Working With Parents
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A teacher’s duties do not end when the school day is over; there are lessons to be planned, assignments and tests to be marked, and general organizational tasks to be completed. One responsibility which begins when the school day is over is communicating with parents about their child’s academic performance. It is commonly thought that teacher-parent contact occurs only when there is a problem. But this is not true. As we will see in the discussion which follows, there can be many reasons for teachers and parents to communicate; what is a constant factor, however, is that they share a mutual concern with the general welfare of the student. In this section of the web-site, we will discuss why parental involvement should be encouraged and how to facilitate this. |
Why should parents be involved?
Increased parental involvement with the school is beneficial for all parties concerned: the parents, teachers and students. In addition, an improvement in the relationship between the school, teachers, students and parents will have a beneficial effect on the community at large.
- Teachers can gain a great deal of insight about their student, his/her home environment and the student-parent relationship. Understanding the student’s home life provides a context for the student’s academic performance and classroom behavior; it permits the teacher to provide differentiated assignments to address the student’s perceived weaknesses and build on their strengths.
- Parents may develop realistic expectations of their child and the learning process by being aware of what takes place in the classroom. Children may report to their parents what happens in school, and the parents may wish to clarify some of this information with the teacher. A clearer and more accurate understanding of classroom routines, practices, goals and expectations will enable parents to support their child’s learning more effectively.
- Students also benefit from successful parent/teacher interaction. Children feel more secure if they are aware that they are in a safe and nurturing environment. Children who see their parents and teachers working together in the child’s interests are aware of the common interest in and support for the student. Research shows that students who receive appropriate affective support perform better in school (Deslandes et al., 1997).
- No school exists in isolation; it is a part of the broader local community. Anything that improves the relationship of parents and teachers; such as, increased communication between them, will improve the functioning of the school and create a safer, more dynamic and more closely integrated community, as well.
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What are some of the challenges of working with parents?
The parent-teacher relationship is a challenging one. Even if all parties have the best of intentions, establishing effective communication between parents and teachers might need to be established despite a variety of difficulties. In the next two sections we will explore just a few of these challenges.
- Occasionally parents can be disinterested in their child’s school experience. This is an especially difficult situation for teachers who strive to create an ideal learning environment for the student but cannot establish a partnership with the child’s parents. In such a case, the options for the teacher are limited. He/she can continue to offer their support, in the hope that the parents will eventually agree to cooperate. The teacher might also consider approaching the parents on a different basis; for example, approach them about non-academic but school related activities which might be of interest to the parent; such as, sports, drama or other school clubs.
- There are an increasing number of instances of parents finding it difficult to provide adequate academic support at home, even if they would like to do so. For example, the percentage of single parent families has been steadily increasing in North American society for several decades. Single parents often need to support their (frequently multi-child) household on one income. As a result, the parent needs to work longer hours to earn money and is forced to sacrifice the time which would have been available to support the child’s learning.
- Due to on-going high levels of immigration to North America, and particularly to Canada, teachers will often encounter children who were not born in Canada or who were born here to immigrant parents. The cultural values of these families usually differ from the Canadian norm, as would their expectations of the educational system. Furthermore, very often these families do not speak one of Canada’s two national languages at home, and the parent’s grasp of English or French would be weaker than their children’s. These families are a great challenge for teachers for several reasons: these parents are limited in the amount of academic assistance they can provide their children; despite the language gap the teacher is obliged to help these parents and families understand what to expect of the school system, and for many of these families the school is one of the few social institutions with which they have contact, so the school finds itself playing a socializing role with these parents. Teachers of languages will need to pay particular attention to the needs of these students who may be speaking their mother tongue at home, learning English (for example) in school and the community and French in the classroom. In cases like these, the teacher will need to be aware of and sensitive to the level of the student’s perturbation in class, and the family’s level of perturbation in society, which will likely be significantly higher than the average.
- Culture shock is not only experienced by international travelers or immigrants. Some people experience culture shock when the society around them changes. Education systems, pedagogical methods and the actual day-to-day practice of teaching are all in a constant state of development. Teacher will encounter parents who were born and raised in the local neighbourhood, who might have attended their children’s school when they were children themselves, but who are not prepared to accept the changes around them nor the changes in the education system. The teacher will need to be patient and hear out the complaints of these individuals and focus on why the updated systems and contemporary classroom approaches will benefit their children in the society of the future.
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What are some tips when working with parents?
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Keep the parents informed of what is happening in the classroom; the fewer surprises, the better.
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Be aware the parents’ home situations; this will allow for easier communication and diplomatic handling of sensitive issues.
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Be patient when parents come to you with concerns; it is natural and normal for parents to worry about their children and teachers should make every effort to resolve their concerns.
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Be prepared to discuss your plans and the reasoning behind them. Parents will accept new situations more easily if they can understand why things are being done in a particular way.
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Be open; remember that parents receive most of their information from the student’s perspective and will naturally take their child’s side in a conflict. Be respectful, friendly, and open to new perspectives and advice. You can only hope that the parents will reciprocate.
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Let parents know when you are available for meetings and other forms of communication; showing that you are willing to communicate with the family demonstrates your concern and your commitment to the student’s success.
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In the event that the parent has concerns regarding certain classroom regulations, let them know that the rules are for the benefit of learning and the safety of all your students; these being your top priorities.
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Remember, the students are their parent’s children. Parental concern and involvement is natural and ought to be encouraged. Show the student’s parents the same consideration you would want to be shown if you were in their shoes.
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Working with Parents: Advice from Teachers
http://www.educationoasis.com/resources/Articles/working_with_parents.htm
Working with Parents
http://www.schoolzone.co.uk/resources/articles/GoodPractice/classroom/Special_needs/Working.asp
Tips for Teachers Working With Difficult Parents
http://www.education.com/reference/article/Ref_Working_Difficult/