application process earlier in their high school career.”
Communication level: Less frequent; can range anywhere from monthly to once a year
Develop a Career in Education With Purdue Global
If you’re looking to launch or further your career in education, consider Purdue Global. We have three online degree programs that may be appropriate for your goals:
- Associate's Degree in Early Childhood Development
- Bachelor's Degree in Early Childhood Administration
- Master's Degree in Education
Ready to learn more? Request more information today.
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