5 Key Benefits of a Strong Parent-Teacher Relationship for Student Learning

You would be surprised to know that one of the biggest influences on a students’ educational experience lies beyond the classroom. Parental involvement in school is a key factor that can considerably boost academic success. Several studies reveal that students with highly involved parents have higher grades, improved attendance, better behavior and demonstrate greater social skills.  

To improve student engagement and enhance learning outcomes, it is important for schools to work on involving parents as they play a crucial role in students’ progress and development. In this blog, we explore how schools can foster a stronger parent-teacher relationship and build a conducive learning environment.  

Tips to Improve Parent Teacher Communication 

A strong school culture is built on communication where every student, teacher and parent has the opportunity to connect and actively engage. When teachers and parents work together in identifying and understanding students’ needs, it helps create an effective learning environment in the classroom and beyond. But navigating parent-teacher communication can often be a challenge for institutions. The key is to bridge the social capital between parents and the school staff outside the traditional practices of parental engagement. 

Here are some essential tips to help schools connect with parents in meaningful yet impactful ways:  

1. Most parents only interact with teachers occasionally so make sure to lead with a smile. A warm encounter can make a whole lot of difference

2. Learn the names of parents and declare an intention to maintain a positive relationship with them 

3. Share information regarding ongoing class activities, what students are learning and what they have accomplished

4. Not all parents communicate in the same way. So it would be worthwhile to find reliable channels of communication that works best for them 

5. Besides verbal communication, also introduce newsletters or email chains to keep parents  updated. This will help them see and appreciate the efforts you put in  

6. Build a sense of trust as it is the bedrock of the teacher-parent relationship and will help take the right steps towards student progress

7. Get in touch with parents not just to report negative incidents of the child but also to share appreciation on good behavior or performance 

8. Assign students with homework that involves parental engagement. It is a great way to keep parents informed about what students are learning 

9. Ask questions about the student to learn more about their personality, needs and interests. This will help parents know that the teacher has their childs’ best interest at heart

10. Seek a translator in case parents do not speak the same language as the teacher. The key is to maintain contact comfortably and effectively 

11. Establish regular communication in different forms to build trust and strengthen the parent-teacher relationship 

12. When having a conversation with parents in front of the child, smile and make eye contact with the child to demonstrate that you have cultivated a relationship of kindness and compassion with them 

13. Establish two-way communication so that parents can share and receive information. This will ensure a healthy exchange of ideas 

14. Be an active listener and let parents share their concerns, viewpoints, and feedback without any interruptions. It will help deepen the parent-teacher relationship 

15. Show parents that you’re interested in learning about their opinions by creating and sharing a parent survey. This will give them a chance to share any further feedback that may not have been discussed in-person 

16. Teach parents simple ways to support their child’s learning needs at home 

17. Be specific while discussing the students’ strengths and weaknesses. It will help both parents and teachers collectively come up with ideal solutions 

18. If parents share a specific concern regarding their childs’ academic needs, it is important to be resourceful and suggest what they can do 

19. Invite parents to participate while making important decisions and learn about their opinions 

20. Use digital tools like blogs, social media and newsletters to stay in touch with parents virtually and keep them updated on what’s going on in the classroom as well as in school as a whole 

21. Encourage parents to participate in volunteer programs to learn more about the academic experience 

22. Share text updates with parents regarding their child’s grades, missed assignments, test scores, etc. to ensure that they are aware and involved at each point 

23. Integrate real time tech tools to share live updates with parents 

24. Inform parents when their child is doing well by sharing progress reports, remarks or appreciation on improvements in academic or social skills

25. Find ways to show gratitude by thanking parents, both in-person and virtually (through newsletters) by recognizing their involvement and how it’s benefiting students 

Advantages of Strong Parent-School Relationship 

By working in partnership with parents, teachers can contribute to the learning and well-being of students. This collaboration will have a positive impact on students’ academic performance, social-emotional learning (SEL), on-task behavior and overall holistic development. Because teachers and parents both have the same goal with respect to the child, which is to enhance their academic experience and overall involvement at school, it becomes natural to develop a strong parent-teacher relationship. 

