Fall is a wonderful time of year 鈥� it’s the beginning of the school year, the kids are back in class and the worst of the back-to-school storm is behind you. As a longtime educator and mother of two, I鈥檝e experienced the many ways that gaps in parent-teacher communication can leave both sides feeling out of the loop 鈥� building and maintaining this relationship can be tricky.
Teachers often juggle packed schedules, diverse classrooms and administrative demands 鈥� leaving little time to foster meaningful connections with parents. Still, making that effort is well worth it.
As you check off your kids鈥� supply lists and ease them back into the swing of a regular schedule, consider some helpful tips for building strong parent-teacher relationships. As teachers, our work is ongoing and ever-changing, and we need your support too!
To help bridge the gap, I鈥檒l let you in on the keys for effective communication for your student鈥檚 success and what I鈥檝e learned on how to build positive relationships with parents as a teacher. In this post, we鈥檒l break down simple, practical strategies teachers can use to strengthen parent relationships, build trust and create a culture of collaboration.
Start Strong at the Beginning of the Year 鈥� With Boundaries in Mind
The foundation of any great relationship is trust 鈥� and that starts early. I like to introduce myself proactively by sending a warm, welcoming introduction email during the first week of school. Make it your own! This can include:
- A bit about who you are and your teaching philosophy
- What students will be learning this year and their learning environment
- How and when parents can reach you
- What kind of communication they can expect
This small gesture makes a big impression and helps humanize you in the eyes of families. Boundaries are also an important part of communicating with parents and a healthy relationship. If your child is a student in my class, I prefer that we keep our relationship formal so that we can focus on the business at hand: your child鈥檚 learning and growth.
We鈥檙e Human 鈥� Just Like You
As a parent myself, I get it. Permission slips are going to be late, homework will be forgotten and sometimes you鈥檒l find yourself out of groceries and forced to send your kid to school with M&M鈥檚 and half a bagel for lunch. I know because it happens to me, too. Some advice for both parents and teachers:
Be Transparent: If there are changes happening in my classroom, I communicate them early and clearly. Teachers: let parents know what鈥檚 happening in your classroom.
Own Mistakes: If you miscommunicate or forget a detail, own it and correct it. Authenticity and humility go a long way.
Lead With Compassion: Families come in all shapes, sizes and stress levels. Assume good intentions. Maybe a parent missed a meeting or hasn鈥檛 replied to emails. Life might be busy, overwhelming or chaotic. Reach out with empathy rather than frustration: 鈥淚 know things can get hectic 鈥� just checking in to see if everything鈥檚 okay and if there鈥檚 anything I can do to support you and your student.鈥�
Trust isn鈥檛 built in one meeting. It grows through repeated, positive interactions with a positive attitude. Don鈥檛 worry; I鈥檒l grant you some grace!
And in return?
Give Us the Professional Benefit of the Doubt
I鈥檓 goofy, rigorous, fun, stern and sometimes a little unconventional. It is not unusual for me to spend a class period with marker on my face, but just like you, I have big dreams for your child. I want them to experience success and setbacks, because that is how they will grow and learn. Trust in me, my credentials and most importantly, my heart, and know that for eight hours a day I鈥檓 going to love your child just as fiercely as you do.
That being said鈥�
Follow Established Norms for Communication
Parents, understand that we want to talk to you 鈥� really, we do. And yet, that doesn鈥檛 mean you can waltz into the classroom as we鈥檙e preparing for the day, or come walking in mid-lesson to ask about your child鈥檚 reading level. There is a time and a place for everything, and we鈥檇 prefer to give parents our undivided attention during a time that works for everyone. If you have a concern about your child鈥檚 academic progress, connect with their teacher and request a teacher conference.
Communicate Consistently
Regular communication between parents and teachers is an essential part of the connection between home and school. This can take many forms, including phone calls, teacher conferences and email updates. Parent engagement is also a great indicator of success for your child鈥檚 academic achievement.
Establish Clear Office Hours
Teachers: Let parents know when you鈥檙e available to respond, and more importantly when you鈥檙e not. You can include something like 鈥淚 check messages from 7:30鈥�4:00 on school days. I鈥檒l always try to reply within 24 hours鈥� in your welcome email to establish norms. As we know, juggling work and family life is challenging for all of us so try to be flexible: offer multiple time slots for conferences, including virtual options.
Get on the Same Digital Page
Technology can make communicating with many parents and families at the same time easier, but it shouldn鈥檛 be overwhelming! What resources does your school or district use? There are usually several platforms and communication options, figure out what works best for you. Pick one-to-two tools that suit your teaching style and stick with them.
Parent-Teacher Conferences
These are a great opportunity to encourage parent engagement, establish a good working relationship and reflect on your child鈥檚 progress. Many parents request a parent-teacher conference to understand ways to better support their child.
Teachers: Ask parents for feedback about what works for their child 鈥� parents often hold insights that can improve your teaching and ways to help their child develop academic and social skills. Psycho-social development is a critical aspect of learning in the school environment, and parents can be an invaluable resource in this regard.
Share the Good Stuff Too
Parent involvement should always include good news and positive reports from the school environment. Send 鈥渟unshine notes鈥� or positive messages home. A quick email saying a student did a great job helping a classmate today takes 60 seconds, but builds long-lasting goodwill.
Use Templates to Save Time
Create reusable templates for common communication (e.g., homework reminders, event notices, praise notes) to make your life easier.
Remember: It takes a village. As key players in that village, it鈥檚 on us to work together.
So, whether it鈥檚 American Education Week, a class party or parent-teacher night, we鈥檙e here for you 鈥� and I鈥檒l personally save you a seat at the table. If you鈥檙e lucky, it鈥檒l be right next to my mother, who comes in every year (because accountability isn鈥檛 just for kids).
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