Topic 3 Types of communication between parents and teachers
- One-way communication and
- Two-way communication.
- In one-way communication parents and teachers tend to share the information.
- Commonly, it can be a written communication on the events in school.
- Two-way communication includes dialogue between parents and teachers.
- Good two-way communication between teachers and parents is necessary for:
- Development of trust, and
- Sharing relevant information about student’s problems could help to resolve problems and parents can easily keep in touch with the teacher
- The best kind of communication is open, clear, constructive and timely.
- Two-way communication should be:
- Interactive
- Equal and
- Feedback-oriented
- It is possible, that parents of lower socioeconomic status have barriers to being involved in two-way communication that includes:
- Inflexible work schedules
- Lack of resources, the problem with transportation and
- Stress
- These parents usually have lower education which can lead to the feeling of inadequacy towards school.
- The communication patterns between teachers and parents were found to be associated with the attitudes towards the school.
- Parents were described as being:
- Positive or negative and
- Passive or active
- The teachers should adjust the communication:
- Passive parents are mostly concerned about the grades and the child’s health
- Active parents are looking forward to the discussion of the feedback and the evaluation system
- In the ideal situation, the parents are flexible and communication literate, they reflect critically on various communication patterns, and are willing to adapt their communication methods regarding the specificity of the situation, they are facing and to the teachers’ experience.
- Parents and teachers should develop trust and adequate relationships before any problem occurs
- Open relationship between parents and teachers can allow parents and teachers to discuss the children’s/adolescents’ life at home
- The teachers’ attitude and possibilities to face the conflict can be crucial, especially when faced with parents of children/ adolescents with learning difficulties or behavioural problems
- Adequate parent-teacher communication can:
- Lead to the adaptation of educational programs to child’s/ adolescent’s home experiences
- Help parents to understand the physical, social, emotional and cognitive development of their child
- Help parents to create a positive home environment
- Help parents to become involved in school programs
- Help reduce teachers’ stress levels
- Empower teachers to teach more effectively
- Help teachers to realise higher professional status and authority