Intro: Tell us who you are, where you're from, & a little about your childhood experiences with family/school communication. Be sure to add hashtag #EDpiper to all tweets & replies!
Hi, I'm Cindy from Corsicana, TX, & I'm gonna need a swan boat if it keeps raining! I remember carrying lots of handwritten notes between my mom & teachers. If we were in trouble, the secretary or principal called home. Open house, school plays, less as we got older. #EDpiper
Hi there, Lisa from Minnesota. I am from a small town where everyone knew everyone and what everyone did etc. My parents were friends with the teachers etc. Lots of communication. #EDpiper
Intro: Tell us who you are, where you're from, & a little about your childhood experiences with family/school communication. Be sure to add hashtag #EDpiper to all tweets & replies!
Good evening! Lindsey from Waco, TX. I remember very little communication between home and school except for the occasional school-wide note home about events. #edpiper
Hi all, Jessica, Ed Spec for SS & Digital Innovation at ESC Region 12...most of my parent contact home was to tell my Ps that I was super smart but couldn't stop talking #forevergrounded#EDpiper
Rachel, 3rd Grade ELAR teacher from @CastlemanCreek. I grew up in a SMALL town..so small that anything that happened at school made it’s way back to my parents before school was even out. I couldn’t get away with anything! 😂 #EDpiper
Barbara Page, 3rd gd teacher in Waco & an EdD student @Baylor but from S.Florida. My experiences all surround being the translator for my parents, since my Ts didn't speak Spanish & my parents didn't speak English. #TXed#edleadership#edpiper#EDUchat
Good evening y’all. Elyse from a cold north Texas. Social Emotional teacher and I remember my mom and dad always having a good relationship with my Ts. A support system of sorts. #EDpiper
A1: When I was in the classroom I preferred face to face convo for important convos and @RemindHQ for the daily news or reminders for parents. #EDpiper
A1 My preferred method is by email as my parents tend to do best with it. In person is a close second. It’s nice to have their support and wisdom. #EDpiper
Karmen from Waco, TX. Grew up in Dallas ISD and do not remember a lot of communication besides the traditional open house, school performances and occasional notes home. Some of them might have been about talking too much. #EDpiper
A1: Face to face for sure! Phone calls are my next go to. Emails can carry a different tone but that’s what seems to be the easiest and best way to get ahold of someone sometimes. #EDpiper
A1: My preferred method is a face to face convo, over ANY method! Those relationships are best built in person. However, I mainly use emails & newsletters b/c we do live in a digital world & they get back to us quickly in that way! #TXed#EDUchat#edleadership#edpiper
My brothers got in enough trouble for all of us! But yes, I once made a giant man on the side of the school - all from mud. Slipped out of sight at recess. I got in so much trouble! #mudman#edpiper
It just takes one difficult parent/teacher relationship to make you feel like a failure. I love this blog with some very realistic suggestions to improve the relationship. #EDpiperhttps://t.co/ulprBS7NHA
A1 For critical conversation, I think phone or F2F is best. I think intent, tone, & meaning get easily misconstrued in written communication, but I still get nervous depending on message. I really love @SmorePages and FB for general communication w/ families. #edpiper
Hi! I’m Paige Heinrichs and I’m from Boulder, CO. In elementary school I remember “meet the teacher” and Friday folders where I would bring my work home. In high school the only communication I remember was parent teacher conferences. #Edpiper
Growing up, parent communication was given once a six weeks on a report card. Other than that, it was nonexistent. That was a long time ago. I grew up in a small town. #edpiper
A1: I guess my best method would be email. I wish I had the time to talk on the phone with them all of the time, but most of them prefer email. #edpiper
A1: Face to face for sure! Phone calls are my next go to. Emails can carry a different tone but that’s what seems to be the easiest and best way to get ahold of someone sometimes. #EDpiper
A1: As a teacher, I preferred phone calls..to give praise or discuss concerns. My second option was email me. I found phone calls to be so much more personal! #edpiper
Hi! I’m Paige Heinrichs and I’m from Boulder, CO. In elementary school I remember “meet the teacher” and Friday folders where I would bring my work home. In high school the only communication I remember was parent teacher conferences. #EDpiper
A1: Howdy #EDPiper; my favorite way to connect with families is the good old-fashioned phone call. But when time gets in my way, I used email to address specific needs and blogging, Twitter and FB to push out info whole group.
