How important is parent-teacher communication?
“When parents foster positive learning environments at home and are engaged in their students’ schooling, kids have much better academic outcomes,” states Matthew A. Kraft, an educational researcher and Associate Professor of Education and Economics at Brown University.
As teachers, building parent rapport may indeed be one of the best strategies we can adopt to make our life easier and our job more effective.
But … how can we do that?
Here are 5 tips for improving communication with parents in school.
1. Open digital communication channels (and use them consistently)
When I was a student, the school communicated with my parents through written notes and circulars.
This would happen sporadically, usually only when I had misbehaved or when my teachers needed to inform my mom about school trips, parent-teacher meetings or other school events.
We’re living in the era of AI and digital platforms now. We have plenty of student-information management systems that we can use to keep communication consistent and accessible for parents.
Opening digital communication channels, however, is only the first step towards fostering strong parent-teacher partnerships.
How can we use those channels?
What does technology-mediated parent-teacher communication involve?
Communication platforms like DigiBooks can be used to:
- send automated messages;
- announce class updates;
- share attendance records;
- provide and share homework, grades, and progress reports;
- offer data-driven insights on strengths and areas to improve.
Like in language learning, consistency is key. So, however you may use these channels, parent-teacher communication must happen regularly if you want to build effective parent relations.
2. Effective parent-teacher communication: setting boundaries
In a study from 2020, four ESL teachers shared their experiences of teaching online during the pandemic.
Over a period of 13 weeks, they reflected on their use of communication technologies like Zoom, WhatsApp, and Instagram to interact with their students.
Here’s what one of them wrote.
“The benefits of incorporating communication technology into teaching and my daily routine have been observed, but there were several underlying problems that should not be overlooked.
With the increasingly blurred concept of “office hours” and teacher–student boundaries, I felt less in control of my teacher persona and classroom management.
At times, I was a little bothered by the irrelevance, randomness, and inappropriateness of students’ informal enquiry.
At some point, a parent reached me on WhatsApp to inform me of her son’s absence due to illness, which was not expected in tertiary settings with adult learners.
Although it isn’t specifically about teacher-student communication, this reflection should remind us that the existence of a channel for parent-teacher communication doesn’t automatically mean we will have to be available 24/7.
Parent-teacher communication must be regulated clearly and transparently, so everyone will know what to expect from it.
3. Effective parent-teacher communication is two-way
A study into English language teachers’ perspectives on parental involvement conducted in Greece showed that, for various reasons, most primary school teachers described parent-teacher communication as being weak.
One way to weaken it is to treat it as a one-way street where parents are the only ones who receive input and updates about the student.
We’d better do the opposite then.
A systematic review of the impact of technology mediated parental engagement on student outcomes suggests that, in order to be useful and effective, parent-teacher communication should not only be personalised and positive but also two-way.
How can we achieve this?
By asking parents about their children, listening to their concerns and taking into consideration what they tell us in a non-judgmental way.
Researchers in the Netherlands found that this approach helps teachers lay the foundations of a trustful relationship with parents.
4. Let parents know what language learning involves
A few years ago, I was in a one-to-one parent-teacher meeting with Paolo (not his real name), the dad of one of my students.
Paolo was complaining that his 7-year-old kid spoke English with an Italian accent and was worried there was something wrong with his son.
I had to tell the man a short story about how long it took me to speak English with clear pronunciation, and I also shared my own beliefs on having an accent in a world where English is used as a lingua franca.
Paolo thanked me for reassuring him his son was on the right track.
This is just one example of how some parents may have unrealistic expectations and mistaken ideas about language learning and acquisition.
Would you agree that building effective parent relations also involves conversations around the nature of the language learning process?
Doing this may help us set clear expectations and foster a shared understanding of what success looks like in language learning.
5. Comment on students’ personality
My last year as a student in public schools was 2006.
Apart from the usual “he’s good but he could do more,” nearly two decades later the only other comment I remember is a positive remark my math teacher made about me as a person – not as a student of math.
My dad still remembers that comment verbatim.
Regardless of how they perform academically, all students are people with personalities, hopes, fears, and dreams, so effective parent-teacher communication could (should?) also include information on those aspects.
Why not?
Most parents would appreciate that. And they may become more willing to connect with you as a human because you’re showing them you value their kids as individuals, not just as academic performers.
What are your tips on how to build positive relationships with parents in education?
Those are just five effective strategies for parent-teacher communication.
What stories and tips do you have?
