What Should I Do if a Parent is Unresponsive?

Teaching with Valor Podcast: A Veteran Teachers Perspective

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"Hello, and welcome back to Teaching with Valor, where we tackle the real questions that teachers face in their classrooms every day. I’m your host, Don Fessenden, and today we’re diving into a challenging topic: What should I do if a parent is unresponsive?
In education, we talk a lot about the importance of communication between teachers and parents. We know that when parents are actively involved in their child’s education, it can make a significant difference in that child’s academic performance and well-being. But what happens when you’re trying your best to reach out, and you’re met with silence? Whether it’s unreturned emails, ignored calls, or no-shows at conferences, an unresponsive parent can be frustrating and, at times, discouraging.
Today, we’ll explore strategies to reach those parents who seem out of reach. We’ll discuss ways to ensure your efforts are consistent and proactive, and we’ll cover how to maintain your focus on the student, even when parental involvement is lacking. We’ll talk about strategies specific to elementary, middle, and high school levels and share ideas on how to document your efforts to engage parents. And for our parent listeners, we have a bonus segment at the end on what teachers can do to support students when parental involvement is limited.
Show Notes
Resources and References:
•Edutopia – Engaging Hard-to-Reach Parents: www.edutopia.org - Strategies for involving parents who are less likely to engage.
•Understood – Tips for Communicating with Parents: Effective methods for reaching out to parents in different situations.
•National PTA – Tools for Building Parent-Teacher Partnerships: Tools and strategies for fostering strong parent-teacher connections.
•Scholastic – Overcoming Parent Communication Challenges: Advice for teachers facing barriers in parent communication.
•Remind – A Communication Tool for Schools: A digital tool for easy and consistent messaging with parents.
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Stay tuned for more episodes, and remember, every student is unique, and every classroom can be a place where all students succeed. Keep teaching with valor!