Tech-Powered Parent Engagement
In today’s day and age, there are countless opportunities for engaging not just students, but parents too. Tech-enhanced parent engagement is a notion of increasing importance in the classroom, and teachers across the country are finding new and creative ways to get parents involved. By bolstering communication across a variety of tech platforms, teachers are making sure students’ education does not stop just because they left the building. Here are a few ways teachers are using technology to their advantage:
Email is a phenomenal tool for keeping parents involved in the classroom’s day-to-day. By informing parents of upcoming projects, tests, and other various assignments, instructors minimize any potential for miscommunication. These emails serve to put both teachers and parents on the same page, and this unification provides a strong foundation for the student’s academic achievement.
Remind
Remind is an incredibly helpful tool that allows teachers to instantly easily text a group of signed-up users. By setting up a Remind group for parents, teachers can directly share information as it becomes available. Instead of sending students home with flyers in the bottom of their abyss of a backpack, teachers can upload a .pdf to Remind and blast it out to users.
Rather than rely on students to communicate information, teachers can assume control and take advantage of Remind.
Website
Teachers can easily keep parents in the loop by maintaining an active website. More passive than emails or text messages, it is an excellent option for parents looking to get involved on their time. Daily or weekly updates are a fantastic way to keep everyone informed of current lesson plans, and homework agendas can save the absent-minded student who forgot to write down that night’s assignment.
It’s an excellent resource that benefits both parents and students.
Office Hours
Office hours pose a wonderful opportunity to gain some much-needed face-time with students’ parents. Yet, merely holding them is often not enough because many parents are inhibited by confining work schedules. That’s why video chats are becoming so helpful and are nearly commonplace in today’s educational arena.
By using technology like Skype and Google Hangouts, parents can eliminate a burdensome drive from their schedule and speak directly to instructors without ever leaving the office. This streamlines communication and lets both teachers and parents work together to provide the most effective education they can to the student in question.
Involving parents in the classroom streamlines efficiency, reduces miscommunication, and amplifies academic performance. It only makes sense for teachers to develop the greatest relationship possible with parents, and technology is the key to doing so.
