5 Ways to Increase Family Involvement This School Year
It’s no secret that things are tough right now.
It’s been a rough few years in the world of education. The pandemic and politics have done a number on how parents view teachers and vice versa. However, rather than give in to the narrative, let’s take time to come at this issue in a proactive and positive way- because at the end of the day, we all have the same goal of wanting the best for kids!
It’s more important than ever to communicate with the families of your students, as well as share what’s going on in your classroom! While the media tends to focus on those “bad apples,” I truly believe that most parents appreciate being informed and involved with their child’s education. Here are some simple tips you can you this year for a strong partnership with your class families:
Make Parents Feel Welcome in Your Class
After a few years of only communicating over email or Zoom, this is a great opportunity to reintroduce families to your physical classroom. Make the most of your back-to-school events by including a little take-home treat (this does NOT need to be expensive) as well as providing plenty of opportunities for each family to share about their children. Surveys are a great way to collect information that can be used all year long.
As you are meeting everyone, be sure to ask for names and pronunciations. Even if you’re like me and names go in one ear and out the other, you are demonstrating respect as well as your desire to create a relationship with each family.
This is one of my favorite gifts to hand out at Open House! Grab these free popcorn labels in my TPT store.
Provide Weekly Updates
In the age of email, class websites, and apps, it’s to your benefit to keep families updated and informed. This does not have to be time consuming or complicated. Create a simple email template that includes weekly updates and reminders, then fill out the information and hit send. Copy and paste this same information to your website and BOOM. You’ve now demonstrated two ways you’re communicating with families.
Of course, you will need to keep in mind families without internet access, or families that include non-English speakers. Make a note to print out copies of your email for those who need them, or to have your info translated (online translators may no be perfect, but they’re better than nothing)!
Also keep in mind that sometimes technology is a double-edged sword. With gradebooks available online, it’s important to keep on top of adding grades. In addition, you may want to have a policy about email response times. Personally, I’ve never had an issue with stating that I only read and responded to emails during my contract hours. If you clearly communicate your boundaries, most people will respect them!
Take Pictures
This is one of the easiest ways to keep families involved. Get in the habit of snapping a few shots for each activity you do. You can share through an app like Class Dojo or on your school webpage. Make sure that you have permission to post photos to any site, protected or not!
Families will love seeing all the great activities you are working on each day!
Think of Out of the Box Ways to Involve Families
I’ve had school years where there was a 5-way battle for Room Mom as well as years where no one signed my sign-up sheet for a school event. However, more often than not, people want to be involved in one way or another with their child’s classroom. Here are some different ways for families to be involved outside of being a physical volunteer:
- Material Manager- I’ve had several parents who loved cutting, laminating, and gluing for me. Find a cute tote and fill it with supplies for centers or other activities, as well as directions.
- Guest Speaker- Think up cross-curricular connections and find parents who may be willing to speak to the class about a particular topic. A great idea would be anyone who uses math in their job to come and share why it’s important to learn the basics!
- Change Drive- if your school allows this, I liked to ask for change a few times a year. It came in handy for tax during book fairs, or “I forgot it was ice cream day” situations.
Handle Conflicts by Being Calm and Prepared
I’m not one of those sugar-coating types of educators. I know that the parent-teacher relationship can be tough at times- especially when the parent in question is in full attack mode. I don’t necessarily have answers that will stop this from happening, but here’s a few things I’ve learned over the years to manage the situation:
- Wait to respond- You do not deserve to be yelled at for any reason. Let the parent know you will address their concerns at a later date.
- Get all the information- I can’t count how many times I was on the hook for things that happened at lunch and PE- when I was not even there! If you are facing something similar, talk to all parties before reconvening with the parent.
- Remember that it’s a parent’s natural instinct to protect their child. Coming in calm, and with facts, will help diffuse the situation.
- Ask a neutral party to sit in- this could be a team leader or staff member that is not directly connected to the situation. Extra eyes and ears are beneficial. In addition document everything in writing and send a follow up email (CC to anyone who needs it).
