COMMUNICATING

WITH PARENTS AND STUDENTS

RUSS PETERS – WESTVIEW HIGH SCHOOL

OBJECTIVES – WE WILL BE ABLE TO:• IDENTIFY WHY COMMUNICATION WITH STUDENTS AND PARENTS IS IMPORTANT

• IDENTIFY STRATEGIES AND RESOURCES TO IMPROVE COMMUNICATION BETWEEN TEACHERS, PARENTS AND STUDENTS

TODAY’S AGENDA•DISCUSS THE IMPORTANCE OF PARENT AND STUDENT COMMUNICATION

•SHARE SOME INFO, STRATEGIES AND IDEAS ON EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION WITH PARENTS AND STUDENTS

•PERSONAL REFLECTION

RUSS PETERS• COON RAPIDS CARDINALS – TEACHER

• SULLIVAN CHARGERS – TEACHER

• MARYVALE PANTHERS – TEACHER

• LINDBERGH EAGLES – DEAN OF STUDENTS

• WESTVIEW KNIGHTS – ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL

IMPORTANCE OF COMMUNICATION•BRAINSTORM WITH YOUR GROUP WHY COMMUNICATION WITH PARENTS AND STUDENTS IS IMPORTANT TO EDUCATION

•BE READY TO SHARE YOUR IDEAS

IMPORTANCE OF COMMUNICATION•EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION ALLOWS FOR

DEEPER CONNECTION WITH OTHERS.

•MUTUAL UNDERSTANDING LEADS TO BETTER CONNECTION WITH PEOPLE.

•BETTER CONNECTION WITH PEOPLE FULFILLS OUR HUMAN NEED FOR BELONGING AND LOVE.

•FULFILLING ONE OF OUR MOST IMPORTANT NEEDS (BELONGING) LEADS TO A MORE SATISFYING LIFE.

STUDENT SUCCESS•HURDLES TO STUDENT SUCCESS: HOME LIFE,

LEARNING DISABILITIES, PAST EXPERIENCES IN SCHOOL

•NO EXCUSES (WE CAN OVERCOME TOGETHER)

•WE CAN CONTROL HOW STUDENTS FEEL IN OUR CLASSROOM

•WE CAN CONTROL WHETHER OR NOT STUDENTS WILL LEARN IN OUR CLASSROOM

•WE CAN CONTROL WHETHER OR NOT WE GIVE PARENTS THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE INFORMED ABOUT THEIR STUDENT

VIDEOS!•BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS: SHARING PASSION WITH ST

UDENTS

• IN WHAT WAYS DO YOU SEE MR. VAN DYCK CONNECTING WITH INDIVIDUAL STUDENTS?

•WHAT PERSONAL EXPERIENCES CAN YOU DRAW UPON TO BETTER UNDERSTAND YOUR STUDENTS?

•HOW DOES FOCUSING ON ONE POSITIVE ELEMENT DISCOURAGE NEGATIVE BEHAVIORS?

VIDEOS!•CREATING A "COMFORTABLE" CLASSROOM ENVIRONMENT

•HOW DOES MR. VAN DYCK USE PROXIMITY AND VOICE CONTROL TO ENCOURAGE DESIRED BEHAVIORS?

•WHAT EVIDENCE DO YOU SEE OF A POSITIVE CLASSROOM CULTURE?

• IN WHAT WAYS IS A SENSE OF BELONGING ENCOURAGED IN THIS CLASSROOM?

ARTICLES (A, B, C, D)•READ INDIVIDUALLY AND BE READY TO SHARE

•PICK 3-5 TAKE AWAYS FROM THE ARTICLE

EXPLICITLY TEACH STUDENTS WHAT YOU NEED FROM THEM•BEHAVIOR EXPECTATIONS (YOU KNOW HOW TO

BEHAVE!?!)

•ACADEMIC EXPECTATIONS

•CODE SWITCHING

•FREQUENT REMINDERS

KEEPING PARENTS INFORMED•COMMUNICATE POSITIVES (4 TO 1)

•SYNERGY- PARENT VUE

•EMAIL

•PHONE CALLS

•MAIL (POST CARDS, LETTERS)

•TECHNOLOGY

USING TECHNOLOGY•REMIND – ONE WAY COMMUNICATION BETWEEN TEACHERS AND USERS (PARENTS AND STUDENTS)

•BLACKBOARD- TWO WAY COMMUNICATION FOR TEACHERS AND STUDENTS, INCLUDING POSTING AND TURNING IN ASSIGNMENTS

REFLECTION •WHAT ARE TWO TO THREE IDEAS THAT

YOU FOUND INTERESTING OR HELPFUL?