I agree with and appreciate your blog. I wish all the teachers my sons have would post syllabus’ class room and homework assignments on a web page. It would make keeping the ‘on track’ and on task so much easier with a lot less frustration. Don’t misunderstand; some teachers do have webpages or send out blast emails. I just wish it was a teacher requirement. I have asked some of my kid’s teachers if they have a site or if assignments can be posted on line “somewhere” their reply is usually something like “I don’t have the time for that.” I found a website that might offer some solutions for teachers who might be technology challenged. Check it out:

http://classjump.com/

I think your blog and /or web page should be forwarded to ALL BOE’s Administrators.

Gretchen

I love your blog and the hints that it gives for keeping the lines of communication open between parents and teachers. Several years ago, the principal at my elementary school “required” us to begin sending home weekly newsletters to parents. I had no idea how to design the newsletter nor did I have any concept of what I wanted it to look like. I researched several websites that contained free templates for teacher newsletters so that I could see what types of newsletters other teachers were using.

The other teachers at my grade level and I selected one that we thought would fit our needs. The template that we chose was very “user friendly,” and other teachers in the school asked if they might use our template and make it their own for their specific grade level. It really is a good template because it is easily adaptable for different grade levels.

This is has been one of the most successful communication tools at our school. I am including a link to the newsletter template: http://www.educationworld.com/content/node/32888 in hopes that it will help someone who is looking for a creative way to keep parents informed. At our school, we began by sending home hard copies in the students’ folders each Friday, and progressed to uploading it to our teacher websites. So now we have “paperless” newsletters posted each week. If a parent/family wishes to receive a hard copy, we gladly make copies to send home to those who would like them.

Jenni

I think too often teachers see only one version of involvement-the typical room parent who graces us with their presence at least once a week, returns every phone call and note home with happy faces and promises that, of course, they keep ever time. Sorry, I know I sound sarcastic and snarky, but I hear so many of my coworkers complain about parents who “don’t care” and I know that is so rarely the truth. Thankfully, technology can help bridge the gap between school and home. With email and texts, busy parents can communicate with teachers at their convenience, and with websites, blogs, and wikis they can keep up to date on whats happening in the classroom they so desperately wish they could visit.
Kudos to you for shedding some light on ways to keep those lines open!
Trish
Here’s a link to a great article that talks about using technology to foster communication in middle school:
http://ejite.isu.edu/Volume7/Rogers.pdf

I really appreciate what you said about the transition from “parent and teacher facilitated activities in Kindergarten, to more child facilitated learning activities in first grade.”

As both an educator and a parent, I am challenged to find the balance between using everything I know to help improve my child’s learning experiences, and stepping back a little and allowing her to find her own.

I have so much more to say about the possibilities for a solid and positive home-school connection, so I’m hoping to post more blogs about this topic soon!

A question that comes up while reading your post is about the instructors time resources. If the teacher is already bogged down with too much work or not enough time (or both), how can they dedicate enough time to keeping these communications channels open? I see this problem crop up all the time at work. People want to know where their projects are and what the updates are. The technicians get frustrated because updating the wiki takes time, which pulls them away from actually doing the work. Where is the balance?