When teachers show support to parents, it paves the way to a successful school year! Read on for some simple ways to show families that you are here for them AND their child!
Communicate
One of the first things I do at the start of a new school year is to establish lines of communication with parents as soon as possible! Communicating about the school day and their child’s progress sets the tone that you all are partners in educating their child.
There are many ways to communicate with families. I send home daily news sheets to inform parents of what their child did in school each day. I also use ClassDojo to share pictures of our classroom activities and to send quick messages when needed.
Another way that I communicate with families is by sending home a personalized monthly newsletter. I share the “big themes” we are working on as a class, plus individual the goals that each student is working on. Then I give suggestions of activities that they can do at home to reinforce these concepts. This gives parents a way to be more involved in their child’s education, and encourages at-home practice.
Collaborate with Parents
Parents are the experts on their child! So, collaboration is key to success! These free Back to School forms are an awesome way for parents to share about their child. Offering these forms is a great way to show you value parental input, plus it gives you great information! And the forms are editable on Google Slides so you can tailor them to your needs. In the picture above, you can see that I edited mine to have Portuguese translations for my English Language Learner families.
Give Parents Your Support
Families of students with special needs often face a myriad of stressors in their lives. Sometimes the role of special education teacher can also be that of a sympathetic ear. And, you can use your expertise to help support parents with issues they are facing. One example is the process of potty training. In my classroom, I use toileting data sheets to help support training in school and give insight into how it is going!
Celebrate!
One of the best ways a teacher can show support is by celebrating their students! Parents can sometimes feel like they only hear bad news about their kids. Writing a positive note or sharing a cute picture of their child sends a caring message and helps build a strong relationship!
A strong connection between school and home is so important for success in the classroom! Providing support to families goes a long way to fostering that positive relationship. How do YOU help support the parents you work with? Share your ideas here!
