Let’s be honest – communicating with parents about a child’s behavior can be a challenge. This can be particularly true for first-year teachers. But I’ve learned that bridging the gap between home and school can be invaluable when it comes to dealing with behavior concerns in the classroom. There are a few things I swear by to make parent-teacher communication a little bit easier and more effective.
Tips for Parent Communication
- Make positive contact as often as possible – you don’t want parents only hearing from you with “negative” news or concerns about their child. Point out the positive as much as you can!
- Come to the conversation prepared. Know what you want to communicate, anticipate how you’ll handle possible reactions, and have resources ready.
- Offer solutions. Avoid pointing out a concern without offering support and solutions! Make it a team effort. You want parents to leave the conversation feeling empowered to support their child.
Behavior Brochures
I created Behavior Brochures with tips #2 & #3 in mind. With over 40 skills covered, you can send parents off with a physical document to support them in supporting their child. Each brochure gives an overview of the behavior, offers actionable ideas and strategies, includes suggested measurable goals (suitable for IEPs), and QR code links to books and videos for their kids covering the behavior or skill.
Check out this review from a teacher:
I can't say enough good things about this resource! I used it recently at parent/teacher conferences and received so many compliments from families. Not only does it elaborate on the terms we are using but it has so many great resources all in one place for the families!
Check it out:
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