School Administrator's Clip File • August 12, 2020
Does your family communication meet these guidelines?
As schools and families adjust to the new normal of learning and education, home-school communication is more vital than ever. Effective communication should:
- Be clear, concise and free of jargon.
- Be timely.
- Provide for both personal and general messages.
- Emphasize the positive.
- Inform and remind parents about school policies and procedures.
- Provide information on students’ progress.
- Suggest strategies parents can use to support learning at home.
Engage parents to strengthen social and emotional learning
Helping students develop social and emotional skills leads to higher academic performance, improved peer relationships and deeper connections to school. Here are four ways schools can engage families in social-emotional learning:
- Get to know students’ families. Gather information on family composition, concerns, special skills, experiences, etc. This knowledge can help teachers forge stronger relationships with families.
- Ask families to set goals for their children. What types of social and emotional skills would they like their children to develop? What support might they need?
- Form a committee made up of educators, parents and community members to oversee SEL program development, implementation and evaluation.
- Plan on-going initiatives. Host virtual workshops for parents. Include articles in your newsletter and on social media.
Did you know?
“Researchers at Columbia University concluded that for every dollar a school spends on social-emotional learning programs, it sees an eleven dollar return on its investment.” –EdSurge
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