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A COMMUNICATION WORKSHOP

FOR PARENTS/GUARDIANS of STUDENTS

in the WILLIAM PENN SCHOOL DISTRICT

Presented by theCommunity Council for Education

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Communication is the cornerstone for

building a solid school-family partnership.

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Effective home-school communication is the two-way sharing of information vital to student success.

Some parents and educators are still reluctant to use more effective means of communication, viewing the task as too difficult, too time consuming, or too much work. Too often, such feelings result in one-way communication from the school without the exchange of ideas and perceptions.

In fact, making the investment to communicate effectively actually saves time during the school year!

Effective Communication

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Effective Communication

Effective communication between parents and educators:

• Results in positive benefits for students• The potential for conflict is reduced

• Life becomes less stressful for parents, administrators and teachers

• Creates a more productive learning environment

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Frequent communication between teachers and parents results in:

• parents becoming more cooperative and

• the principal needing to spend less time mediating between angry and frustrated parents and teachers.

• The end result is a positive learning environment for all children!

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Research has shown that consistent, two-way communication between the home and school

often provides the following benefits:

Students• Gain an awareness of their own

progress and competence• Understand expectations and

rules• Become more aware of their

role in the partnership and can serve as information sources

Teachers• Appreciate and make more

effective use of parent volunteers

• Gain an increased ability to seek and understand family views on children’s progress

• Achieve greater teaching effectiveness

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Research has shown that consistent, two-way communication between the home and school

often provides the following benefits:

and, Parents

• Report a greater belief in their ability to influence their children

• Better understand school programs and policies

• Are aware of their children’s progress

• Evaluate their children’s teachers as more effective

• Become more involved in their children’s learning

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We do want to be involved but we often just don’t know how.

Body language, lack of eye contact, and covert conversations can communicate rejection and can leave parents and teachers feeling that efforts to be friendly and open are insincere.

Educators need to concentrate not on what parents know or on what they think parents know, but on what parents can come to know. Educators must let go of the assumption that parents do not want to be involved.

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QUALITY TIPS FOR SUCCESSFUL COMMUNICATION

Give Positive Feedback

Acknowledge a teacher’s child’s, or parent’s positive strengths, talents, achievements, and behaviors, and show appreciation for what he or she has done.

Solve it Early

Teachers and parents should initiative a conversation with one another before there is a negative issue or crisis. Be open to any information – positive or negative.

If you are having difficulty communicating for any reason, respectfully let the other person know why, and try to resolve it together before going to the principal for help.

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QUALITY TIPS FOR SUCCESSFUL COMMUNICATION

Be on the “Same Page”

Share your wishes and worries about a child.

When this happens, both the teacher and parent

learn what the other has observed about the child’s interests and motivations, and can

help each other provide the child with the best learning environment possible at home and

school.

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QUALITY TIPS FOR SUCCESSFUL COMMUNICATION

Make an Appointment

Give teachers, parents, or administrators some

advance notice that you would like to meet with

them, and let them know what you would like to discuss. Ask them how

much contact they want to have and how they prefer to communicate (e-mail,

phone, notes, or in person).

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QUALITY TIPS FOR SUCCESSFUL COMMUNICATION

Leave Your Baggage at the Door!

Put previous negative experiences with

teachers, parents, or administrators behind you and begin each interaction with an

open mind and positive attitude.

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HANDLING CONFLICT!

When conflicts occur, the best strategy is to contact the teacher or principal involved in the conflict right away. Do not let issues fester for a long time. Whether you make contact over the phone or in a face-to-face meeting, planning is the key to a productive encounter. Write down what you plan to say before you call or have your scheduled meeting.

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HANDLING CONFLICT!

Steps to successfully handling conflict ~

1. Start with statements of concern2. Describe the specific behaviors or issues that have necessitated

the call or meeting3. Describe the steps you have taken or have considered taking to

solve the problem4. Present the part you will play in solving the problem5. Express confidence that you can solve the problem together6. Plan for a follow-up contact to discuss progress on the situation or

behavior

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HANDLING CONFLICT!

Making the serious commitment to have two-way and meaningful communication opens the door to honest emotion and sometimes anger. If conflict occurs and someone becomes angry, it is critical to properly manage the situation, minimize the anger’s destructive nature, and return the communication to a positive and creative focus.

The following strategies can help you handle an outburst of anger:

Remain calm. Use a steady tone of voice. Listen and try to calm the other person down. Be prepared to “hear them out,” and then examine the facts together. Ask questions to clarify issues and feelings. State your facts in the form of questions (this is less threatening and can disarm someone’s anger).

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HANDLING CONFLICT!

Set time limits for the discussion and schedule another day to meet if necessary. Clearly state at the beginning that yelling or profanity should be avoided and that each person should show the other courtesy and respect.

Slow down the pace. Pause and reflect on what is being said. Repeat what someone has said to clarify your understanding.

Respect the right to disagree! We are not trying to suppress conflict, but want to minimize the destructive nature of anger. The end goal is not necessarily to agree but to respect the views of others and try to change anger into a creative force by moving the discussion toward a collaborative understanding of the issues as much as possible.

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Parent Involvement:Warding Off Conflicts

There are multiple levels of parent involvement:

• Your own child – Be involved with your child’s education by communicating and supporting your child’s teachers and the school through following rules, completing homework, talking to staff when a problems arises.

• Become involved in the H&S. Attend meetings.

• Volunteer…even once or twice a year makes a difference.

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Parent Involvement: Warding Off Conflicts

• School Wide Involvement: When you identify a school problem with behavior and discipline, curriculum, atmosphere, personnel, become involved by talking to the principal or Home and School President, other parents, and/or a trusted teacher.

• Identify positive ways you can help improve a negative situation.

• Establish a committee to identify and address problems in a proactive manner.

• Identify other parents who share your concerns and work together with school staff for a resolution.

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Parent Involvement: Warding Off Conflicts

• District Wide Involvement: When you identify a district identify positive ways you can help improve a negative situation by joining a group that addresses district issues.

• Learn how the SYSTEM WORKS! What are the policies, procedures for handling things, and WORK the SYSTEM!

• Identify other parents who share your concerns and work together with staff for a resolution.

• Brainstorm to identify resources internally and externally to get the problem fixed. Work as a team with other parents and/or with district personnel to help things.

• Attend your School Board meetings and/or contact a School Board representative to address your issues.

• Lobby your local, state, and federal officials for more funds for your school district.

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Power in Numbers

• Positive things can happen when a number of people agree to resolve an issue. Identify like-minded parents who want to work toward positive change.

• Petitions, letters, letters to the editors, meetings of parent leaders and/or parents are a way to make your collective voice heard over the din of everyday chaos.

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Notes

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Food for The Brain

“A vision without a task is a dream - a task without a vision is drudgery- but a task with vision can change the world.”

Black Elk

“A school isn't good enough until it is good enough for our own children. In fact it's not only that it must be good enough for our own children but it must be the dream school we want for our children.”  

H Levin Stanford Prof of Economics Community Council for Education

Prepared by Linda Thompson and Brenda McPherson-Fry, Co-Chairs