Author: Kelsey Hodge School districts across the country are grappling with a range of challenges, from budget deficits to persistent absenteeism, all of which are affecting student achievement. Decades of research has shown that parental involvement in student learning can make a meaningful difference on student achievement, attendance, and graduation rates (Melhuish et al., 2008). Transformative parental involvement begins with the relationships that are fostered through parent-teacher communication. By employing high-impact strategies for parent-teacher communication, teachers can create the conditions through which families and schools can partner to support student learning outcomes. Advantages of Effective Parent-Teacher CommunicationTeachers and schools invest significant effort in keeping parents informed about events, conferences, and report cards. However, these traditional forms of communication often fail to reach all families reliably or equitably, particularly in communities with limited internet access or greater linguistic diversity. When parent-teacher communication is accessible to all, collaborative, and focused on student learning, school districts are able to grapple with the challenges they face as students thrive. Advantages for studentsAs school districts work to close grade-level gaps and boost student achievement, student absenteeism and mental health challenges are on the rise. Study after study has demonstrated the marked impact that parent-teacher partnerships have on student well-being and academic achievement. Students benefit tremendously from stronger parent involvement in schools. When parents and teachers engage in regular dialogue about the importance of attendance, the child’s overall well-being, and academic progress, it also builds a strong foundation for strengthening parent- teacher relationships. Strong parent-teacher communication and partnership can enhance each child’s engagement in their own learning journey and sense of belonging in their school community. Advantages for parentsParents have a strong desire to support their children’s education but often the shortcomings of traditional communication leave them ill-equipped to do so. Families report receiving limited information from their child’s school about grade-level skills, their child’s mastery of those skills, and what they can do to support at home. By inviting parents to partner and developing a collaborative relationship through on-going communication, teachers can build parents’ confidence in supporting their child’s educational journey and create schools in which all families are welcomed as valuable community members. Advantages for teachersThe everyday demands of teaching can be isolating. The responsibilities teachers are juggling, from implementing new curriculum to grappling with chronic absenteeism, can lead to teacher burnout. Effective parent-teacher communication provides teachers with a sense of partnership that ensures that teachers feel supported knowing that the learning happening in their classroom is being reinforced by families and caregivers at home. With on-going, relational communication with parents, teachers can gain greater insight into their students and build a more diverse toolkit for responding to each child’s needs resulting in improved job satisfaction. Strategies to Improve Parent-Teacher CommunicationThe most effective parent-teacher communication is relational, directly linked to student learning, and builds the capacity of both parents, teachers, and school administrators.. Adopting high-impact strategies like those below can allow large districts and busy teachers to maximize their limited time and resources with the maximum benefit for their students and school communities. Ensure Learning-focused Communication is Accessible for All Students’ FamiliesIn order for every child to have the opportunity to succeed, communication must be accessible for all parents and caregivers. Take time to gather information about the parents and caregivers within the community and their specific needs around contact preferences, home language, and internet access. By putting families’ communication needs at the forefront of parent-teacher communication, parents and caregivers are more readily able to engage and feel included in their child’s education. Personalize Parent-Teacher Communication with Impactful & Effective MessagingDespite current teacher and school district communication efforts, parents are frequently left wondering about grade-level learning goals and if their child is on track to meet those goals. A child’s teacher has invaluable insight into student learning and sharing that insight through learning-focused communication promotes a sense of trust and deepens the partnership between teachers and families. Be intentional about sharing regular updates on classroom learning in a way that allows parents to meaningfully engage and support their child’s growth. Set up a Two-Way DialogueToo often traditional parent-teacher communication looks more like a news bulletin than a conversation. To foster partnerships between parents and teachers, it’s important for teachers to start by sharing when parents can expect to hear from them, what information will be shared, and how parents can contact them. Open the conversation by asking parents and caregivers questions about their child or their hopes and dreams for them in order to connect. Once established, a two-way dialogue between parents and teachers not only promotes connection and builds capacity but also results in more positive communication. Share Student Successes and Areas for GrowthAfter establishing relationships with parents through accessible, learning-focused, two-way dialogue, it becomes much easier for teachers to contact parents and have open, honest conversations about students’ performance on assessments and behavior. In fact, many parents express a deep desire to know more about their child’s areas for growth. When parent-teacher communication promotes partnership and equips parents with actionable information, it allows for joint problem-solving that improves student outcomes. As trust builds through sustained dialogue, teachers are more equipped to have transparent conversations around topics like the impact of frequent absences on student learning. How FASTalk Can Transform Parent-Teacher CommunicationFASTalk is an evidence-based parent-teacher communication tool that was designed to connect classroom instruction with at-home learning through a regular cadence of learning-focused information and activities delivered to families in their home language. FASTalk aims to remove the common barriers to parent engagement by ensuring learning-focused communication takes place weekly, in each family’s preferred language, and doesn’t require access to WiFi. FASTalk equips teachers with a tool they can use to communicate via text message with their students’ families in over 100 languages without having to share their personal cell phone numbers. Parent involvement can play a pivotal role in advancing student learning outcomes for district’s seeking solutions to rising challenges. Reach Parents in Their Preferred Language Through Direct TranslationsThe FASTalk team identifies the linguistic needs of each school community to ensure that the FASTalk text messages sent to families are professionally translated into the home languages of all caregivers. In addition, teachers can use FASTalk to engage in two-way translated communication with parents and caregivers in over 100 languages. As a result of the accessibility of FASTalk messages and parental involvement, students have experienced literacy gains, especially when their parents did not share a home language with the teacher. Provide Engaging and Simple Learning Activities for Parents to Try With Their ChildThe FASTalk tips and activities are designed specifically for families by curriculum experts to align with a school district’s curriculum and/or grade-level learning goals. The weekly FASTalk text messages give caregivers a window into classroom learning by sharing on-going information about key grade-level skills and ways that they can reinforce those skills. While there are numerous communication platforms available for teachers to communicate with families, 85% of FASTalk families report that FASTalk is the only place that they receive learning focused information and activities to support their child. Connect Directly With Parents Through Text MessagesThe FASTalk tips and activities are delivered straight to parents’ phones each week through SMS text message. There’s no computer or internet connection required for parents ensuring that any caregiver with access to a cell phone can engage in fun, on-the-go activities to support their child’s learning from anywhere.
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