A1: Love the personal interactions that are casual if they visit for lunch or things like that to get to chat and build relationships. Usually email is the quickest contact. Depends on the parents though. #EDpiper
A1 My preferred method is by email as my parents tend to do best with it. In person is a close second. It’s nice to have their support and wisdom. #EDpiper
A1- I like to talk with them. It is how I get to know them, but it depends on what my purpose is. We use weekly news, calls outs, texts, FB, some Twitter, email and website. #EDpiper
A2: I've used social media at three different campuses to include parents on as much of the day as possible..they love to see what their kids are doing during the day...makes their convos easier! A campus hashtag makes the story powerful too! #EDpiper
Q2: I used @RemindHQ in a big way. Helped kids remember where to go & what to do/bring/study at what times, and helped keep parents in the loop without having to log onto a social media site. Kids can sign family members up, too. #EDpiper
You made a good point... Sometimes it is what the parent prefers. Some parents want to talk via phone but cannot due to uncontrollable circumstances. #edpiper
I LOVE #7. I have been trying to set aside at least one day a six weeks to make lots of positive phone calls home. Need to do more, but it's a start. We do something like #17 several times of year and have great family turnout. #edpiper
A2: My campus uses Facebook and Instagram. We get the most parent feedback when we post upcoming event information or pictures of kiddos from events at the school #edpiper
A2: Classroom Twitter, reminder emails, weekly newsletters. Our campus is awesome at social media and sometimes a simple “retweet” is all I have to do. #EDpiper
A2: I’ve been tweeting out info about activities coming up, pictures of class activities and sent a reminder email to follow me on Twitter or using the Twitter text follow feature. Had 2 more followers from that!
Here's a great article on getting parents on board w/social media...best thing I have found so far is to consistently use it...the more you use, the more often it appears in their feed. #EDpiperhttps://t.co/JNcxmQFlUr
A2: I use twitter to showcase what we're working on, on a weekly basis. Just like I would, they love seeing their kids at school & what it is we're working on- I get positive feedback about what is happening in our classroom. #TXed#edleadership#EDUchat#edpiper
yes, a 5 minute phone call always ends in a 15 minute call. I am a talker and love building those relationships so it is always hard for me to say I have to go. Emails are the fastest route. #edpiper
Q1: My preferred method of communicating with parents is e-mail. This way parents can respond when they get a chance and it is fast and easy! My families respond well to e-mail and phone calls. #EDpiper
A2 We send home a monthly Smore newsletter with lots of tips and news for families. We update our FB page regularly with upcoming events, reminders, and celebrations. I'd like to do more highlights of students and teachers...specifics. #edpiper
A2 As a campus, we use social media to share our story. Lots of parents love seeing their kids throughout the day. I still err on the side of caution but have parental permission. #EDpiper
It’s really good for parents who really want to be on top of things with a student who participated in multiple things. It’s tough to remember who needs to be where & when. #edpiper
A2: I have personally seen the positive effects of social media on a campus level. It boosted parent communication, parent involvement, and community involvement. Creating a hashtag for our campus and relating everything to the hashtag changed our online presence. #EDpiper
A2- I like social media foe sending pictures, videos and getting word out quick. Just posted tonight about our Hwro Night tomorrow night. I told them about give aways dueing day to get kids to come to school. Yep cold weather tends to keep our kids at home. #EDpiper
Q3: Typically others tell the story of education. Whether the audience is parents, colleagues, or the general public, how do you tell your own story? #EDpiper
I have noticed that when we communicate or make announcements through social media, the outcome has been better. I think we are becoming a society that is highly dependent on those platforms to receive communication. #EDpiper
We have a campus FB page, and many of our teacher or grade levels have FB pages. They added me (Asst. Principal) as an admin on the site. Parents love seeing pics of their kids! #edpiper
Usually a campus hashtag is the best way to start...sharing what you are doing in your classroom and tagging...it's a great way to help others learn. #EDpiper
A2 As a campus, we use social media to share our story. Lots of parents love seeing their kids throughout the day. I still err on the side of caution but have parental permission. #EDpiper
A3: Loved telling our story through our campus hashtag, photos (we had started a campus Instagram acct) that Ss love, and blogging about my educational ventures. #EDpiper
I love this lady's quote: Tell your own story, and you will be interesting." It's important for families to know who their child's teacher is, what you value, what's happening in class, what they can anticipate happening soon, etc., etc. Make a connection! #EDpiper#tellyourstory
A3: Our district loves telling their story through their facebook page and twitter. They are meeting the parents where they are and receiving a great showing for it. #edpiper
I couldn't agree more- even personally, I prefer to get notifications through social media than email (that gets cluttered by spam). @CastlemanCreek is so good at this! #Edpiper#TXed#EDUchat
I have noticed that when we communicate or make announcements through social media, the outcome has been better. I think we are becoming a society that is highly dependent on those platforms to receive communication. #EDpiper
A3: I tell my students’ stories by sharing their experiences in class. Focusing on the kids’ experiences are a great way to facilitate conversations at home about school. #edpiper
A3: Make department newsletters showcasing each courses activities, student work, pics/videos, etc.
