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Parents are the most important voice in communicating their children’s needs to the outside world. Parents share a special language with their children and understand their unique cues, gestures, and signs for what’s needed. When parents leave their children with a child care provider or in preschool, open communication of those needs as well as other pertinent family information is vital.
The first step to successful communication with care providers and teachers is to be up front and together find the best way to communicate your family’s needs (and conversely, share child care/school information with home). There are many ways to share information with your child’s care provider/teacher, all of which might fall into one of three categories:
a.) FACE to FACE
Conferences, drop-off, pick-up, orientation, open house, home visits
b.) ONLINE
Telephone conversations, texts, social media, email
c.) WRITTEN
Newsletters, notes sent to and from home, log books, daily reports, bulletin boards, handouts
Regardless of the mode of communication with your care provider/teacher, remember to follow some communication etiquette to foster open sharing between home and school.
- Find the most effective mode of communication that works for your family and care provider/teacher. If you prefer texting, let them know that. If you’d rather have a hard copy of a newsletter, kindly request it.
- Keep in mind the time when your child’s teacher/care provider is available. Perhaps setting up a separate time to talk in more detail will be more effective versus the quick 5 minute drop-off time when many families are rushing in and out.
- Use positive language and focus on brainstorming towards cooperation. Remember, that you and your child’s care provider/teacher are working in a partnership.
- Be a good listener and be ready to accept differences.
- Ask what you can do to help. Communication is give and take. Instead of focusing on just what you’d like the teacher/care provider to do, show cooperation by offering to play an active, supportive role.
The Parenting Hub would love to hear about helpful communication tips that you have with your child’s care provider or preschool. Please send your comments to: parentinghub@earlylearninghub.org
OTHER RESOURCES:
Two-way communication
https://www.naeyc.org/familyengagement/principles/2
Communicate with your provider
http://www.childcaresuffolk.org/CommunicateWithYourProvider.aspx
Communicating with your child’s teacher
http://www.education.com/reference/article/Ref_Com
Talking to your child’s preschool teacher
http://kidshealth.org/parent/positive/learning/talk_to_preschool_teacher.html#
Tips for communicating with teachers effectively
http://www.pta.org/programs/content.cfm?ItemNumber=1758
The Parent-Teacher Partnership
http://www.pbs.org/parents/education/going-to-school/parent-involvement/parent-teacher-partnership/
Be your child’s advocate
The ABC’s of communicating with your child’s school
http://www.rockwood.k12.mo.us/parent/Documents/The%20ABC.pdf
Parent-Provider Relationships: 7 keys to good communication
