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- Urgent communication can be easily accomplished when families have consistent and reliable contact information (working, non-changing phone numbers)
- Simple approaches to communicating (ie: writing notes in agendas, in-person meetings) can sometimes serve to be more helpful or efficient than using technology
- Easier communication methods and more parental involvement could potentially enrich and enhance a student's educational experience by bridging the gap between school and home
Marisa, Parent
Marisa has a child in the Kindergarten and the fourth grade. She finds that communication with her student's teachers to be essential to their academic success. Her student's teachers update her via email and phone call to notify her of any changes in her student's performance. She also often makes trips to the school to checkin with teachers about her children's development. While in person communication is her preferred method of contact, she also valuesthe regular report cards that the school sends monthly. Marisa attends many of the school functions to further gather insight into the classroom environment, including orientation at the beginning of each semester and open house towards the end of the year. Additionally, she would like to learn more about how her children behave and interaction socially inside the classroom. Although not possible because she is a working parent, she says this will allow her to understand if the lessons she teachers her children at home are being "translated to the real world situations that they encounter on their own."
Lessons Learned:
- Frequent digital communication is preferred by the teachers, but in person interactions are invaluable to some parents
- Behavior and social interactions are just as important to parents as academics and attendance
User Classes
Teachers in contact with parents in a day-to-day basis
- Believe Believes a two-way communication between parents and teachers for feedback and input is essential
- Reach Reaches parents by phone, email, text messages
- Contact Contacts parents regarding attendance, behavior, grades, and homework
- Needs efficient communication and a way to encourage parent accountability
Teachers in contact with parents in case of urgency
- Reaches parents primarily by phone
- Contact Contacts parents regarding bad behavior and failures
- Needs guaranteed means to contact parents who may be hard to reach
Active Parents
- High levels of communication with teacher
- Checks child's academics on a monthly basis
- Attends almost all school events and potentially seeks further involvement
- Needs semi- frequent updates on child, especially in time sensitive situations
- Needs to know child behavioral habits and performance in comparison to peers
Uninvolved Less Involved Parents
- Variety of causes for lack of involvement: businessbusyness, apathy, etc
- Communication is infrequent and irregular
- Aware of poor academic performance or behavior issues
- Tools for communication may change frequently and without notice
- Needs more regular communication that isn't time intensive and support for a variety of platforms (ie internet, mobile, mail, sms)
Note: Although we did not interview a parent that was less involved, we acknowledge from the teacher interviews that there are likely parents that fall into the Less Involved Parents class.
Needs and Goals
Teachers
- Reliable communication channel that is efficient for contacting multiple parents
- Give insight to parent involvement
Parents