EDTECH
Why Parent-Teacher Communication is So Important
Sabreen Bucheeri
12 October, 2021
It's astonishing how much of our education is impacted by communication. Most educators are on the same page when it comes to parent-teacher communication. Simply put, the more the merrier. It would probably not come as much of a surprise to teachers that family involvement is considered a key predictor in a student's success. Teachers and parents provide a vital support system to help students thrive. Both groups are key and when they work together effectively, it can significantly impact a students academic, social and emotional well being.
We live in a world where we think education is the time we spend in the classroom. It begins the day we start school and ends on graduation day. However, that couldn't be further from the truth.
Parents are a child’s first teacher and education begins the day they are born. From day one they learn their very first and most important life skills from their parents. Parents are a child's greatest teacher and role model. It's essential that they play an active role in a child's education.
In the hectic world we live in, parents are constantly having to juggle lots of stuff. Therefore, it can be easy to hand over all education related responsibilities to teachers. If we knew the impact of forming a partnership between parents and teachers we might just be willing to put in that extra effort.
So why is communication so important?
1 - THE POWER OF RELATIONSHIPS
Well, part of the reason has to do with relationships. It's just human nature. There's just something in us that wants to form connections. Studies show that students are more likely to do well when they form meaningful connections with their teachers. We’ve probably all had a similar experience at school. Geometry class might not have peaked our interest but out of respect to the teacher, we seemed to put in the effort.
Some remarkable things start to occur when parents and teachers begin to communicate more frequently and form a positive connection. Students begin to develop more trust in their teachers. They can see the care and effort both parents and teachers are putting into their education and as a result they become more focused, motivated and dedicated to their academic goals.
2 - PERSONALIZED LEARNING
When it comes to education there's no one size fits all. We all have different ways of learning that suit us, different interests, strengths, weaknesses and learn at a different pace. It can be really hard for teachers to cater to every child's needs when they’re teaching a class of 30!
That's where parental involvement can be really handy. When teachers and parents begin to communicate they can both get a sense of what works for each student. Teachers are experts in their subjects but no one knows a child better than their parents. Through communication parents can get a better sense of where their child is at in their education. They know what they struggle in and how they can get the extra help they need. They also know what their strengths are and how they can nurture and develop these talents.
3 - SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
The young mind is like a sponge. It absorbs all the information around it and mimics the behavior of people they trust most. In a child's case that would be their parents. Studies show that students get motivated to learn social skills by observing the way their parents communicate with their school. Students rapidly begin to learn basic social skills like listening to others, respect for others and following the rules.
Having better social skills allows students to have more successful interactions with their peers and creates a positive learning environment. It also decreases their stress levels and improves their overall attitude at home, in school and within their community.
Communicating with parents and creating a link between home and school can also help address any behavior problems early. Students that display behavioral issues may not do so in every setting. It could be that children display these problems at school and yet parents might be completely oblivious to the problems they are having. However, communication is a great way to let parents know of these issues. Once everyone is aware they can work together to deal with the issue early on before it gets out of hand.
AN OWL'S OPINION
At the end of the day it takes two to tango! Neither parents nor teachers alone can bear the brunt of responsibility when it comes to education. Parents and teachers need to form a partnership. And communication between the home and school is heavily encouraged.
The impacts of communication affects so many aspects of education. From academic achievement to creating a safe learning environment and nurturing social development. Communication may very well be the single most important thing parents and teachers can do to give students the best start in life.
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WRITTEN BY
Sabreen Bucheeri
The creator of the ‘Springring Cuteness Benchmark’. That’s the cuteness level designers and marketers need to meet when working on Springring. I like to be organized, enjoy puns and dark humour. Unlike most of the Springring owls, I prefer to wake up early and get to work while the sun is up.