Teacher’s Guide to Communicating with Parents

This guide is intended for first-year teachers as a resource for how and when to communicate with parents. The information compiled in this guide was collected from a survey of a team of middle school teachers in an independent special education school in New York City. In this guide you will find (1) general suggestions for communication with parents of your students, (2) a breakdown of the reasons for communicating with parents using 3 modes of communication (e-mail, phone, in-person) along with sample phrases/sentences for each situation, and (3) suggestions for when to involve other school personnel to communicate with parents.

General Suggestions:1. School policy. Check your school’s policy on communicating with parents. Some schools have policies regarding what topics

can be discussed over e-mail, phone, or in person. 2. Beginning of year. Introduce yourself, in person if possible, in the beginning of the year to open communication lines with

parents early. This gives parents a face to your name and vice versa. 3. Be positive. Always have something positive to say about the student when initiating communication with a parent. 4. Be prepared. Have examples of student work. Prepare your ideas for a plan of action and suggestions for student goals.5. Listen. Some situations are not always what they seem. Listen to students and parents so you are fully informed.6. Confidentiality. Do not discuss other students or compare other students to the student’s parent you are talking with.

Communication with Parents – E-mail, Phone and In-Person Meetings:Type Reasons Sample Phrases/Sentences

E-mail

General: less critical issues, setup meetings- e-mail HW to absent students- scheduling appointments (phone or in person)- student absences/lateness- changes in dismissal arrangements- reminders- create awareness of upcoming tests/big

assignments- request parental assistance on certain assignments- positive feedback on individuals*(NOT used to discuss serious issues-school policy)

- “I hope this e-mail finds you well.”- “I hope this e-mail finds _____ feeling better.”- “I am writing to request a meeting time and date.”- “I noticed that your child has been late and/or absent.”- “I am writing to confirm dismissal for _____”- “I am writing to keep you updated on _____”- “Dear 8th grade parents, Some of you have asked to be

notified when your children have upcoming tests or big projects.”

* if requested by parent, or as part of an organized plan between the teacher/student/parent and sometimes school psychologist, social worker or principal

Phone

General: address minor student issues

- minor behavior incidents/issues- change in behavior- continual HW issues- hygiene issues- updates on ongoing improvements in behavior- follow up on “wait and see” topics- request an in-school meeting

- Start out by letting the parents know everyone is okay/safe if you’re discussing a safety issue or behavior incident so they don’t worry. (Don’t start with “There was an incident.”)

- “I wanted to check-in with you regarding a pattern I’ve been observing with _____.”

- “Hello _____. This is _____ from school. I am calling because I am concerned with _____’s homework. He/she has missed several assignments and I was wondering if something was happening at home or if any changes have happened that might affect this.”

- “I was calling to talk to you about _____’s progress in science. He/she has been showing a lot of progress in _____ , but has been falling behind in _______.”

In-PersonMeetings

General: Parent/teacher conferences, serious issues

- student review/progress- major social or academic issues- create/discuss/modify behavior plan for student- discuss goals with student for remainder of year- if issues cannot be resolved over phone or if more

people need to be directly involved- one-on-one meetings for students requiring

additional assistance

- “We are meeting today to discuss your child’s progress in all subjects.” (Start positive, listen to parent, mention any issues, provide suggestions/plan of action)

- “I have a few concerns about _____ in class. His/her participation is excellent and he/she is very curious, but he/she seems to struggle when _____.”

- “_____ is doing really well in _____ but I am still observing _____. I am hoping we can come up with a plan today to continue to support _____.”

- “I am glad we can have this opportunity to discuss _____.”

When to involve other school personnel (principal, school social worker, school psychologist, etc.):1. Some teachers suggest CC’ing other teachers, principal or any other relevant personnel, on e-mails for documentation.2. Invite other appropriate school personnel to parent conferences for students when their assistance could benefit the student.3. When agreements have not been followed up on or there have been no results, refer issue to principal. 4. When an issue arises that is beyond your ability as a teacher to respond to appropriately (i.e. suspicions of serious health

related issues such as eating disorders, depression, etc.), refer to school social worker or psychologist.