Time to talk day: effective communication with parents

Time to talk day: effective communication with parents 

With time to talk day coming up, there’s no better time to think about communication with parents and the most effective way to do this. As an SBM, there are things to consider when it comes to talking with parents. As well as focusing on how they communicate with students in the classroom, teachers must also consider how they communicate with parents and carers. So, here at GLS, we have outlined ways in which you and your staff can have effective communication with parents every time.  

Put aside some time to go through these tips and advice with your staff.  

Be an active listener

Listening is the foundation of effective communication. When your staff listen well, you get more information about children and their families. Your staff are also able to understand parents’ in-depth knowledge of their children. And you show parents that you value their experience, ideas and opinions and take their concerns seriously. 

Respect and sensitivity are key to effective communication. 

Here are some ideas for listening well: 

• Let parents know you are listening and interested by nodding or verbally agreeing.  
• Try to understand parents’ perspectives, even if you disagree with what they’re saying.  
• Let parents finish what they’re saying before you speak. Then summarise what parents have said, and check that you’ve understood correctly. 
• Check on the feeling as well as the content of what parents have said.  
• Use open-ended questions to get more information if you need it. Open-ended questions give people a chance to expand on what they’re saying rather than just saying ‘yes’ or ‘no’.  

Speak to parents in a clear, respectful and considerate way

Here are some ideas for this kind of speaking: 

• Use ordinary, everyday language that parents can understand. Parents are likely to find professional jargon daunting and alienating, so it’s best avoided. 
• Think before you speak, especially when you’re talking with parents about difficult or sensitive issues. 
• Find and share the positives about a child’s learning, behaviour and experiences. 
• Be open and honest. Give parents accurate information on what teachers have observed. 
• Ask for parents’ input.  
• Let parents make the decisions. You can suggest ideas, but it’s up to them to decide what to do next.  
• If you’re not sure about what to say next or how to say it, you don’t have to respond straight away. 

Address concerns with a problem-solving approach

This approach involves: 

• Parents are experts on their own children 
• Identifying the problem 
• Brainstorming as many solutions as possible 
• Jointly evaluating the pros and cons 
• Deciding on a solution to try 
• Putting the solution into action 
• Reviewing the solution after a period of time. 

Keep a positive attitude about working together

Build a cooperative effort by viewing emerging skills and challenging behaviour as something your teachers and parents can work on together. 

Discuss challenging behaviour without judgment. Try to focus on facts and whether the behaviour is appropriate.  

Keep expectations realistic about what can be done at home

Parents may be able to do little about a problem like hitting if it seems related to the group experience and is taking place only in the early childhood setting. It’s inappropriate and ineffective for parents to punish a child for something that has taken place hours earlier. Make it clear that you are not asking parents to do that. Instead, inform them of what is taking place and tell them that you want to work together to come up with an agreement on how best to handle the situation. 

Talk about concerns when they come up

Problems usually don’t go away by themselves. And if you leave them to escalate, they might be more difficult to repair later. 

Here are some tips for putting this approach into action: 

• Prepare for conversations about difficult issues. This is because parents can feel upset and stressed by these conversations. Make sure your staff think ahead about what they need to say, and about the most sensitive and respectful way to say it. It can help the discussion go well. 
• Explain what might contribute to the behaviour. This can help both staff and parents work out how to change the behaviour. For example, ‘Starting school can be challenging. Children often feel worried about getting into trouble’. 
• Check what parents think about the issue. Remember that perceptions of what’s appropriate can differ between cultures or contexts. 
• Offer realistic strategies suited to each family. For example, if a child needs to make new friends, but they get stressed in public, parents might start by inviting other children for playdates at home. 

Invest in two-way communication

Communication does not only mean “to inform”, but it also includes asking questions. Try to establish mutual interaction, dialogue and exchange of information. Knowledge of children’s home situations help you and your staff to be adaptive to their needs. 

Communicate positive experiences

Don’t only contact parents in case of problems or challenging behaviours, but also when positive things occur, such as a celebration, achieving a learning outcome or a certain milestone. This can help parents engage more in the conversation.  

Be sure to recognise the emotional investment parents have in their children

Acknowledge that parents may be sensitive about the work they do with children too. The information shared may be received by parents as if it is a personal attack if you are not careful to phrase things sensitively. 

Choose the right time to discuss concerns

Sometimes parents and teachers try to discuss concerns during drop-off or pickup. Things are generally hectic during this time; parents are in a hurry, children are tired, and teachers may be frustrated after dealing with a behaviour or a group of children all day. It is better to arrange another time to discuss a difficult situation or a skill that’s concerning the teacher. Schedule time with your staff to go through appropriate parent discussions and how best to handle these situations.  

Reflect

Engage in reflective practice and professional conversations with other educators about their everyday interactions with families. Professional learning activities may also build your staff’s confidence and capacity to build partnerships with families. As an SBM, try and provide this for your teachers, and help them improve their confidence. Regularly reflect on how trust is established and maintained with families and whether the reciprocity within the relationship is working for all parties. 

Be inclusive

Inclusivity is key. Be sure to talk to staff and remind them of the importance of treating everyone as equals. Maybe set up a workshop of learning about different cultures and backgrounds, so they are more confident when it comes to communication with parents. Learn about and show respect for the background, cultural identity and strengths of each family to inform educator practices. 

Effective communication with parents is vital in schools. It can make children feel more confident and valued in their setting, which can improve attendance. It can also help children to foster a love of learning, which can be further enhanced by support from both their parents and teachers.  

Have some more tips on effective communication with parents? Get in touch with us on our Twitter!  

Your teachers are what makes your school what it is. Be sure to appreciate the work they do each and every day. Read our blog to find out ways you can celebrate your teachers.