Share class and school story on Twitter
Collaborate with colleagues (in person, email, Twitter, IG)
Attend as much PD as possible
#EDpiper
Q3: Typically others tell the story of education. Whether the audience is parents, colleagues, or the general public, how do you tell your own story? #EDpiper
R3: I will take pictures, create videos, share all of this and make sure I tag my school. If I get a response or two or a like, it is successful. #EDpiper
A3: Loved telling our story through our campus hashtag, photos (we had started a campus Instagram acct) that Ss love, and blogging about my educational ventures. #EDpiper
A3: I tell my story through twitter and e-mail. I send frequent e-mails home to parents about their student grades (both positive and not) and they are receptive to that. #edpiper
A3 we tell our story through facebook, twitter, and the districts webpage. I tell my own story face to face. I honestly love my job. Best students ever so it is easy to tell parents face to face that their kids rock. #edpiper.
Q3: Typically others tell the story of education. Whether the audience is parents, colleagues, or the general public, how do you tell your own story? #EDpiper
A3: Newsletters, emails, social media. In one of my former districts, we would create an Annual Report and mail to all residents in our district. Great way to stay in the know! #EDPiper
Don't lose sight of the goal when communicating with parents. It must be a two-way conversation. Together, the family & teacher hold almost ALL of the cards for a child. Play on the same team! It's not cheating to tip your hand to communicate during the game! #EDpiper
A3: I like to tell the story through our pictures, videos, and funny moments. I let the kids tell our story by just talking about our day. They can tell you more about our classroom, what we are learning, and what you’ll experience with us than I ever could. #EDpiper
A3: I let Ss success tell the story! When I hear others tell the story of education, I quickly remind them we are graduating more Ss at higher standards, higher diversity, and at higher rates; than ever before! Invite them to come on in! #Edpiper#TXed#EDUchat#edleadership
If you're looking for a way to empower Ss, @classintercom is a great tool to do that!! Ss write social media content for their schools...Edus moderate their content and provide vital feedback to help them grow. #EDpiper
Q3: I tell parents a bit about my story at back to school night and conferences. I tell colleagues my story through informal conversations and meetings. I’ve presented some of my work at a CCTM conference and a district “show and tell” day to reach the public! #EDpiper
If you're looking for a way to empower Ss, @classintercom is a great tool to do that!! Ss write social media content for their schools...Edus moderate their content and provide vital feedback to help them grow. #EDpiper
A3: I tell my story through my passion in the classroom. Many would assume I was the "normal" kid in school. But little do they realize I was shy, quiet, and even had an IEP. #edpiper
A3: Make department newsletters showcasing each courses activities, student work, pics/videos, etc.
