Home-School Home-School CommunicationsCommunications

A Study of Methods, A Study of Methods, Effectiveness, and Improvements Effectiveness, and Improvements

PurposePurpose

This project examined patterns of home-school This project examined patterns of home-school communications in order to: communications in order to:

Discover what methods of communication are Discover what methods of communication are used most often and why they are preferredused most often and why they are preferred

Examine the effectiveness of home-school Examine the effectiveness of home-school communicationscommunications

Suggest ways to improve communications Suggest ways to improve communications between families and staffbetween families and staff

Instruments and Data CollectionInstruments and Data Collection The families of 450 students at Ashley Elementary The families of 450 students at Ashley Elementary

School were asked to complete a home-school School were asked to complete a home-school communication questionnaire. Of those, eighty returned communication questionnaire. Of those, eighty returned the surveys.the surveys.

Eighty staff members were asked to complete another Eighty staff members were asked to complete another home-school questionnaire during a staff meeting. Staff home-school questionnaire during a staff meeting. Staff members not present were given surveys to complete members not present were given surveys to complete and return. Twenty-seven returned the surveys.and return. Twenty-seven returned the surveys.

Family and staff surveys were examined. Answers to Family and staff surveys were examined. Answers to multiple choice questions were analyzed. Free-multiple choice questions were analyzed. Free-responses generated from the remaining prompts were responses generated from the remaining prompts were subjected to thematic analysis.subjected to thematic analysis.

From School to FamiliesFrom School to Families

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Methods of Communication from Staff to Families

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Why Do Teachers Contact Why Do Teachers Contact Parents These Ways?Parents These Ways?

Staff members preferred using different Staff members preferred using different methods of communication for different methods of communication for different reasons:reasons:

quick responsequick response directnessdirectness two-way collaborationtwo-way collaboration documentationdocumentation

Effectiveness of Communications Effectiveness of Communications from Staff Membersfrom Staff Members

Effectiveness can be measured in a variety Effectiveness can be measured in a variety of ways, including:of ways, including:

Ease of contactEase of contact Frequency of communicationsFrequency of communications Response elicitedResponse elicited Reasons for contactReasons for contact Tone of communicationTone of communication

More Positive Contact Is More Positive Contact Is NeededNeeded

A system to communicate both student A system to communicate both student strengths and weaknesses must be strengths and weaknesses must be created. created.

Staff members must be encouraged to Staff members must be encouraged to contact families regarding academic contact families regarding academic achievements and positive behavior. achievements and positive behavior.

Existing programs such as student of the Existing programs such as student of the week should be utilized and promoted.week should be utilized and promoted.

Family SuggestionsFamily Suggestions

More frequent reports on their child, More frequent reports on their child, especially if there are academic concernsespecially if there are academic concerns

Written explanations of directions and Written explanations of directions and homeworkhomework

Share both the child’s strengths and Share both the child’s strengths and weaknessesweaknesses

““Stop yelling at them”Stop yelling at them” ““Traveler’s Notebook”Traveler’s Notebook”

Staff SuggestionsStaff Suggestions

Update demographic informationUpdate demographic information Parents: Take more initiative to contact Parents: Take more initiative to contact

teachersteachers Parent education Parent education More time to communicate with familiesMore time to communicate with families Remember that everybody’s goal is to Remember that everybody’s goal is to

support children support children

From Home to SchoolFrom Home to School

Methods Received by StaffMethods Received by Staff

Staff members receive phone calls and notes Staff members receive phone calls and notes most often from families.most often from families.

These findings are similar to family reports.These findings are similar to family reports.

How Parents Contact Staff Members

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Effectiveness of Effectiveness of CommunicationsCommunications

Effectiveness can be measured by a variety Effectiveness can be measured by a variety of factors, including:of factors, including:

Ease of contactEase of contact Response elicitedResponse elicited Reasons for communicationReasons for communication Tone of communicationTone of communication

It Would Be Easier to Contact It Would Be Easier to Contact Staff If Teachers Were More Staff If Teachers Were More

AvailableAvailable

Families would like:Families would like: a voicemail service so that parents can a voicemail service so that parents can

leave messages which teachers can hear leave messages which teachers can hear the ability to call a teacher in their the ability to call a teacher in their

classroom, rather than leave a message in classroom, rather than leave a message in the officethe office

teacher’s personal phone number teacher’s personal phone number

Staff Should Communicate in a Staff Should Communicate in a More Positive and Explanatory More Positive and Explanatory

Way to Ease ContactWay to Ease Contact Families request that communications be Families request that communications be

more positive and are not only initiated to more positive and are not only initiated to inform them of “bad” things. inform them of “bad” things.

They would also like teachers to take They would also like teachers to take more time with them, and better explain more time with them, and better explain why their child is not on grade level.why their child is not on grade level.

Parents Can Communicate Parents Can Communicate BetterBetter

Why should teachers work so hard when families Why should teachers work so hard when families are “unconcerned”, have “NO TIME to go to are “unconcerned”, have “NO TIME to go to school”, seem “unresponsive”, and are “too school”, seem “unresponsive”, and are “too busy” to care for their own child’s education?busy” to care for their own child’s education?

The most requested action is that families The most requested action is that families participate more in their child’s education, in participate more in their child’s education, in school and outside of it. school and outside of it.

It is important for families to initiate contact with It is important for families to initiate contact with their child’s teacher regularly.their child’s teacher regularly.

Families Can Also…Families Can Also…

respond to teacher contacts so that staff respond to teacher contacts so that staff members know if the communication has members know if the communication has been received and understood.been received and understood.

care for their children’s health, as well as care for their children’s health, as well as the health of others.the health of others.

make communications clear.make communications clear.

Other FindingsOther Findings

91% of families feel the current discipline 91% of families feel the current discipline plan is workingplan is working

65% of staff members report that the 65% of staff members report that the current discipline plan is workingcurrent discipline plan is working

56% of staff members feel that culture 56% of staff members feel that culture affects communicationaffects communication

Future ResearchFuture Research

There are a variety of ways to expand the There are a variety of ways to expand the study of home-school communications, study of home-school communications, including:including:

Comparing communication at Ashley with Comparing communication at Ashley with communication patterns at another schoolcommunication patterns at another school

Comparing sub-groups within AshleyComparing sub-groups within Ashley Implementing a program to regularly Implementing a program to regularly

evaluate and improve communications evaluate and improve communications