Parent /Teacher
Communication
Working as a team for the benefit
of the child
Parent/Teacher Conferences
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Problem solving
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Information getting
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Student work assessment (grading
conference)
PREVENTIVE STRATEGIES FOR
WORKING WITH PARENTS
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Find people in the community or at school who can
translate
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Offer clarifications proactively when confusion
might be possible

Label spaces in the classroom and school in
families’ home languages

Go out of your way to acknowledge parents
Preventive Strategies (con’t)
 Help
parents understand
expectations for student work
 Adjust
classroom activities when
possible to respect families’
values/issues
 Understand
and work with extended
school absences.
 Consider
using a modified Morning
Meeting format at Back To School
Night, particularly if you are doing
Preventive Strategies for the
First 6 Weeks of School

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Help parents feel welcomed and valued.
Welcome parents to play an active role.
Build community among parents
Start early with a special parent
conference - invite parents to share their
hopes, dreams, goals for their child.
Send out a family interest inventory
Communicate about homework
Remember the small daily interactions find opportunities to connect.
Steps in Planning and Conducting
Parent Conference

Formulate your message.
 Use familiar terms, not jargon.
 Avoid emotion-laden statements
 Describe specific circumstances and
conditions of student performance,
behavior.
 Use enabling phrases. Establish conference
objective with parent by phone or letter.

Prepare data to share.

Decide on your opening statement. How will you
make the parent feel comfortable and receptive?
Parent Conference (con’t)

Check back with parents during and at
end of conference.

Close by summarizing content of the
conference or ask parents to summarize
what they understand.

Use a follow-up letter as needed.

Set a time to communication again, as
needed.
Why do some parents resist
involvement?

Brainstorm in pairs for 2 minutes
with a partner about possible
reasons. Be ready to share with
class.
Parents may resist involvement
at school because:
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Fear divulging family conflicts
Panic over child’s possible failure
Guilt over lack of parenting skills
Reluctant to interfere in teacher’s work
Belief that they would not know how to
participate in school
Illegal alien issues
Past negative experiences as a student
in school
REMEMBER…
No matter what is said by the
parent, keep bringing the focus back
to how you and the parent can help
their child succeed.
Mark Siegel Case Questions

Get in groups of 4 and discuss
questions you have received. Be
ready to share with class.