Blogs The parent phone call can often be a scary and intimidating situation for even the most experienced teacher. Below is a sample script designed to help make the most of the precious few minutes you have on the phone with parents, covering key concerns and communicating effectively.
First and foremost, before you make the phone call, prepare by having a few important items on-hand to help you with the conversation, including:
- Student’s portfolio, grades, or test data to confirm or support progress notes
- Pen and paper ready to jot down any notes
- Your calendar open and ready as parents may request to come speak with you in person
Prepare for the phone call by creating a short list of talking points, including positive items and concerns, such as:
- Something helpful the student has done in class or for a peer
- Something positive observed in the classroom
- Concern you’ve observed
- Concrete evidence of the concern
- Specific assistance requested from parent
- Timeline for goals and improvement
Having an outline will help you cover all aspects of the concern and maintain respect for both parent and teacher time. If there are multiple areas of concern, select the two that will have the most immediate impact on the student’s learning and save any others for another time.
Click here to download a sample script to follow to ensure that you make the most out of your call home:
For additional tips on effective strategies for communication between teachers and parents, explore our graduate level, 3-credit courses for continuing education, professional development, and salary advancement. We recommend you take a look at these great parent courses:
- Course 859: Parent Trap: Achieving Success with Difficult Parents & Difficult Situations
- Course 5844:Engaging Parents for Student Success
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