As a new school year rapidly approaches, I thought I would share with readers my thoughts on communicating with the parents of the students who will be entrusted to my care in the upcoming school year. Hold on to your hats! Some of you will not agree with me. I'm telling you, this works for me. It may be outside your comfort zone and that's okay.
Each year, after I get my long awaited for class list, I call the parents of my new students. I use this call to introduce myself as their child's teacher for the upcoming school year, ask if they have any questions or concerns before school starts, invite them to Back-to-School Night, and ask if there is anything they would like to tell me about their child. I feel like this helps to get the school year off on a positive note.
In addition, I give parents my cell phone number. I know many of you are cringing at this, so hear me out! I tell parents that I will only respond after 6 a.m. and until 9 p.m., and not while I'm teaching. To assure this is followed, I turn off the volume on my phone. Outside of the time constraints, parents are welcome to leave a message. I have unlimited calling and texting. In one instance, I had a mom call and leave a message at 1 a.m. The student's grandmother was being life-flighted and mom wanted me to know that her child had had a short night and would need some extra TLC. It's about building connections, people! Honestly, in the eight years I've been doing this, not once has a parent abused calling my phone. The fact that it's a cell phone makes tracing it to my home address nearly impossible.
Another way of keeping the lines of communication open is through Facebook. Nearly all of the parents have this already. I make the setting for our class Facebook group "secret" so that no one outside of the group can see what is posted by me or by other group members. This comes in very handy for posting reminders, giving new information, and sharing pictures or articles.
While I also speak to parents in face-to-face conversations and newsletters and notes home, I feel these other forms of communication adds to and helps to build those crucial family relationships.