Share class and school story on Twitter
Collaborate with colleagues (in person, email, Twitter, IG)
Attend as much PD as possible
#EDpiper
Q3: Typically others tell the story of education. Whether the audience is parents, colleagues, or the general public, how do you tell your own story? #EDpiper
You can find a person's story by looking at their social media posts (personally and professionally). People generally post from their heart. You can learn a lot about a person's core values by reading their social media entries. #EDpiper
Q4: If you are a parent, how do you prefer for the teacher & school to communicate with you? How do you communicate with your child's teacher and school? #EDpiper
A3 Notice the good happening on your campus and around you. Tweet it out, build up the culture at your school with Ts, & celebrate what’s coming from classes. #EDpiper
A3. I tell my story by telling all how much I love my job. I have the best students ever! It is easy to tell my parents face to face how much they rock. I feel very fortunate. #EDpiper
A4. As a parent, I was looking for info on what was being learned in class, projects & assignments due, how to reach the teacher, & a reliable event calendar to show tests, parties, whatever. A sweet handwritten note was a special treasure. #EDpiper
A3: My very 1st principal required us to complete teacher conferences prior to school starting. It was such a wonderful way to develop relationships. #edpiper
A4: Allbeit my son is 13 months, but I love getting a verbal daily report when I pick him up from daycare. They leave a note on his daily sheet as well which helps, but nothing beats the verbal communication. #edpiper
A4: I'm gonna be frank abt what I don't like...please do not bombard my phone, VM and email with the same message 10 days in a row...this happened this year as part of a campus attendance incentive program. #EDpiper
Q4: If you are a parent, how do you prefer for the teacher & school to communicate with you? How do you communicate with your child's teacher and school? #EDpiper
A4: As a parent, I prefer email as the form of communication. It is hard to catch me at a time I can talk and I can check email throughout the day. #edpiper
Q4: If you are a parent, how do you prefer for the teacher & school to communicate with you? How do you communicate with your child's teacher and school? #EDpiper
A4 For general information, a piece of paper I can put on my fridge. For student specific feedback, I appreciate oral communication (not just a sad/happy face on a calendar) #edpiper
Try to respond to parent requests with "I can," and then figure out how to make it happen. Enlist your students in helping you move from "I can't" to "I can." They have been watching you & know how you can save time, communicate better, offer better help. Just ask them. #EDpiper
You can find a person's story by looking at their social media posts (personally and professionally). People generally post from their heart. You can learn a lot about a person's core values by reading their social media entries. #EDpiper
Great seeing the time and effort put into a hand written note home. Our Superintendent has blown me away when he sends me a hand written note that could have been an e-mail from many. #edpiper
A4: I prefer for my child's school to communicate via social media, text, or emails. I don't usually have the time during the day to sit & have a conference with them until after school, so this is a much more convenient way! #TXed#edleadership#EDUchat#edpiper
A4: As a P, I love @WISDMontessori Monday Memo. It’s a digital newsletter w/ all the important info for the week. It has changed formats over the years, but this year is my fav. It has the calendar, curriculum highlights, & a message from the P. Great way to get info. #EDpiper
A4: The older my kids get (7th/9th) the less upper level teachers do to communicate to parents. It’s never a phone call from them, rarely any class updates and only principal’s newsletter. I’m sad that there’s no expectation for them when I try so hard to communicate. #EDpiper
Q4: If you are a parent, how do you prefer for the teacher & school to communicate with you? How do you communicate with your child's teacher and school? #EDpiper
Agreed. My wife is busy seeing patients during the day, and I'm teaching, so it is tough for either of us to be at the phone in comparison to a businessman/woman. #edpiper
Glad to join in!
I value online platforms to share what the whole class and school is doing. That provides the big picture. On an individual level, especially at elementary, we communicate 1:1, most often through email, sometimes in person. #EDPiper A4
Q4: If you are a parent, how do you prefer for the teacher & school to communicate with you? How do you communicate with your child's teacher and school? #EDpiper
Q4: I’m not a parent, but I think I would prefer for the teacher to communicate with me via e-mail and/or text. I would also like to see what my kids are doing in class, maybe through a school website. I would prefer to communicate with them though e-mail or text. #EDpiper
A4- Thank goodness my youngest son graduated last year. The easier to get to information like grades and projects is preferred. When you are busy, it is a pain to have to go and sign in to different sites to get information. Emails or calls for personal info. #EDpiper
Q5 Of course there's always someone who talks too much - whether face to face or virtual. Generally speaking, though, most parents welcome all communication as long as you don't truly blow up their email or phone. #EDpiper
R5: My daughter’s school communicates a lot. I actually don’t mind it. The teachers can never say they don’t communicate enough. If a P says they don’t get information, they aren’t being truthful. #EDpiper
A5: I teach HS so I say yes...the Ss need to take responsibility for communication at that level.
As a parent of elementary kiddos...I need their Ts to communicate with me bc they can't/won't.
