COMMUNICATION

Ways To Improve Communications With Your School And School District

 

This section provides a few ideas on how to talk - and listen - to your child's school. Helping your student to succeed in school begins with knowing "what's going on" in your child's life. Because family and school are two of the most important parts of your child's life, open communication between the school and parents can be a powerful force in improving children's attitudes and performance in school.

 

Pay Attention To Information The School Sends You

Teachers may send letters home, post e-mail or use a voicemail message system. Schools and PTAs publish newsletters which may be mailed directly to you or sent home with your student. Some schools have web sites on the Internet. Find out how your student's teachers, school and school district communicate with families, and take time to read (or listen to) these messages. If you don't receive information on a regular basis, ask for it: Call the school and find out if you are missing information, or ask the to send additional information. In these ways, you will understand a lot more about your student's school experience.

 

Use Your Calendar

Every family with school-age children - yes, even high school children - needs a large calendar hanging in its kitchen. Use the calendar to note school events, along with doctor's appointments, birthdays and other important dates. Check every message from school for upcoming events and immediately write these on the calendar. Then check the calendar each week to plan the time you will spend at school. This is an important way to show your children that their education is important to you.

 

Attend School-sponsored Events.

Schools often invite parents to come to school for special events such as Back-to-School Night, Open House, parent-teacher conferences, special student performances and more. Watch for information about these events and go to them. Your attendance helps you feel comfortable at school by introducing you to teachers and other staff members; this introduction will make future communications easier. Also, such events provide valuable information on academic programs available to your student and expectations for all students on the school. Also, consider attending at least a few athletic, musical and dramatic performances each year, even if your student is not performing. Such events give you a opportunity to see who your students friends are, to network the other parents and to ease further communication with your child, the families of your child's friends and the school.

 

Save Questions About Your Student For Private Meetings.

It's hard for teachers and principals to answer questions about your child at public meetings. Save these specific questions for private meetings. Teachers and administrators will be happy to schedule a telephone appointment or an in-person meeting for this purpose. Call the teacher or administrator with whom you wish to speak and suggest times that might be convenient for two of you to get together.

 

Remember that you and the school have a common interest: your child.

When you talk to school staff, think about how you want customers, fellow employees and supervisors on your job to talk with you. Recognize that you and your student's teachers may not see a situation in the same way, that you are both professionals - the teacher is a professional educator, and you are a professional parent. Be sure that the teacher or administrator understands how you feel about an issue, but also be sure that you understand the school's point of view. Ask if there is some common ground or compromise position upon which you can agree. Ask for ideas that will help you and the school to work together to help your child.

 

Information from: A Parent's Guide to Woodside High School, 2000, prepared by the Target Success Program.