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Five Ideas to Help Parents Empower Students during At-Home Learning

Five Ideas to Help Parents Empower Students during At-Home Learning

Written by Margie Dorshorst As students continue to learn at home through various educational models, many parents have expressed concern about how to motivate their children to stay engaged and complete tasks both on-screen and off. Some parents have expressed the need to use threats or rewards to motivate their…

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Photograph by Jeff Woodward.

Building Bridges

Taking time to get to know parents sends an important message: We’re a team with a shared goal of helping students have a successful school year. Plus, parents have invaluable insight that can help us better meet students’ learning needs. Forging strong connections with parents is an ongoing process—and it…

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Photograph by Jeff Woodward.

What Kind of Teacher Are You?

"What kind of teacher are you?" A parent whose child will be in my class this year asked me that a few days ago. It was an honest question, and one I've answered before, but this time I was thrown for a bit of a loop. Blame it on lack…

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Photograph by Jeff Woodward.

What to Say to Parents Now

I can't begin to describe how important the exchanges I've had with my children's teachers and principal have been to me this week. At various times, each of them reached out to let me and other school families know that all was well at school and with our children, and…

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Photograph by Jeff Woodward.

Talking with Parents about Problems

Conversations about a child who is struggling in school are stressful for parents and teachers. Both parties may experience feelings of anger, fear, frustration, and confusion, along with a sense of inadequacy, as they try to talk about challenges a child is facing. I recently experienced this myself when my…

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Photograph by Jeff Woodward.

What Parents Wish Teachers Knew

Recently, I had the exciting opportunity to be interviewed by Katie Couric in the ABC studio in New York City for her weekly online video series, Katie's Take. The topic: "What Teachers Wish Parents Knew." While getting ready for the interview, I found myself thinking about a related topic: "What…

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School-Home Communication Strategies

As educators, we know that communication between school and home is hugely important to a child’s success in school. When school leaders, teachers, and other school staff respect parents* and share information with them openly and frequently, parents are more likely to trust and work with the school to support…

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Photo by Jeff Woodward.

Families’ Hopes and Dreams

If we really believe the statement “Parents are partners in their children’s education,” then we have to make developing relationships with parents a top priority. An important first step in building these relationships is to invite families to express their hopes for their child. We might ask, “What do you…

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Investing in Parents During the First Six Weeks of School

Teachers work hard during the first six weeks of school to get to know their students and to establish a safe and welcoming classroom environment. This early investment makes the whole school year go better. The same idea applies to working with the most influential adults in the children’s lives:…

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First Weeks of School

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Positive Language

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