Educators should keep in regular contact with parents about how their children are performing and progressing at school. In some families there are challenges that may affect the level of parent involvement.
1. What are three different strategies that you might use to open and/or maintain lines of communication with children's parents? Please describe them.
2. Identify two strategies which would be helpful to reduce barriers to parental involvement.
Q6
APUS' student body is composed of roughly 85% active or reserve component military personnel. A number of military spouses are also enrolled as students. what are some special challenges that military members face as they navigate relationships and marriages? What effect do lengthy deployments have on romantic relationships? What about infidelity? If you are a civilian student without first-hand knowledge of this topic please research. ( I am a civilian student)
Sample Answer
Communication and Parental Involvement Strategies
Here are strategies to open and maintain communication with parents and reduce barriers to their involvement, recognizing diverse family circumstances.
1. Strategies for Communication
A. Personalized, Positive Weekly Updates (The "Good News" Call/Email)
This strategy involves sending a brief, personalized communication to every parent at least once a week or bi-weekly, focusing on a specific positive achievement or moment for their child.
Description: Instead of waiting for problems, an educator proactively initiates contact to share a small success (e.g., "Sarah mastered the multiplication tables this week," or "John showed great leadership helping a classmate with a project"). This can be done via a quick, pre-scheduled email, text message (using a secure school app), or a one-minute phone call.
Goal: To establish a positive relationship foundation. When communication is routine and positive, parents are much more receptive when the conversation needs to shift to a challenge or a concern.
. Digital Communication Hub (The Class Website/App)
This involves using a central, easily accessible digital platform to provide essential, asynchronous information.
Description: The educator maintains a dedicated class website or uses a school-approved app (like Google Classroom or Remind) where they post homework, syllabi, class announcements, a calendar of upcoming tests, and links to relevant resources. The platform should be accessible via a mobile device.
Goal: To provide on-demand information access for parents with non-traditional work schedules or those who cannot easily attend in-person events. It ensures parents can check on their child's progress and the class schedule whenever they have a free moment.
C. Two-Way Communication "Ticket Out" (Feedback Loop)
This strategy incorporates a simple mechanism for parents to easily provide input or ask questions on a small, manageable scale.
Description: At the end of every major unit or when sending home graded work, the teacher includes a brief, two-or-three question feedback form (digital or paper) asking for specific parent input, such as, "What is one thing your child feels confident about in Math?" or "What is one question you have about the upcoming project?"
Goal: To actively solicit and value parent perspectives, turning the communication into a partnership rather than a directive. It makes the parent feel heard and focuses the conversation on a specific, manageable topic.
2. Strategies to Reduce Barriers to Parental Involvement
Challenges like lack of transportation, inflexible work schedules, and language barriers often prevent parents from attending school events.