The Importance of Parent-Teacher Communication

The partnership between parents and teachers begins with a shared understanding of your mission together. This collaboration should focus on how to best support your child's learning. Each student is different, each school is unique, and each family has their own values and goals for their children.

Early talks between parents and teachers should focus on those goals. They should also explain how these goals fit in with the important academic and social-emotional skills a child will learn during the school year.

As parents, you are the experts on your children, which means that your insight is a valuable tool for teachers. Establish a sense of trust with your child’s teacher early on. During this time, share information that you think they should know about your child.

These are examples of what to share with teachers:

By sharing background information with teachers, you are helping them to see your child not just as a student, but as a whole child affected by many aspects of life. Establishing a clear line of communication can help address a range of topics that impact your child's daily life. For parents of children with learning disorders, this might include concerns surrounding academic and social-emotional skills or mental health.

An open dialogue between parents and teachers can create important opportunities to support students. For parent-teacher communication to be successful, it should be continuous, consistent, and clear. Find a common language for discussing student goals and progress.

It is also helpful to set expectations about when and how progress will be communicated. Schools like Winston Prep are structured in a way that allows parents to hear from their child’s teachers often.  Other schools might rely more on formal touchpoints like parent-teacher conferences or quarterly reports to communicate.

If communication with your child’s instructor is less frequent, you might feel overwhelmed with questions over time. Try writing your questions down and compiling them into one email, phone call, or note. This helps streamline communication and will give your child's teacher an overview of what matters to you and your family.

There is no one right way when it comes to communication strategies between parents and teachers. What's most important is that parents feel comfortable communicating with their children’s teachers. This sense of ease can help parents know where to turn if they have concerns or simply want more information.

At certain points in the year, teachers will typically set aside time to meet with parents in person and discuss their children’s progress. Parent-Teacher Conferences are an important time to rejoin in a shared understanding and talk in detail about how your child is doing.

These conferences provide precious time to connect with your child’s teacher. They tend to run for a limited time, so it helps to come prepared. 

Here are a few helpful tips to prepare for your next parent-teacher conference:

Prior to your Parent-Teacher Conference, write a list of thoughts or questions that you would like to ask. If your child is spending hours on homework and does not seem to be getting the sleep they need, this is an important time to ask for guidance.

If you sense that your child could use more opportunities to be challenged, share that observation. If you want a clearer sense of whether your child is making friends and getting along with peers, ask those questions directly.

You can also talk to your child in the days leading up to your conference to find out how they are feeling about school. Are they comfortable in the classroom? Do they ask for help when they need it? Include their thoughts in your list.

Prioritize your questions, and ask the most important ones first. If you don’t understand something, it is okay to pause and ask for clarification.

Remember that your child's teacher might also have important information to share during the conference and that some of the information might be new or confusing to understand at first.  Consider taking notes during the conference to follow up with the teacher at a later time. It could also be helpful to bring someone along who can help you process and remember important points.

Remember that this is also your time to shed light on anything that might be impacting your child in school, so be sure to share anything that might help them better support or understand your child.

Take time to reflect and digest. Reflect on the conversation with teachers, reflect on your main takeaways, and reflect with your child.

If you have any lingering questions or thoughts that come to mind after your conference, follow up with the teacher or ask for next steps. Each question and touchpoint is an opportunity to strengthen your partnership and help your child thrive.

When parents and teachers build a strong and supportive partnership, school can become a place where students can thrive. This partnership gives parents the chance to have their voices heard while also learning from the educators who work directly with their children every day. This system of support results in lifelong success, preparing students for a world beyond the classroom.

At Winston Prep, Focus teachers are the first line of communication between families and schools. They provide weekly updates to families, including important observations and progress within Focus sessions and content classes. Family input and observations are welcomed and an important component of feedback necessary to understand a student’s needs and progress. This is what makes our work so impactful for students with learning differences.

Learn more about Winston Prep's Focus Program at winstonprep.edu/about/what-we-do/focus-program.