Communication:
With Your Child
&
With Your School
Tips on how to
communicate effectively
How to Communicate
With Your Child
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Be Attentive
Care
Share
Encourage
Love
Be Attentive
• Be attentive – listen patiently and
carefully, providing encouragement.
Your child needs to know that at this moment,
what he/she is saying is the most important thing to
you. Let your face and voice
show your interest.
Care
• Let your child know that you care about
his/her feelings.
Say things like, “It’s okay to be afraid, sad, excited, etc.” Follow
through and SHOW your child how you care.
Share
• Share situations
from your own life
when you were
experiencing the
same feelings as
your child.
Your child wants to know that
you understand why they are
feeling this way.
Encourage
• Encourage your
child to solve
his/her own
problems.
Be very assuring that you will
be there to help if needed, but
try to encourage independence.
Love
• At any age, your child needs to know that
your love is unconditional, and that he/she
can tell you anything.
You may not like what your child tells
you, and there may be consequences
for poor judgment and behavior, but
your love will never change.
Communication with the
School/Teacher
Strong communication between home and
school makes it easier for your child to go
back and forth between the two settings.
If your child sees this ongoing
communication, he/she realizes
that you think school
is important.
SO. . . .
• READ newsletters and notes sent home.
(Or have someone read them to you)
• LISTEN carefully to phone messages sent
by teachers and administrators.
• Contact your child’s teacher on a regular
basis. (phone, e-mail, send a note)
• VISIT the school occasionally. If possible,
arrange to eat a meal at school with your
child.
• VOLUNTEER in the school or classroom.
Any help is welcome, even if short term.
What should you talk to the
teacher about??
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Find out
Inform
Ask Questions
Tell
Contact
Find Out
• Find out what you
can work on at
home with your
child that will help
his/her progress.
Even if your child does
not have a lot of homework, the
teacher may have suggestions
for enrichment activities.
Inform
• Inform the teacher
about what is going
on in your child’s
life that may affect
behavior or
learning at school.
For example: family illness or
death, parent job loss, out of
town trip, etc.
Ask Questions
• Ask questions
about how your
child is doing at
school both
academically and
socially. Make the
questions specific.
Tell
• Tell the teacher if
you have any
concerns about
your child’s
adjustment to
school.
Contact
• Contact the school,
teacher or parent
liaison if you need
someone else to
talk to about your
questions or
concerns.
Ten Tips for a
Successful
Parent-Teacher
Conference
1. Ask your child if there is anything he
would like you to discuss with the teacher.
2. Before the conference, jot down everything that you
want to talk about.
3. Arrive promptly or a few minutes early.
4. Begin with positive comments about the teacher or
school.
5. Avoid lengthy discussions about topics not related
to the purpose of the conference.
6. Be open-minded about suggestions from the teacher.
7. Keep your emotions under control.
8. Take notes about what had been discussed to share
with your child.
9. Express appreciation for the conference.
10. Do not stay beyond your allotted time.
Communication works for those who work
at it. - John Powell
The way we communicate with others and
with ourselves ultimately determines the
quality of our lives. – Anthony Robbins
Good communication is always
difficult to achieve, but the rewards are
worth it. You and your child will both
benefit from the effort.