4C: Communicating with Families

We work with many families and their level of involvement varies, it is our responsibility to connect and provide opportunities for them to understand our instructional programs and their child's progress.  Teachers establish this relationship with families by communicating to them about the instruction that is taking place, conferring with them about individual student growth, and inviting them to be part of the educational process.  The importance of regular communication cannot be overstated.  

The elements of component 4c are:

• Information about the instructional program 
• The teacher frequently provides information to families about the instructional program.
• Information about individual students
• The teacher frequently provides information to families about students’ individual progress.
• Engagement of families in the instructional program
• The teacher frequently and successfully offers engagement opportunities to families so that they can participate in the learning activities.

A proficient teacher: 

The teacher provides frequent and appropriate information to families about the instructional program and conveys information about individual student progress in a culturally sensitive manner. The teacher makes some attempts to engage families in the instructional program.

What does this look like?

• Sending home a weekly newsletter to describe current class activities and learning goals, PBL projects, field trips, etc.
• Creating a monthly progress report that is sent home with each student.
• Keeping StandardScore up to date so that parents have access to current student information.
• Utilizing BB9 to house instructional materials so parents can connect to the work happening at school.
• Involving parents in at home learning opportunities.

A distinguished teacher: 

The teacher communicates frequently with families in a culturally sensitive manner, with students contributing to the communication. The teacher responds to family concerns with professional and cultural sensitivity. The teacher’s efforts to engage families in the instructional program are frequent and successful.

What does this look like?

• Students create information to take home that shows what they are learning in science.
• Students maintain a daily reflection log describing what they are learning that goes home each week for parents to read.
• Students design an inquiry project to work on with their family connected to the learning at school.

Here are two examples of communications that are happening in our schools:

Level 3 at Hawthorne sends home a weekly update.

Level 1 at STEM Randall sends home updates to show their PBL units in action.

This infographic has ideas for utilizing social media to connect and communicate with parents:

(source)

Other resources on Communicating with Families: 

• What Parents Want in School Communication (from Edutopia)
• How to Strengthen Parent Involvement and Communication (from Edutopia)

Reflect in the comments: 

How have you involved and connected families to the learning that is happening in your classroom?