Keeping it Positive with Parents

Keeping it Positive with Parents
Having just come off a long and exhausting parent conference week (including a bout with laryngitis), I decided that I’d like to put some tips I follow during this time of the school year and beyond regarding parental involvement in my classroom...
Teaching can be so much easier when you get the parents positively involved!
	Start on a Positive Note: perhaps a general statement about how happy you are to be teaching their child. Provide Specific Information Across Several Different Areas; personal attributes, behavior, work habits, social skills, communication, reading, writing, and math. Here is a document I have used for years to help me with comments: 101 Report Card Comments Set a Goal-there is always room for improvement! Closing-always close on a positive note.  Let the parents and student know how proud you are of their learning and how you look forward to even more growth. 3 Glows and a Grow-I use this template to write out specifics from the above areas to give to each parent and student.  This allows for more personalized comments: 3 Glows and a Grow Parent Pride-have the the parents write a note about how proud they are of their child’s learning at school. Post it and read to the child the next day in class. This was a hit for both parents and students-tears of pride (parents) and big smiles (students).
At the end of the day, the most overwhelming key to a child's success is the positive involvement of parents. -Jane D. Hull
Use the 5:1 concept with parents as well...
	If you have to communicate with one parent about some negative behavior, make it a point to reach out to 5 other parents about some positive behaviors.  So many times parents are surprised to hear that I am contacting them to tell them something positive about their child; this makes me sad! And It’s so much easier now with all of the teacher apps available: Remind, Bloomz, Class Dojo…if you haven’t explored any of these yet, do it NOW!  Seriously!  It’s so simple and quick to send a text to a parent. I have also found that when you have built a positive relationship with the parents, the communication regarding negative behavior and/or academic performance is much easier for the parents to accept, with a “what can I do?” attitude. We need the parents of our students on our side, and it’s up to us as professionals to foster that relationship. Happy and Positive Teaching! Erin Grebel
Click here to schedule a visit	erin.grebel@omsd.net