Author: Lynn Ziraldo, York Region LDA

Even though parents and teachers want what is best for a student, sometimes that message can get lost. When parents and teachers see things from different perspective and fail to communicate their concerns effectively, or feel their ideas are not accepted, the parent-teacher relationship can flounder.

However, teachers and parents can and should find ways to complement each other’s skills and knowledge. By focusing on the student and developing effective communication techniques, they can work together to build an education plan that meets the student’s needs and has the support of school and family. The following techniques have helped parent and teachers build positive and strong relationships.

Strategies that Help Parents and Professionals Work Together

When parents and teacher work together, it sends the student the message that “we’re all in this together”. Therefore, it is vital that both parties learn to share planning for the student’s instructional needs, as well as identification of potential problems or areas that need work. The following practices form the basis for a good relationship.

  • Listen actively. Teachers should put themselves in parents’ and students’ shoes and parents and students should put themselves in the teacher’s shoes.
  • Show compassion, sensitivity, empathy and mutual respect for each other. All parties should try to understand the other’s perspective. Consistently trying to understand each other and focusing on developing solutions can avoid negative situations.
  • Treat each other as equal partners in the planning and decision-making.
  • Develop a mutual understanding of the strengths and needs of the student. Parents and teachers should share their understanding of the student’s learning styles. Parents can provide input on how they see the student’s physical strength, how the student interacts with others and the student’s mental processing out of the classroom, while the teacher can share his or her observations from a class vantage point. Plus, students can contribute their ideas on the ways they learn best, as well as the factors that inhibit their learning.
  • Trust each other’s judgment.
  • Approach disagreement in a manner that encourages mutual problem solving. Utilize a problem-solving model to keep emotionalism at bay. Most models include: stating the problem, brainstorming ideas and developing a solution. Share the model with all parents and students to let them know how the school resolves issues.

Develop a Learning Profile of the Student

By working together, parents and teachers can get a true picture of a student and create an instructional plan that works for the student and has the support of teachers and parents.
Parents and teachers should consider:

  • The student’s strengths
  • The student’s needs including, physical, intellectual or cognitive, education or academic, cultural, emotional and/or behavioral, social
  • The student’s interests and activities
  • The student’s goals
  • The student’s expectations
  • The each other’s expectations

Successful Meetings for Parents and Professionals

Successful meetings require the participation of teachers and parents. Both have relevant information that will help each other understand the student and develop a learning program that best fits the student’s needs. To ensure parent teacher meetings meet these objectives, both parties should:

  • Focus on the best interests of the student
  • Concentrate on determining a positive course of action
  • List questions before attending the meeting. Doing so helps keep emotionalism from obstructing your goal and ensures that major questions are answered
  • Ask questions about strategies, terms or behaviors you don’t understand. Asking is an opportunity to clear up misunderstandings and possibly hard feelings
  • Determine the ways in which parents and teacher can share responsibilities. Teachers need to share the strategies they are using the in the classroom so that parents can use them at home. Parents can make sure the student has a place to do homework, as well as the equipment they need to complete assignment and if the student is not completing assignment, to enact consequences at home
  • Ask for suggestions. Teachers can learn successful strategies to work with a student by asking for suggestions from parents and students. Conversely, parents can ask teachers for learning or behavior strategies they can try at home.
  • Share information with the student. By attending parent/teacher meetings, students can present their ideas and perspective and l3earn to advocate for their needs.
  • Set up a procedure for follow-up. Summarize the information, as this will be the basis for the next meeting.
  • Express appreciation for each other’s participation in the conference

Continuing the Relationship

A continuing relationship between family and school requires a commitment to communication and shared responsibility. To encourage further positive parent/teacher interactions:

  • Set up a regular communication link. Set up a communication mode that works for parents, teachers and students.
  • In addition to meetings, letters, faxes, phone calls and emails can augment communication. Some educators and families correspond via a communication book in which parents, teachers and students write down observations, ideas, and concerns
  • Respond to suggestions, if any party asks for suggestions, they should try them. The suggestions can be assessed and reevaluated at a later date.
  • Carry out responsibilities. Both parties are responsible for carrying out their responsibilities as outline in the action plan. A reevaluation may indicate a later change.
  • Monitor the progress of the action plan. Evaluating the action plan can include input from numerous sources: self-evaluation, peer evaluation, formal and informal assessment, and/or home and school observations. All forms of evaluation should have been set out in the action plan.