Here are the top five advantages of fostering a strong parent-school relationship: 

1. Teachers can learn more about the student’s interests and home environment. This allows them to develop more refined strategies pertaining to the student’s actual needs 

2. Since parents are filled in on their child’s key strengths and weaknesses, they can accordingly create a collaborative learning environment at home to help develop their child’s skill sets

3. The school’s management has the opportunity to receive first-hand feedback from parents and can leverage this information to improve the learning-teaching experience

4. Students enjoy greater academic success, improved social skills, regular attendance, increased involvement in classes, among other things 

5. Students are also likely to demonstrate fewer behavioral problems, a dedication to learning, a greater ability to adapt to situations and an overall positive outlook towards school 

How Parent-Teacher Communication Benefits Teachers

As with any other relationship, both parents and teachers need to make significant efforts to make this collaboration purposeful, result-driven and have a positive impact on a child’s academic and social well-being. Building a strong connection with parents can be a valuable asset in a child’s learning journey. Here are a few ways in which parent-teacher communication poses as an advantage to teachers: 

1. Teachers may witness a higher rate of homework completion, better grades and improved  attendance when parents are involved 

2. Teachers can easily share positive or negative feedback pertaining to the child’s performance or behavior directly with the parents

3. Teachers learn more about the child’s personality from their parents and are more aware of their personal interests, hobbies, social behavior and academic needs 

4. Teachers can focus on delivering instructions in the classroom, while parents help students with homework and behavior at home 

How Healthy Relationship Between Parents and Teachers Helps Student Growth 

When parents and teachers approach the child’s academic journey together from a collaborative problem-solving lens, the child’s best interest always remains at the forefront. Here are some ways in which strong parent-teacher relationship benefits students: 

1. The most significant advantage of solid parent-teacher communication is that it helps improve students’ academic achievements. Since both parents and teachers are invested in the learning journey, they tend to work harder and are more invested in targeting academic goals 

2. When students observe a strong communication channel between the school and home, it enables them to have positive social interactions with teachers, parents and peers, enhancing social development 

3. Students also become keen on attending lectures regularly to improve their performance and involvement during classes

What Are the Best Two-way Conversations

Communication is vital for building a strong parent-teacher relationship. Two-way communication essentially involves interactive dialogues between the parent and teacher. A few examples of this in a classroom environment are parent-teacher conferences, audio or video calls, emails, text messages, counseling sessions, workshops and committee meetings. 

How Parent-Teacher Interviews Helps Make a Strong Bond

Conducting parent-teacher interviews poses a great opportunity to understand and discuss students’ learning needs, challenge areas and goals, both in the classroom and beyond. It helps teachers learn more about the student’s personality, learning style, interests and skills. Based on this, parents and teachers can together make plans on how to best support the student.  

Moreover, it also helps parents get to know the teachers, understand more about the child’s academic, social and emotional development and build a strong relationship with the school. 

How Extramarks Can Improve Parent-Teacher Communication 

The Extramarks Smart Class Plus platform offers customized digital solutions for schools that support learning in the classroom and beyond with ease. To enable parent-teacher communication, schools can connect with parents seamlessly through the Extramarks Parent App. Here are some of its features that help support students’ academic journeys: 

1. Get real-time updates on class schedules, assignment deadlines, tests and virtual notices 

2. Track daily activities like attendance, test scores and classroom performance 

3. Monitor subject-wise progress through in-depth performance reports and actionable insights 

4. Create and assign customized tests to track preparation 

At Extramarks, we understand the importance of parent-teacher communication, which is why we designed the Parent App to streamline real-time updates across parents, teachers and students. 

An institution that prioritizes parent-teacher communication and has the right strategies, tools and practices in place is all set to see students thrive in their academic journeys! 

Last Updated on September 1, 2023