Three Tips to Build Positive Relationships With Parents

Parents and guardians are essential collaborators in their child’s education, but communicating consistently and effectively with them can be challenging. 

Here are some strategies and tips for maintaining regular communication with your students’ families.

Parent Surveys

Establishing communication with parents at the beginning of the year sets the tone that you want to build a relationship with them. Although some parents may initiate communication, some may not. Don’t make assumptions about your families. Just because a parent doesn’t engage in the way you want them to or expect, it doesn’t mean they are not interested in what you have to say. One action you could do is to send home a parent survey. Find out what language they prefer to receive information, and ask them questions about their students’ likes and dislikes and their strengths and weaknesses. 

Send Home Newsletters         

Keep parents informed on what’s happening in their child’s classroom and the school. You can do this by sending home a weekly newsletter. The newsletter should include reminders, upcoming events, what their student is learning in each subject, and your contact information. You can send it home in their take-home folder or email it. 

Another way to communicate is to use technology. Websites like Class Dojo and Seesaw allow you to inform parents regularly about their student’s progress. These platforms also can translate information to your family’s home language, reducing language barriers. 

Stay Positive

There will be times when you have to communicate with about not-so-great news. Always start by saying something positive and stick to the facts. To prevent harming a parent or guardian relationship, ensure you are communicating student success and concerns throughout the year so that when you have to share not-so-pleasant information, parents aren’t surprised when you reach out. If the conference doesn’t go the way you wanted it to, remember to stay optimistic. Follow up with an email and address any concerns that the parents raised. Always try to end the meeting on a positive note.

Invite Parents to Your Classroom

Invite parents to come to visit your classroom if it is allowed. Encourage them to come to an open house, back-to-school night, or if you have any school events. If allowed, parents can volunteer in the classroom by reading books to the class or help prep classroom materials like making copies of worksheets or cutting out literacy center work. 

Click the link below to grab these digital newsletters. Sending home newsletters is one step that you can take to make sure your families are up-to-date with what’s happening in the classroom.

There are many ways to help build a positive classroom environment at the beginning of the school year. Let me know what you do in the comments section below.

Happy Teaching,

Tee