Communicating with Families
Teachers know that talking with family members is a good way to find out more about a child. Creating a positive and confidential relationship between school staff and the family increases a feeling of support and empowers it to make decisions. In the development of such relationships, teachers require certain abilities and skills, which are gained through practical experience and careful observation.
In the following section we present several of these:
The principles of an effective relationship:
In order to build the foundations of an effective relationship with parents, the teacher needs the following qualities:
1. Respect
Parents are the most important teachers of their children and so deserve the special attention and interest of experts. Experts should proceed carefully during discussions of topics concerning the child that are difficult to talk about. For instance parents of children with problematic behavior may be initially very reluctant or hide feelings of anger, frustration and indignation. Experts who are capable of understanding parents with these feelings can be a welcome support.
2. Impartiality
Impartiality requires a positive and open approach towards families, regardless of their situation. If teachers remain impartial, this encourages families to evaluate their own decisions and adjust them according to the teachers’ views. If a teacher openly disapproves of how parents are bringing up their children, this may create distance between them.
3. Empathy
The ability to put oneself in a family’s situation and express understanding for a given situation shows empathy towards the family. Whether or not teachers express empathy with a family effectively can be seen depending on the family’s reaction. Parents who have no problem confiding in teachers about their personal issues, feel their empathetic behavior. In contrast families often do not want to speak about their problems in cases where they feel prejudice or a lack of interest from teachers.