Teaching Tip: Creative Communication with Caregivers

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1. Send home a letter at the beginning of the year to the parent/guardian that explains your class procedures and gives all your contact information. This reinforces the concept that you are available and approachable.
2. Call each caregiver on the phone at some point during the first two weeks of school. Parents and Guardians enjoy good phone calls, and this can help ease pressure later in the school year if you need to call the parent with a concern.
3. Send postcards to the students home written to either the student or the caregiver.
4. Set up a basic class Web site that includes your contact information so that parents know where to reach you.
5. Create business cards on your own computer or through a printing service. Staple this business card to your first parent letter. This helps establish your professionalism.
6. Use e-mail, the Internet, or a printed bulletin to publish a monthly or weekly class newsletter. This is an informal way to train parents and guardians to expect communication and keeps them abreast of the instruction their child is receiving from you.
7. Send invitations to the caregivers for a drop-in visit before Open House. The more parents and guardians are comfortable in your classroom, the more approachable you will appear.
8. Have students write letters of appreciation to the parents and guardians before Open House. Leave the letters on the childs desk or distribute them to the adults as you greet each at the door. Not only does this encourage the child to invite the adults to Open House to receive the letter, but the parents and guardians will infer your appreciation of them as well.

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LESSON PLAN

Literature Analysis Students will discuss literature with their peers, identifying the character, plot, and setting of the book and analyzing them.