Best Practices for Teacher-Parent Communication in Virtual Charter Schools

Healthy teacher-parent communication is essential to any learning environment, but it can be even more so in an online learning environment, where the opportunity to interact in person can be more limited. In fact, research has shown that the more engaged a parent and teacher are – talking and sharing information about the student’s tendencies and progress – the better equipped they’ll both be to help that student achieve academic success.

In this blog we’ll be exploring a few tips for fostering better online teacher-parent communication, while also looking at the myriad benefits that can accompany a strong partnership between parents and teachers in a virtual charter school setting.

Parent-Teacher Communication Strategies in Virtual Charter Schools

The parent and the teacher are the two most important people in a child’s educational growth. But before we delve into the different parent-teach communication strategies for more effective communication, let’s first go over some of the benefits for parents, teachers, and most importantly, students.

Benefits of Strong Communication for Parents

Studies have consistently shown that effective school communication significantly enhances parental engagement in their children's education. This communication provides parents with valuable insights into the school's curriculum through active involvement, which in turn helps them support their children more effectively. Most crucially, open communication boosts parents' confidence in the value of their participation, and helps to highlight the critical role they play in their children’s educational journey.

Benefits of Strong Communication for Teachers

There is a wealth of evidence suggesting that when parents are involved in their children's education, teachers can devote more attention to the core task of teaching. By focusing on increased parent-teacher communication, teachers are able to gain valuable insights into a student's needs and home circumstances, which then enables them to tailor their teaching strategies to that child more effectively. Not only that, but involved parents typically have a more positive perception of teachers, which, as any teacher can tell you, goes a long way toward boosting morale and creating a more supportive and cooperative educational environment.

Benefits of Strong Communication for Students

Needless to say, students benefit hugely from both active parental involvement and more informed and appreciated teachers. When two-way communication between parents and teachers is positive, and both are on the same page, better academic success, improved behavior, and an increased motivation to learn tend to follow!

6 Tips for Better Virtual School Teacher-Parent Communication

Here are six essential tips that both parents and teachers can use to improve two-way communication in an online school setting:

1. Create Clear Communication Channels: Both parties should agree on the most effective means of communication, whether that be through emails, phone calls, messaging apps, or virtual meetings. Establishing not just how communications will occur, but also the when, is equally as critical. Make sure to set a regular schedule that respects everyone’s time!
2. Be Proactive: Proactive communication, by both teacher and parent, can prevent many issues from developing, and helps to ensure that small problems don’t turn into larger ones. 
3. Establish Mutual Goals: Early in the school year, teachers and parents should sit down to discuss and set clear, achievable goals for the student’s academic and personal development. Then follow that up with regular check-ins to keep everyone focused on the student’s progress, and so that teachers can adjust learning paths if needed. 
4. Utilize Technology: There are so many useful tech tools out there for virtual schooling, such as Klassly to ParentSquare, and many educational platforms include features like direct messaging, video calls, and real-time feedback on student work, all of which make it easier on everyone to maintain an open line of communication.
5. Keep Organized and Document Communications: Save records of all communications and decisions made. Not only can this be invaluable for tracking progress over time, but it will also help to resolve any misunderstandings that may arise.
6. Participate in Virtual Meetings and School Events: Participation is paramount. Whenever possible, parents should actively attend virtual school meetings and other events. These are excellent opportunities to meet other parents and teachers, understand the school’s curriculum and strategies, and show your child that you are involved in their education.

Communication between parents and teachers in virtual schools really is fundamental to fostering a productive educational environment. When teachers and parents maintain clear, open, and consistent communication, both parties can better enhance the educational experience for the student, providing the support and motivation they need to succeed.

The staff at PA Distance Learning is committed to embracing the overall learning experience, and that includes ensuring that parents are involved in an open communication process. Through in-depth virtual Parent Orientation Sessions, we strive to educate parents about how to best support their children while attending school online.

Reach out today for more information about PA Distance Learning!