Standard I: Communicating

Email
Brief Description:
Email is an effective tool used to communicate with parents of the students in the classroom. A frequent email with a question attached would promote two-way communication and encourage parent involvement, peak parent interest in child’s education, and promote buy-in to classroom participation/teacher connection.

How it is Two-Way and Meaningful:
The aspect of the question in the email is the powerful tool that promotes communication.

Possible ESL Barriers and How to Overcome Them:
Two ways of overcoming a language barrier is through use of clear, simple language, which promotes higher English language use in the home or language conversions through use of ESL specialist or computer programs that change messages to L1.

Newsletter
Brief Description:
A classroom newsletter will be sent home each month to parents. This informs them of upcoming events the classroom. Attached is a slip that is filled out by parents to report they have seen the letter and recording which events they will be attending.

How it is Two-Way and Meaningful:
It is two-way in that parents have been informed of upcoming events taking place that month by the teacher and the parents can reply as to which events they will be attending for the teacher’s information. It is meaningful because parents and teachers will both be aware of upcoming events they can share for the success of the child.

Possible Barriers with ESL Parents and How to Overcome Them:
Possible barriers with ESL parents are language related. The newsletter can be translated into the L1.

Phone Calls
Brief Description:
Calling parents on the phone and asking one open-ended question and sharing one positive aspect of their child’s success in school.

How it is Two-Way and Meaningful:
It is two-way due to the open-ended teacher question and parent response. It is meaningful because of the information being shared about the success of the student.

Possible Barriers with ESL Parents and How to Overcome Them:
If there is a communication barrier, the teacher could include an interpreter in a three-way call.

In Person at Back To School Night
Brief Description:
Parents and students come to the school to meet the teacher, mingle with other students and parents, explore the school, and see the classroom. This event usually takes place during the first week of school each year.

How it is Two-Way and Meaningful:
The first ten minutes, parents speak while the teacher listens The net ten minutes, the roles are reversed.

Possible Barriers with ESL Parents and How to Overcome Them:
If the parents lack the language skills to communicate with the teacher, arrangements can be made before time to accommodate with an interpreter or a power point written in the language preferred by the parents.

Listening Conference
Brief Description:
This is a conference held between the parent/s and the teacher. The student could also be in attendance if the parents and teacher agree. This is an opportunity for the teacher to listen only. It is one-way speaking form parent to teacher and oneway listening from teacher to parent.

How it is Two-Way and Meaningful:
It is meaningful in that the parent feels validated by being listened to and the teacher receives feedback about the classroom and learning process from the perspective of the parent.

Possible Barriers with ESL Parents and How to Overcome Them:
Language could be a barrier. If that is the circumstance, a translator would be needed.

Class Council
Brief Description:
This mimics the concept of a school council. This would be a group of five parents that could meet on a quarterly basis, receiving input from parents while offering input to the teacher. This would be good feedback form a unique viewpoint about the overall effectiveness of the class.

How it is Two-Way and Meaningful:
This is more than two-way and meaningful communication. It would be useful feedback for the teacher, but also encourages parents, especially those that participate, to see a perspective from a higher level regarding student learning, as well as teacher efficacy.

Possible Barriers with ESL Parents and How to Overcome Them:
Language barriers for ESL parents could be barriers. I think it would be more effective to have a cultural mix of parents on this council; possible grouping the parents in a mixed ability for speaking English would be a tool to be used in this circumstance.

Local Supermarket Visit
Brief Description:
This is a visit, prearranged with a parent that may have difficulty meeting at the school due to work schedules or travel. This is a way to meet in neutral territory where everyone feels at ease with common time to interact and discuss the success of the student.
How it is Two-Way and Meaningful:
It is two-way conversing about the student with talking and listening occurring on both parts of the parent and teacher.

Possible Barriers with ESL Parents and How to Overcome Them:
Language could be a barrier. Possible way sot overcome this barrier is finding a family member that may want to serve as a translator. Another possibility is to send questions home ahead of time that the parent could answer in their L1, send them back to me, and I would ask assistance of the ESL specialist for input.

Text Message
Brief Description:
This is a two-way communication from cell phone to cell phone via written communication. Although this works as two-way communication, I feel that is a cheap way to communicate and would use it in rare cases.

How it is Two-Way and Meaningful:
It is two-way in that both parties can respond back and forth. It is meaningful if text is understood in the context of which it is being written. Sometimes text can be misunderstood because it is not accompanied with tone.

Possible Barriers with ESL Parents and How to Overcome Them:
Technology barriers such as inexperience with texting, and language barriers could be two types of challenges with this type of communication. Translation technology built into phones maybe a way to overcome the language barrier.

Classroom Blog
Brief Description:
A private classroom blog creates an opportunity for parents to know the classroom happenings. With a bi-monthly updated blog, parents will know about upcoming events, current class activities, and assignments.

How it is Two-Way and Meaningful:
If the comment section of the blog is open, the parents and teacher can both can comment.

Possible Barriers with ESL Parents and How to Overcome Them:
The English language could be a barrier with parents that have another language as L1. With technology, online translators could be put into place to diminish a language barrier.