• Home
  • Shop
    • Shop Now
    • Gift Cards
    • Cart
    • Purchase Orders
    • School Licenses
    • My Account
  • Blog
    • Academics
      • Adapted Books
      • Comprehension
      • Cooking
      • Crafts
      • ELA
      • ESY
      • Fine Motor
      • Life Skills
      • Math
      • Occupational Therapy
      • Science
      • Sensory Bins
      • Social Emotional Learning
      • Social Skills
      • Social Studies
      • Speech Therapy
      • Task Boxes
      • Vocabulary
      • Writing
    • At Home Learning
      • Digital
      • Remote Learning
    • Behavior
      • ABA
      • Communication
        • AAC
      • Data
      • Schedules
      • Visuals
    • Simple Classroom
      • Back to School
      • Book Recommendations
      • Classroom Setup
      • Freebies
      • IEP
      • Inclusion
      • Inspiration
      • Organization
      • Paraprofessional
      • Remote Learning
      • Seasonal
        • Fall
        • Winter
        • Spring
        • Summer
    • Tot School
  • Classroom Tours
    • Self-Contained
    • Speech
    • Preschool
    • Elementary Autistic Support
    • K-2
    • K-2 (Socially Distanced)
    • K-4 (Tiny Room)
    • 1-4 (Life Skills)
    • 2-3 (ABA)
    • Middle School
    • High School
    • High School (Life Skills)
    • Multiple Disabilities
  • New Teachers
    • Join My Online Course
    • First Year
    • Interviews
    • Job Search
  • Grade Level
    • Preschool
    • Primary
    • Elementary
    • Middle School
    • High School
  • Simple Self-Contained Setup 101®
    • Join Now!
    • Success Stories
    • Log In
  • Free Resources
    • Log In
  • More…
    • Meet Alyssa
    • Meet Our Bloggers
    • Collaborate
    • Guest Blogging
    • Contact Me
    • Disclosures
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest

Simply Special Ed

Resource Downloads & Teaching Advice

Back to School Behavior Blog Communication Simple Classroom

Tips for Communicating with Parents

Communicating with parents has to be one of the most important things we do as special education teachers in the sub separate setting. Many of our students cannot communicate things about their day when they get home as their typical peers do. It is our job that parents have the information they need to be successful at home, as well as some fun information about their child’s day!

There are many ways to communicate with parents. There are many apps you can use, email, text, etc… but I prefer to stick to a classic communication binder. It is easy to be passed back and forth, keeps a tracking of how days/nights are going if you need to look back, and is simple enough for ALL parents to understand.

Screen Shot 2016-07-06 at 11.05.43 AM.png

These binder makes it easy to keep the notes simple, there are many different variations of different activities and needs, so you can customize for each student. Being able to just select things with a bingo dauber saves you from writing too much.

Slide4.pngThese parent note tips may help you keep your notes on point!

Slide1.pngOf course we need to inform parents of the not-so-poitive too, but I like to start and end everything on a positive note. I like to call it “sandwiching”

For example:

“Riley had a great time in gym class sharing with peers but had trouble keeping her hands to herself at recess. Riley turned it around and had a great afternoon!”

“Ryan was a rockstar in speech today but had difficulty staying focused during group work. He came back from lunch refreshed and ready to work!”

Slide2.pngGiving a TON of information isn’t always best. Just like we don’t want to read super long notes, parents don’t either. Keep it short and to the point. If it’s longer than can fit in the box, you probably should make a home call. Longer notes leave too much room for negative interpretation, we want to keep everything positive!

Slide3.pngI also like to ask a lot of questions in my notes to find out more information about home, or leave things open for parents to give you more information.

For example:

“Sam had trouble opening and setting up his snack today after break, has he been practicing this skill at home?”

” Kate loved playing catch outside at recess! What does she like to do outside at home?”

 

I do sometimes text or email parents if that is what works best for them too, but each of my students has a communication binder for basic communication. Some more intense cases require a bit more. For instance, Students with medical needs may need frequent texting so everyone is on the same page. These parents are usually the best for not bothering you at night or interfering with your day. Students with behavior, I often email behavior reports each time an incident occurs to make sure the parents are aware of everything going on at school.

Screen Shot 2016-07-06 at 1.27.29 PM.png

Another way I like to communicate with parents is through seasonal handouts. I like to slip these tips of how to work on skills over breaks or weekends in with every progress notes. They are simple, but get parents thinking about how they can turn every activity into a learning opportunity for carry over from school.

Sometimes, I even write a simple list of ways to work on their IEP goals in the natural environment at home. For instance, sorting laundry, matching socks, counting dishes.

signature-01

 

 

Related Posts:

  • ps2
    How Parents Can Support Teachers
  • teacher-support3
    How Teachers Can Support Parents
  • Untitled-design-64
    All About Me Sheets for Special Needs Parents and Caregivers
Share
Pin


« File Folders for Independence
Simple Success Student Binder »

Comments

  1. Erica Price says

    July 9, 2016 at 3:26 pm

    This looks great! Kudos!

Hi amazing teachers!
I'm Alyssa Shanahan -- a former Elementary Special Ed & Life Skills teacher. My classroom focus was always to keep things simple, increase communication, and build independence. Simply Special Ed's goal is to help teachers and students reach their full potential in and out of the classroom!

Sign up to receive exclusive tips,
free resources, and more!

Recent Posts

Using the Life Skills Workbook Bundle

Pros and Cons: District Employee vs. Contracted Therapist

What is the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE)?

Types and names of Special Education Classrooms

How to Decide What to Include in Centers

20 Vocational Jobs to Add to Your Special Education Classroom

Copyright © Simply Special Ed 2025 · Design by Fancy Girl Design Studio

Copyright © 2025 · Simply Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.Ok