Last year was a breakthrough year on bridging the gap between school and home for many schools. As we head into a new year where most students will physically return to classrooms, we don’t want to lose this momentum! Here are a few tips for keeping families included in school as kids return to classrooms.
Last year was a breakthrough year on bridging the gap between school and home for many schools. The classroom was suddenly in the living room, and parents had the opportunity to see first-hand what went on throughout the school day. Teachers got a glimpse into students’ lives in a new way. Suddenly, the distance between school and home vanished. As we head into a new year where most students will now physically return to classrooms, we don’t want to lose this momentum!
Here are a few tips for keeping families included in school as kids return to classrooms.
Share updates with families as much as possible.
Simple updates with pictures of students working, a quick message, “Today we’re learning about erosion!” or, “First graders are hard at work writing in their journals!” help parents feel connected to the classroom. Who has the time? Schedule it! Put a ten minute block on your calendar as students work independently, do it for the first couple minutes of your planning period, or make it the first habit you do after dismissal one day a week. Find just a couple of minutes for quick updates and it will make a world of difference to families.
Keep families engaged in classroom learning.
Keeping families engaged goes two ways – from school to home, and from home to school. Send notes and work home to families so they know what students are learning, and also invite families to contribute to the classroom.
Have students bring pictures of their families, pets, grandparents, or loved ones to post in the classroom. Find ways to share about the different cultures that make up the classroom; include families in bringing aspects of culture into the school.
Encourage a deep connection between families and school by bringing parents in early on to create goals or a vision statement for their child. Here are two easy ways to do it, or come up with your own!
Share what’s going well in the classroom.
It just takes a second to send a message to a child’s family that says, “Elena has been working so hard this week! I am proud of her.” or, “John is such a great helper in the classroom!” It will help you remember to focus on all the good things that are happening, and it will likely make the family’s day.
Stay connected.
Remember to stay connected throughout the year. The stronger the home/family to school relationship is, the more positive influence it will have on both academic success and classroom culture.
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