communication

The teacher calls students “friends.” When the teacher wants the class to calm down, she says, “I have some friends who are doing the right thing.”

When the whole class is being loud she says, “Bubble” and the students reply, “Gum.” The students know that they need to calm down.

When the class schedule changes the teacher tells the students right away.

Plan a curriculum night. Plan a curriculum night each semester as a fun way to share our curriculum and give parents a peek into classroom. Choose an evening, after work for parents, for event. An hour or even 45 minutes. //-// Send invitations (for parents and students). Provide snacks, everyone loves to eat. -Set out the curriculum students are working out and have parent’s complete curriculum with students. Have parents/students complete spelling test, read book, make graphic organizer, solve math problems in math book, have them write story with student.

- Have an interactive activity for parents and students to complete together.

Positive phone calls: call parents every 9 weeks. Tell them about good grade or positive story about student.

For every bad problem with student name at least two good things.

Email: update parents via email.

Invite parents for lunch or fun Friday.

Make yourself available for parent conferences. Be flexible when scheduling conferences.

Sit at table with parent; don’t sit at your desk.

Pull students folder so you can familiarize yourself with information.

Avoid educational jargon that parents will not understand.

Ask parents opinion, suggestions, concerns, and listen.

Send Thank-you notes home.

If you are meeting with parent who is difficult, ask administrator to sit in at conference.

Keep parents informed of class rules expectations, and current activities. Provide plenty of notice for special events.

Encourage parents to respond to notes by leaving space for comments.

Greet parents when they drop off students.

Create webpage with class information. It should include the following items: -list schedule -activities students are doing -pictures -assignments -link schools website -link educational sites

Keep a student information sheet, ask for basic information.

Be aware of any cultural differences. Background information and educational expectations of parents.

Invite grandparents to have lunch with students.

Hang students work in hall.