Between lesson plans and marking, staff meetings and busy parents, fostering a strong home-school connection can be difficult. Make finding the time and energy to boost parent-teacher relationships a breeze with Attention-Grabbing Tools — Our Book-of-the-Month for June!

In this unique resource, long-time educator Jane Baskwill outlines why developing this connection is so important to student success and provides a wealth of easy-to-implement ideas for solving common communication issues.

Take the time to browse our full, free preview and map out new strategies and ideas for getting parents better involved in classroom activities.
 

p[E]: Why is it so vital for teachers and parents to be “partners” when it comes to education?
 
JB: As has been seen time and again in the research and in practice, when teachers and parents work together, everyone benefits; Parents feel valued and supported, teachers gain an important ally both at school and in the community, and students do better academically.  
 
In this day and age, there are more stressors on both the family and on the school. By keeping the student’s learning at heart, parents and teachers can find common ground upon which to build a strong partnership.
 
p[E]: What is the first step for educators looking to start, or improve, their home-school connection?
 
JB: The first step is to take stock of what you are already doing, as you are likely communicating with parents in ways that have proven effective. The next logical step is to then consider what else you might want to try, while keeping in mind tools that were not as useful or did not fit into your practice.

As you consider these things, it may be helpful to map out what communication tools you will try over the course of a school year.  This advance planning allows you to be more organized, making it easier to maintain your commitment to families to communicate in a variety of ways. In this way, you also ensure that you will reach more parents through attention-grabbing approaches and send the message that you value their input.
 
p[E]: Social Media has become a large part of people’s everyday lives. How would you suggest connecting home and school in the digital age?
 
JB: The key is variety. Not all parents are looking for ways to connect through social media. However, having said that, more and more parents are comfortable with using online tools like Facebook, Twitter, and Skype, so it makes sense to use (or at least try) these tools to connect home and school more effectively. For example, Skype can be an ideal form of communication for parents who are unable to get to school for any reason and allows them to still participate in their child’s schooling and foster a personal bond with you.
 
Tools such as Twitter and Facebook allow parents to keep up-to-date with what is currently happening in the classroom as their immediacy is something parents appreciate. These sites can provide a means for teachers and students to share projects and upcoming activities, and to send reminders of important deadlines or class events.
 
p[E]: What are some of your favorite strategies to engage parents in classroom activities?
 
JB: I have found that most parents like to engage in activities that the whole family can enjoy. A scavenger hunt, for instance, that the family can do together—and is related to some aspect of the curriculum—is highly motivating for children and adults alike. If the hunt can take them out of the house, perhaps to the local library, so much the better.
 
Another way I like to to encourage parents to engage in classroom activities is to organize a learning night on a topic of interest to them. One of my favourites is a “make-and-take” night where parents can make a variety of learning activity kits for use at home. These can be related to a specific curriculum area or focus on a literacy strategy. As the teacher, share the purpose of the activity and model ways to use the kit at home.
 
On a more traditional note, Fridge Notes are a great way to follow up on a classroom experience with something parents can do at home to reinforce or extend the child’s learning.