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By
Anna Culpepper
Watkins School
Jackson, MS |
Good
communication with the parents of my students stands out as a high
priority in my professional life as an educator. In years past, I
have had great intentions for maintaining an open relationship with
parents, but in some instances I was unable to effectively "reach”
some of them.
Before this
school year started, I devised plans to improve communication between
the students' parents and myself. Historically, I have had the
opportunity to conference with parents on Parent/Teacher Conference
Day, a day set-aside by the district, but not all parents could attend.
This year I decided to contact parents before the first day of school
to arrange for home visitations. I was able to reach only two parents.
These two parents, however, were very interested in meeting me before
school began. One parent preferred to come to the school; and since
I wanted her to feel comfortable, my classroom was where we met. I
visited with the second parent and her child in their home.
These visitations
were occasions for the parents, students and me to get acquainted
in a more comfortable setting. I was able to explain classroom expectations
and procedures for the upcoming year. By reaching out to them before
their children ever entered my classroom, these parents knew I was
most interested in their children's education. When other parents
heard about my home visits, they were intrigued, and many expressed
that this was a wonderful way to begin the year. Although I was only
able to visit with two parents, my visitations served as an opening
source of communication for the upcoming year. Now, parents often
stop by the classroom to observe what their children are learning,
and most feel very comfortable in speaking with me.
In addition
to home visits, I have developed other ways to communicate with parents.
At the beginning of school, I sent home a parent survey with each
child, asking for pertinent information about the student and his/her
learning. All of the children returned the surveys; and I was able
to determine what some of their strengths and weaknesses were, as
well as their likes and dislikes. I intend to send surveys home again
at the end of the first term and the end of the year. Their responses
will help me determine whether parents are pleased with my teaching
style and how they feel about their children's progress.
The
three-way journal is a concept I put into place this year to improve
students' writing ability and to get different perspectives
on a certain topic. The students, parents and I author the three-way
journal. Every Monday the journal is sent home with students. When
the students get home, the parents and children read my piece together.
Since we base our studies on thematic units, I generally author a
piece dealing with the unit. Once they read my perspective on the
topic, 
the
parents then write a paragraph or more on the same topic and the students
do the same. The best part about this process is when I share the
wonderful work written by both parents and students. Not only has
this process begun to assist my students with writing, but it has
also enhanced the communication with parents. Some of the parents
are delighted to read the positive comments I have regarding their
work. Others enjoy the idea of sharing the parents' work. What
I most enjoy is the smile on the faces of my students when I read
their writings, as well as those written by their parents. They also
love to share with the rest of the class. The students adore the fact
that importance is placed on them and their families. I must admit
I love it, too!
This
year I also chose to allow the students to carry home our class pet,
a stuffed bulldog named Cheyenne. As a class, we discussed the responsibilities
of caring for Cheyenne when he is away from school. The students are
responsible for keeping up with Cheyenne's clothes, changing
and feeding him and writing in his journal. Parents must also be responsible
for the well being of Cheyenne. Not only do they ensure that Cheyenne
is well cared for, but the parents also have to assist the children
in writing about their day with Cheyenne. The children can't
wait to find out who will care for Cheyenne each day, and again, this
is a wonderful way for me to connect home with school for both parents
and students.
Although
I communicate with parents in other ways, home visits, parent surveys,
three-way journals and the classroom pet have become my most effective
sources of communication. Not only have they provided ongoing helpful
information, but in my opinion have also bridged the gap between home
and school.
To
read more about the impact of home visits on student achievement in
a California district, click here: http://www.glef.org/
MAKING
CONNECTIONS BETWEEN HOME AND SCHOOL
At Susan B. Anthony Elementary School, 69 percent of the students
are immigrants from countries in Southeast Asia. Roughly 20 percent
of the students are African American, and 12 percent are Hispanic.
All live in poverty, with 100 percent of the students receiving
free or reduced-priced lunch. Faced with a high suspension rate
and a majority of students performing below grade level, staff
and teachers from the school launched a home visit program. Since
the program began, student achievement has soared, suspensions
have been almost eliminated, and parents are respected partners,
not outsiders at the school. The model has been so successful
that today teachers from every school in the Sacramento City Unified
School District are participating in the voluntary, paid program.
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