Keeping the lines of communication open: The key to a child’s success in school

A child’s success in school is very much a team effort that requires open lines of communication between parents, families, teachers, and the student. But maintaining these lines of communication on a consistent and continual basis can be challenging. Sometimes a child may be hesitant to talk about what they did during the school day. Or the heavy demands of a job or other responsibilities may limit a parent’s ability to stay in contact with their child’s teacher as much as they would like. There may be cultural differences that impede regular communication between families, teachers, and school administrators. Regardless of the underlying reason, when communication breaks down or is non-existent, the child suffers. Communication with the school is key to parents becoming involved with their child’s education and learning. Every parent wants to be meaningfully engaged in their child’s academic success. Erik Hines, professor in the Counseling program within the School of Education at George Mason University, recently offered a few tips on how teachers can help make this happen.

Technology makes communication easier.

Technology is a valuable tool that can be used in establishing meaningful communication between teachers and parents. Gone are the days when “Back to School” nights and periodic parent-teacher conferences were the primary ways in which teachers communicated to parents what the child was learning in the classroom. Yes, these types of meetings are still important. However, the widespread use of mobile and electronic devices has made it much easier and commonplace for teachers to keep parents continuously informed throughout the school year about their child’s progress in the classroom with the use of apps that show a student’s grades and work in subject areas.

Teachers should communicate both “the good and the bad.”

When it comes to updates about their child’s progress at school, all parents want to hear good news—whether it is a notification that their child got an “A” on an important test, won an award at school, made a presentation that was well received by the student’s teacher and classmates, or achieved some other important academic milestone. But equally, if not more important, is the communication of “bad news” such as the concerns a teacher may have about a child’s poor academic performance, disruptive behavior, inability to remain attentive, or other issues hindering them from progressing academically. Communications between teachers and parents need to present a picture of the child “as a whole” and this includes positive achievements along with difficulties the child may be having. An understanding of the problems that a child is having in the classroom can provide the parent with the opportunity to build a partnership with the school, one in which the family’s concerns are addressed, and the perspectives of parents are valued in developing a strategy that meets the needs of the child.

Cultural responsiveness can encourage involvement of parents and families in a student’s learning.

Children of different races and ethnicities bring a diverse set of cultural experiences and customs to the classroom which can affect how they learn. When teachers have a better understanding of how students are influenced by the cultural values of the communities in which they live, they can adopt teaching strategies that are more relatable to their students. The same holds true for communicating with the parents and families of these students. Cultural responsiveness is not only applicable to finding a teaching method best suited for the student, but also important in fostering a good relationship between teachers and parents that will lead to family involvement in the child’s learning.

Meaningful parental involvement in a child’s academic progress is beneficial.

Substantive parental involvement in a child’s learning has many benefits. Among these, it has been shown to improve grades and test scores. It has also led to improvements in a child’s behavior and social skills. Educational experts say that when children know their parents are invested and actively engaged in their academic progress, they demonstrate behaviors and learning styles that are more productive and conducive to academic success. Being involved with your child’s education can mean reading with them, helping them with their homework, volunteering at their school, or doing any other activity with them that promotes learning.

To learn more about degree offerings in the Counseling program within George Mason University’s School of Education, please visit the program website.