Parent-Teacher Communication Strategies in Preschool
This paper explores parent-teacher communication strategies in a preschool setting, drawing on both scholarly research and personal teaching experience. The author examines how establishing early contact with families, conducting structured conferences using the CORE model, distributing clear progress reports, leveraging internet technology, and implementing parent-teacher contracts each contribute to student academic and behavioral success. The discussion highlights federal policy support for parental involvement, the importance of early identification of learning and behavioral challenges, and the practical benefits of multiple communication channels. Throughout, the author connects research findings to firsthand classroom experiences, illustrating how a comprehensive communication program benefits children, parents, and teachers alike.
- Introduction: Author's teaching context and paper purpose
- The Importance of Parent-Teacher Communication: Research and personal practice establishing early contact
- Parent-Teacher Conferences and the CORE Model: CORE conference model structure, training, and implementation
- Reports and Progress Updates: Using clear reports to inform parents of student progress
- Email and Technology as Communication Tools: Internet portals and email enhancing parent-teacher contact
- Parent-Teacher Agreements and Contracts: Contracts addressing behavior and homework responsibilities
- Discussion and Conclusion: Synthesis of communication strategies and key takeaways
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What makes this paper effective
- The paper weaves personal classroom anecdotes directly into each section, grounding abstract research in concrete, relatable preschool scenarios that strengthen credibility.
- It covers multiple communication channels systematically — phone contact, CORE conferences, progress reports, technology portals, and contracts — giving readers a comprehensive, actionable framework rather than a single perspective.
- The author uses block quotations from peer-reviewed sources strategically to establish the research base before explaining how those findings apply to their own practice, creating a clear evidence-to-application structure throughout.
Key academic technique demonstrated
The paper demonstrates the technique of practitioner reflection grounded in scholarship: the author consistently pairs an empirical or theoretical claim (drawn from journal articles and books) with a first-person account of implementing that principle in a real classroom. This approach validates personal experience through research and makes the research tangible through experience, a hallmark of effective reflective teaching essays.
Structure breakdown
The paper opens with an introduction that establishes the author's professional context and motivation. It then moves through five thematic sections — importance of communication, conferences (with detailed coverage of the CORE model), reports, technology, and agreements/contracts — each following the same pattern: research overview, block quotation support, and personal application. A synthesis discussion precedes a conclusion that recaps the paper's central claims and restates the value of comprehensive parent-teacher communication for children's success.
Introduction
Parent-teacher communication is important to the academic success of any child, regardless of age (Wayne & Youngs, 2003). When parents and teachers have open lines of communication, students excel. The purpose of this discussion is to focus on my experiences related to parent-teacher communication in my preschool setting. The discussion contains research related to the benefits of proper parent-teacher communication, and also provides insights into my personal experiences as a teacher and the manner in which I communicated with parents concerning their children.
"It is the supreme art of the teacher to awaken joy in creative expression and knowledge." — Albert Einstein
My occupation as a teacher has afforded me the opportunity to shape the minds and lives of the many young people entrusted to me. Teaching can be a challenge in many ways because it demands a great deal of time, patience, and energy. In addition, it takes years to realize the true impact one has had on the life of a youngster.
Teachers are special people. We get up early to go over our lesson plans for the day. We go to bed late because we often have a great deal of work to do after school hours are over. We also often have the added responsibility of buying supplies for our classrooms and even for our students. Although teacher incomes throughout the nation are extremely low, many still choose the profession even when they have the opportunity to work in the private sector.
This reflects the love that teachers have for their occupation. It is important to remember that behind every successful man or woman, there was at least one great teacher who encouraged that person to do their best — and parents who made a concerted effort to communicate with teachers via phone calls and parent-teacher conferences. In my own career as a preschool teacher, I have witnessed the impact that parents have on their children's ability and even will to learn.
The Importance of Parent-Teacher Communication
"A Loving Parent"
Dear Teacher,
I am sending you my most precious possession today,
Trusting in your care what to do and say,
Be gentle and loving and encourage him too,
I'm trusting in you to know what to do,
Show him things and let him draw,
So he'll remember the things he saw,
Let him jump and run and play,
He'll tell us all about his day,
Let him do things on his own too,
But please help him when he looks to you,
Give him a hug and smile a lot,
Memories of you will never be forgot. (Davis, n.d.)
As a teacher, I understand the important role of parent-teacher communication all too well. It is important to have open lines of communication with parents so that they are aware of the general progress their child is making, or any problems that might be present (Driessen et al., 2005; Boethel, 2005). This is particularly true in preschool, because it is important to identify learning problems as early as possible. Early detection allows for early intervention so that problems can be resolved or properly managed.
Communication with parents is also important to secure the future academic success of the student. According to the article "Evaluating Evaluations: The Case of Parent Involvement Programs," parental involvement and communication with teachers is extremely important to the well-being of children as it pertains to their academic and social success:
"Through the last three decades there has been an emerging consensus that the quality of relations between schools and families plays an integral role in student success. Parent involvement in children's education has been emphasized as a particularly important aspect of the school-family relationship, with significant implications for children's education. Numerous studies show that parent involvement is correlated with higher student academic achievement, better student attendance, and more positive student and parent attitudes toward education (Mattingly et al., 2002, 549)."
The authors further report that efforts to augment the involvement of parents in the academic careers of their children can even be seen in federal and state education strategies (Mattingly et al., 2002). At the national level, efforts to improve parental involvement in schools have received bipartisan support in all legislative efforts to reform education. In fact, in 2001, parental involvement became a significant part of the No Child Left Behind Act (Mattingly et al., 2002, 549). Additionally, "rhetorical support has been supplemented with financial support; schools receiving Title I funding are required to spend part of that money on parent participation programs" (Mattingly et al., 2002, 549).
As a preschool teacher, I understand the importance of parental involvement and therefore make a concerted effort to establish communication with parents at the beginning of each school year. This is done through contact forms sent home with students on the first day of class. Parents are asked to complete the forms and return them within the first week of school. These forms request information such as telephone numbers and email addresses, allowing me to contact parents to discuss the progress of their children and any concerns I may have.
Once contact information is received, I reach out to parents by phone during the second week of school. Initial phone conversations usually involve making sure parents understand that their child's education will be a collaborative effort. I emphasize that I am always available to speak with them and I review some of the skills their children will learn throughout the year. This initial conversation also allows parents to voice concerns and share the likes and dislikes of their children — information that helps me make the learning environment more conducive to meeting each student's needs. For instance, one year I had a student who had an ear fetish: he liked to rub people's earlobes, especially when sleepy. Because his parents had warned me of this habit, I was able to work with them to address the behavior constructively.
Works Cited
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