Blog #9- The Importance of Home/School Connection
Having a home/school connection is extremely important. As a teacher you want to be able to build a trust and relationship with students parents and create that support system. It is always important to maintain a positive relationships with parent. A really important point about home/school connection is involving parents in their children's education. "Those conversations morph into how impressed I am with something in particular that Johnny or Sally did or said, letting the parents see that I really know and care about their child" (Cutler, 2015). Giving parents positive feedback is a great way to build a connection rather than just giving negative feedback. Having a two way communication is vital. Parent conferences, parent teacher organizations or school community councils, phone calls, email or school website are all beneficial ways to keep in touch with parents and parents keeping in touch with teachers. Oftentimes when parents receive a phone call home or email it is automatically assumed that the child did something wrong, turning these phone calls into positive feedback is extremely beneficial and rewarding for the student and their family.
Northampton Public Schools. (2018, October 29). Home & School Connection. https://northamptonschools.org/principal-canatas-sunday-message-october-28-2018/home-school-connection/
Not only is it extremely important for teachers to connect with their students families but also having that connection between teachers and students is vital. "As teachers, it is important for us to understand that there is so much more to students that the life they lead in class, and it is important to show interest in a student outside of the day's homework". (Provenzano, 2014). Engaging with your students and getting to understand them personally can really also strengthen the connection you have with their families. Sometimes teachers are unaware of students home life and do not even know who their guardians are at home. Taking the time and talking to your students individually can bring you to learn so much about their home life. As teachers, we also want to make sure that we are available for our students and their families. Answering/ returning phone calls or emails in a reasonable amount of time, making extra time for your students to ask questions about the material being taught in the classroom or even just to have a chat is all important for building that home connection. "Research suggests that the most effective way a parent can help improve student achievement is through home learning activities --reading to children, having them help with family budget, or helping set aside time to do homework and projects" (Phillips, 2016). As a teacher, we should be connecting with parents and contacting them to address what is going on in class so they know and can help their child at home. Especially with technology connecting with parents is much easier.
C. (2018, November 26). Masters Reflections – The home/school relationship. Class Teaching. https://classteaching.wordpress.com/2018/11/26/masters-reflections-the-home-school-relationship/
For our English Language Learners parent involvement is vital. In the video "Building teacher-parent relationships" it states how latinos have become a high percentage in schools. It is important for ELLs to have the proper support at home and in school as well. Families have the right to see and understand what their child is struggling in and also have the right to support them. Something that I really thought was important in the video was how they stated if parents are unable to support or help their child, they tell their child that they will find them a program that can provide the support they need to at school. Sometimes for parents it can be difficult to help their children with the curriculum which is why teachers being involved with their students families is a great way to communicate and decide what is best for the child.
Shahidoon Softech Private Limited. (2018, March 29). Connecting-Parent-Teacher-Student-School-New-1. SchoolTonic : School Management Software | School Management System | School Mobile App. https://www.schooltonic.com/home/connecting-parent-teacher-student-school-new-1/
I attended a board meeting at Plainedge High School which really related to the home/school connection. This meeting had a student who had been doing a research project for about two years, he spoke at this meeting and his parents were also there. The principal also spoke about this student and how amazing he was for putting such effort into this research. The principal also stated how wonderful this students family was and getting the opportunity to meet and chat was them was a great experience. It was really awesome to see that connection the principal had with this students parents and to see he got know and understand this students home life.
https://www.portsmouthschoolsri.org/o/hes/page/principals-message
The pandemic was a way where parents and teachers connected and strengthened their relationships. "When the lockdown started, parents of children in early grades were right to their children in early grades were right next to their children as they participated in lessons" (Armas, 2020). This was really a vital time when parents were involved with their children's learning and connecting with teachers positively especially in early grades. The article stated how parents were there to fix the technology issues, clarify assignments, and answer questions for their child. Parents were encouraging their students to learn and persuading them. Hopefully these partnerships have continued with parents and teachers. Especially since the pandemic and the rise of technology use there are several ways to communicate with families.
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