Definitely not a cut n' dry answer... depends on age, community, etc #EDpiper
I'm troubled by this too. Our older daughter began high school this year, and this pattern began in middle school -- we meet all the teachers in one night (i.e., the teachers who our kid happens to have that semester), and no formal opportunity after that. It's up to us. #EDPiper
A4: The older my kids get (7th/9th) the less upper level teachers do to communicate to parents. It’s never a phone call from them, rarely any class updates and only principal’s newsletter. I’m sad that there’s no expectation for them when I try so hard to communicate. #EDpiper
Q4: If you are a parent, how do you prefer for the teacher & school to communicate with you? How do you communicate with your child's teacher and school? #EDpiper
A5; As they get older, I think more info is able to come through student. So much is shared on website, social media etc that I feel that a simple email, post card home is great. #edpiper
A5: I think there is such a thing as too much communication, but it would take an awful lot in my mind to reach that point. Parents love to hear about their childs day. #edpiper
A5: I think we need to coach parents on how to ask their kids bout their day at school. This article gives some great convo starters. https://t.co/VvFhgzgbMv#EDpiper
A5-As a parent, I don't want to know every little thing my son did wrong at school...he's 5 and still learning. It just makes me feel like a bad parent. So yes, I think there can be too much communication. #edpiper
A5: Many times Ss response to parents asking how their day was, "fine". Anything new, "no". Not much detail. Thats where Ts can help fill those "gaps" #edpiper
A5 Thete needs to be accountability & ownership instilled in students eventually. While parents want to do it all, what is that really teaching Ss? It’s a balance. #EDpiper
My personal experience is no, though I understand those who don't like to be bombarded. I appreciate reminders -- and there's also always something new to share. Once at the secondary level, our kid definitely communicates more than the school. #EDPiper A5
Agreed. Teaching HS I have put much ownership on the Ss and their grades. We have several forms that they fill out during Academic Lab time to check their grades and report home. #edpiper
Q5: I do think there is such a thing as too much communication with parents. The student should be taught to communicate with the teacher and learn how to problem solve issues they are having in class before the parents get involved. #EDpiper
A5: I do believe there is such a thing as too much communication. It has to be a good balance, but I think the communication should definitely be coming from both the Ts and Ss! #TXed#EDUchat#edleadership#edpiper
A5. My sons were not good about getting information to us in a timely manner which was a pain. Communication from secondary in my experience was lacking. #edpiper
A5: I love a calendar that let's me see things in advance...my child was forever forgetting their notes or losing them somewhere between school and home. #EDpiper
It certainly is not. I know as I was one of them a few years ago. I just didn't want to share, but looking back I wish I would have as my parents could have helped me more. #edpiper
Agreed. Seeing school calling is always met with unsettling news. That seems to be the only reason daycare calls. "Yeah, wanted to let you know Jacob fell off the scooter today and scraped his face." #edpiper#truestory
You know, as a parent I always say I don't care about the platform -- as long as it's used -- but it really would help if everything were in one place. It's like email: There's always that one account we check (usually the work one, cuz we have to), and those we neglect. #EDPiper
A4- Thank goodness my youngest son graduated last year. The easier to get to information like grades and projects is preferred. When you are busy, it is a pain to have to go and sign in to different sites to get information. Emails or calls for personal info. #EDpiper
@smore is my all-time favorite tool for communication. Love the different applications but want to do better at highlighting student achievement on our monthly newsletter. Not sure what new tools I need to try for communication. #edpiper
A5: I think there can be too much communication. It’s a fine line for some. Others are nonstop, and I’ve had to have that hard conversation before. It’s a hard spot to be on when a parent just won’t stop. #EDpiper
It's less about the tool than about the conversation. Be kind, be positive, be supportive, be patient, be understanding, be a believer, and most of all, be an advocate for the child. #EDpiper
The odds are much better than you can make parents' wishes come true if you know their wishes! Take time to know what parents what for their child and what they wish you would do to make that dream come true. #EDpiper
Final thoughts: My favorite communication tool is the message center of our online grade book, Infinite Campus. It can generate a list of missing assignments and send a unique message to each parent. I would like to try showcasing students work via social media. #EDpiper
Q6: My favorite communication tool is the message center of our online grade book. It can generate a list of missing assignments and send a unique message to each parent. I would like to try showcasing students work via social media. #EDpiper@SVVSDdts#SVVSDTechBingo
I don't know about untruthful -- some of us are disorganized. Messages are only as good as they're received. It takes work, but schools do best when they find different communication tools that work for everybody. #EDPiper
I definitely agree this is a skill that needs to be taught and practiced regularly! And sometimes it definitely is appropriate for parents to get involved. #EDpiper
Our daughter had a seizure. :( (She has a seizure disorder but they're not supposed to happen, especially like that.) But the school's response was excellent and we were grateful. #EDPiper
In reply to
@Lisa42Slp, @WinkelerD, @CastlemanMusic
