CCSS Psychology News
December 2020
We all know that parent involvement in a child’s education helps the student but the reality is that it is not always easy to achieve a successful “parent-teacher relationship”. Even before the current complexity of negotiating life amidst a pandemic, these relationships could be difficult to achieve. Like all relationships, building this partnership with a family requires skills, time, and willingness by all parties.
Some tips on building relationships with families
Show empathy (the ability to recognize emotions and share other’s perspectives)
- Respect differences
Focus on the positive as for every negative encounter there needs to be at least five positive ones to counterbalance it.
Provide options on ways to communicate (email, phone, in-person, video, etc.) and consider using a reminder system (remind.com, ClassDojo, ClassTag, Seesaw, etc.) in addition to your class website. You might also ask the parent his/her preference if this is a parent that you will be communicating with frequently.
Communicate with “I” statements
Consider “netiquette” when communicating online
Communicate clearly and focus on solutions
Crucial Conversations | Joseph Grenny

