One big key to helping your child succeed in school is to communicate well with the school team. Here are some tips.
Communication tips:
- Identify a main point of contact and plan a regular schedule of checking in. Maybe a quick daily note, an email every week or a phone call every month?
- Also know who to get in touch with for different kinds of questions. When do you ask the teacher, specialist, or school psychologist? Who do you call if the normal communication isn’t working?
- Find the best way to keep in touch. It may be a mix of meeting in person, phone calls or email. If social distancing is still in place, you may need to communicate by phone, email or video call!
- Some teachers create a school-to-home notebook that goes back and forth. Teachers and parents can write in notes for each other, every day or as needed.
- Write down your questions before you call or meet.
- If you don’t understand something, ask them to say it in a different way. Don’t pretend to understand if you don’t.
- Be respectful and open-minded but firm.
- Keep focused on the needs of your child.
Download a printable handout at the bottom of this page.
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Keep records of all your communications with the school!
- Include emails, letters, phone calls, even conversations
- Make sure there's a date
- This can prove what you have asked for, and when
- It may help later on if you have to stick up for your rights
If you talk with a teacher or someone from the school district and agree on something, follow it up with an email.
"It was nice to talk to you today, Mrs. Smith. Thank you for agreeing to make sure Joe sits at the front of the class. That will help him a lot."