Post Written by Glenn Wallace:
Contact Glenn @ glennwallace@ymail.com
The first quarter of the school year has just wrapped up and most schools should be scheduling parent-teacher conferences now, if they haven’t already done so.
Conferences or not, there’s no time like the present to connect with your child’s teacher and make sure the lines of communication are good. Good communication between home and the classroom leads to a lot less stress for parents and caregivers, less guesswork on behalf of the teacher and a more positive school experience for the child.
The good news for parents and caregivers is there are now more ways than ever to communicate with teachers. The bad news is that figuring out the preferred way to speak with each teacher can often be different, especially in the elementary grades. Each teacher should have made their communication plan clear to parents through back-to-school events, flyers sent home in backpacks, emails and maybe even calls to parents based on the contact information each school has. If you’re this far into the school year and don’t seem to be getting the information you want or need from a teacher, it is often worth checking with the school’s main office and double-checking your contact information on file. Step two is to contact the teacher directly (the main office or the school website should have it listed) in order to make sure you’re properly connected.
“Some teachers prefer to use Class Dojo, some prefer to use Remind, and in D11 this year, we have a new two-way-text-like system called Reach,” District 11 Chief Communications Officer Devra Asby said. “Each of these platforms comes with pros and cons. Be sure you know which method your child’s class will use, and read the instructions on how to use them.”
Make sure the school and the teacher know your preferred language, and if cell phone or internet access may be a barrier to communication.
If your student’s school or school district has an online parent portal, take the time to get familiar with how to use it. Many of them include handy information, including up-to-date attendance and grade reports.
Things to remember:
- Teachers are busy teaching during school hours — Most teachers won’t be available to respond to messages while they’re busy with classrooms full of kids.
- Don’t hesitate to reach out — You don’t need to wait until there’s an issue at school to contact a teacher and start building a relationship. Just a simple introduction early in the year can make further conversations much better.
- Contact teachers for many reasons — Devra suggests asking about volunteer opportunities at the school, advocating for your student if they’re struggling with any part of school and asking any question you might have about the school’s technology systems. “There is never a dumb question,” she said.
- Set expectations about communication — If a teacher really wants a reading log filled out for your student weekly, try to hold to that. If your household would like to keep more up-to-date on how your student’s math learning is going, set up a regular schedule with the teacher for those updates.
- Know what to focus on — Teachers have busy jobs, and dozens of parents to also answer to. Make good use of your time communicating with them by focusing on the most crucial areas of interest. Academically, the PTA’s parents’ resource guide includes tips on what the academic focus at each grade-level should be. (Source: https://www.pta.org/docs/default-source/uploadedfiles/common-core-state-standards-resources/parents-guide-to-student-success.pdf)
- Know who else to reach out to — If the teacher is hard to get ahold of, you may need to contact their principal. If you have issues around transportation or school meals, you’ll need to reach someone in the main office, or at the school district office instead. For special events or school fundraiser ideas, you’re likely best off contacting your school’s Parent Teacher Association.
