Communication is everything

As educators many of us are great at communicating with parents and students - it is what we do on a daily basis.   But how do we communicate?  What messages are we sending to our students and parents?   Is it enough?

As a principal and a teacher I am currently taking part in the Incredible years teaching programme.  The first session has challenged my thinking and really made me think about what i do with each 'hat'.

My principal hat is great at communicating with parents  through newsletters, facebook, emails etc but not so my teacher hat.  Sure I talk to parents and share their child's learning but I have realised that those messages aren't personal or often enough.

Many of my interactions with students while positive are not messages that easily get home to parents. 

For some parents the interactions I have with them are more negative than positive given the child and the issues.  

So over the last few weeks I have implemented small changes within the classroom to increase the positive messages they are hearing about their children.

• Happy grams - such a simple concept and I don't know why I never thought of it before - a certificate on coloured paper that I can stick into children's homework books to share with parents about something great their child did.   It is a great way of focusing on the simple but has such a positive power on our students and parents.   

• What's happening - we are great at communicating and sending home notices but sometimes the message gets lost in translation - so each week I am writing specifically to parents about a couple of great things from the week before and what's happening in the classroom this week.   Again such a simple task but one that includes parents in the classroom. 

With students I have focused on non verbal forms of communication that convey the desired message.  Like most teachers I definitely  have the 'look' when it comes to discouraging behaviour but not some much for encouraging behaviour.    High 5's are back in and the kids are loving it.  Why did I stop doing it in the first place?  

Communication is about the little things - remembering something that a child was doing and talking about it with them. Sitting next to a child and having lunch with them. It is as simple as saying Good morning and reinforcing every day to every child that they are wanted and needed in our classrooms and schools.

Parents deserve to hear when their children are good, not just when they have made bad judgements. 

Teachers can make a big difference to a child's future when they spend the extra time nurturing positive relationships.  It is not always an easy task and requires consistent commitment...."  Incredible teachers pg 87

Sometimes we communicate so much that we lose the value of what we are communicating and what messages parents and students receive.