View
829
Download
0
Category
Preview:
DESCRIPTION
Schools and teachers want to develop partnership with parents. Strong communication is fundamental to this partnership. So, teachers must continue to develop and expand skills required to build a strong partnership.
Citation preview
Parent Teacher Communication
Professional Development Program 2013
H Dh. Atoll School & H Dh. Neykurendhoo School
Teachers strive to establish partnerships with
parents to support student learning. Strong
communication is fundamental to this partnership
and to building a sense of community between
home and school. In these changing times, teachers
must continue to develop and expand their skills in
order to maximize effective communication with
parents.
Introduction
Objectives
• To be aware of different communication approaches
• To recognize how different communication approaches can strengthen or weaken teacher-family relations
• To gain practice in employing different communication approaches in different circumstances
Why Communication is Important?
• Cultivating parent-teacher relationship is vital to to the development of school as a learning community. (Schussler, 2003)
• Communicating with parents is critical for establishing parent-teacher relationship. (Epstein, 1995)
• Parent-teacher communication is fundamental to involve families in education process.
Top 5 reasons why parent-teacher communication is beneficial:
• Increases trust between schools and families
• Encourages higher and realistic parental expectations
• Serves as the first step to other types of parent involvement to follow
• Leads to a higher degree of parents’ commitment to helping their students improve
• Puts everyone on the “same page”
What is PTC?• Communication may involve impressions
created or words expressed.
• Parents will be positively influenced by:– Welcome sign – Cleanliness of the school ground – Students' art work on the wall – Sounds in the classrooms
(Chambers, 1998)
What is PTC?
• Expressed communication involves one-way or two-way exchange
One-way communication Two-way communication
Letters/ Newsletters Telephone calls
Report cards Home visit
Communication books Parent teacher conference
Radio announcements Open houses
School Web site School based community activity
Using Technology
• Integrating technology can help schools communicate quickly to a broad parent community– Classroom phones & voice mail– Video technology – Radio announcement– School Web site
Parent-teacher communication centers around five different topic areas:
– academic performance, – classroom behavior, – child's academic and social
preparation for school, – hostile communication between
peers, and – health related issues.
(Mazer and Thompson)
Barriers to Communication
• Society Level
Problem Solution
Public is becoming estranged from public institutions
Schools are frequently the target of negative reportsBrandt (1998)
Every positive interaction will serve to increase trust & build stronger relationship
School needs to be a part of community.
School has the advantage of being natural point of interaction.
Barriers to Communication
• Society Level
Problem Solution
Cultural differences Seek out information to understand the cultural & linguistic diversity.
Seek out interpreter service when & where needed.
Incorporate faces of diversity into children's literature
Barriers to Communication
• Parent Level
Problem Solution
Parent's own negative school experience.
Parents may not understand how to effectively interact with teacher/ school.
Provide guidelines in checklist format for managing their concern
Encourage parents to gather information
Barriers to Communication
• Parent Level
Problem Solution
Economic situation & time constraints
Understand parent's schedule & availability.
Provide parents with information when and how to contact teacher.
Home visits
Provide child care option in school building during meetings.
Barriers to Communication
• School Level
Problem Solution
Use of technical jargon Avoid technical/ educational jargons.
Explain jargons and acronyms
Audio messages for below literacy level
Communication is a process
• Identifying the goal and reason for the communication.
• Considering one’s audience. • Choosing a communication approach that opens rather than blocks a two-way conversation
Goal:Consider the content of your message
Ask yourself:
• What message do I want to convey?
• What do I want to have happen as a result of this communication?
Audience
Ask yourself:
• Who am I talking with?• What is our degree of familiarity?• What style of communication am I
comfortable with? How might it be different—or the same—than the family I am communicating with?
Approach
• Instructing
• Following-up• Asking for help• Revealing• Informally exchanging• Active Listening
Effective communication strategies involve:
• Initiation: – Teachers should initiate contact as
soon as they know which students will be in their classroom for the school year. Contact can occur by means of an introductory phone call or a letter to the home introducing yourself to the parents and establishing expectations.
Effective communication strategies involve:
• Timeliness: – Adults should make contact soon
after a problem has been identified, so a timely solution can be found. Waiting too long can create new problems, possibly through the frustration of those involved.
Effective communication strategies involve:
• Follow-through: – Parents and teachers each want to
see that the other will actually do what they say they will do.
Effective communication strategies involve:
• Clarity and usefulness of communication: – Parents and teachers should have
the information they need to help students, in a form and language that makes sense to them.
Effective communication strategies involve:
• Consistency and frequency: – Parents want frequent, ongoing
feedback about how their children are performing with homework.
Parent Teacher Conference
Before Conference
• Do we need a translator?• Articulate the purpose of the
conference.• Schedule carefully.• Organize data and documents.• Check names.
During Conference
• Greet parents.• Eliminate physical barriers.• Active listening. Pause, Probe,
Paraphrase• Positive Tone• Ask for opinions, reactions,
concerns.• Be careful with jargon.• Summarize.
After Conference
• Write a brief summary• Did you accomplish your goal?• Was your message received?• Write a brief thank-you note
Activity
• Role Play- in groups, select a role-playing situation. Discuss the goal, audience & approach.
• Present the role play
Recommended