Communication is the Key

Good communication between families and school is the foundation of all family involvement in education, according to University of Minnesota researcher Dr. Sandra Christenson. Below are some guidelines she recommends for maintaining effective two-way communication between home and school.

Communicate the good news, too. Communication shouldn't only occur when there's a problem or crisis. Suggested practices for school staff include making good news phone calls about child performance and improvement, inviting parents' reactions to school policies and procedures, and contacting parents right away when there is a pattern of declining grades or behavior.

Provide timely information via a home school communication system that focuses on school events and activities, as well as two-way communication. Specific practices include a variety of ways of contacting parent, such as regular newsletters, telephone trees, system-wide use of home school communication/assignment notebook, and designed school contacts for parents to check in with regularly. Finding ways to use new technology, such as voice mail and e-mail, can greatly increase two-way communication.

Focus communication between parents and educators on student performance. Ways to do this include: homework that includes a suggested activity for parents to do with their children to support a classroom project and goal setting family school meetings that include students.

Ensure parents have the information they need to track and support their children's educational progress. Orientation nights with follow-up contact for those who couldn't attend, support groups to teach parents how to monitor educational progress, and home visits are good ways to do this. Home-school contracts can be an excellent way to clarify roles and responsibility and serve as a communication tool for monitoring progress.

Schedule informal activities to communicate and build trust between home and school. This can include multicultural potluck dinners, grade-level bagel breakfasts, family fun nights, committee meetings designed to boost home-school communication, and workshops on education and child development issues for staff and parents together.

Send consistent messages between home and school that emphasize the essential nature of family involvement in education.

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