Parents are an essential part of a child’s education, and their connection with their child’s school and teachers helps to translate into student success. In recent weeks as schools have moved into virtual learning, keeping this connection with parents has become even more important. Parents are being asked to participate in their child’s schooling in ways that were unforeseen just a few short months ago. Of course, while students are learning at home, many parents are also working at home. Balancing their work responsibilities with their child’s virtual classroom needs means communication is crucial.
Communicating With Parents During Distance Learning
Many educators have their own children learning at home, as well, so they are well aware of the challenges parents are facing. PBIS Rewards recently hosted a flash webinar entitled, “Distance Learning with PBIS: Parent Engagement,” to discuss ways to communicate and connect with parents during distance learning. Our panel consisted of:
- Kristin Fuqua, Learning Design Coach, Pine View Middle School, Pasco County Schools
- Jessica Harris, School Climate Specialist, Newton County Schools
PBIS Rewards’ Senior Educational Relationship Specialist Emily Fiedler moderated the discussion. Our Lead Customer Support Consultant Jill Hanson also provided valuable insight and information. Also fielding comments and questions in the Facebook Live portion of the webinar were two PBIS enthusiasts and experts:
- Justine Hoch, Spanish Teacher, Cypress Creek Middle/High School, Pasco County Schools
- Kraig Howell, Climate Specialist, Griffin-Spalding County Schools
All three school systems represented in this webinar are PBIS Rewards schools. PBIS Rewards can make communication with parents easy and hassle-free within our app.
Flash Webinar Recording
How to Encourage Parent Connection During Distance Learning
The move to a distance learning environment affects not only teachers and students but also parents. Many parents are also working from home in addition to helping their children learn virtually. Topics covered during this hour-long webinar included:
- Developing connections with parents
- Using social media for whole community information
- Recognizing the multiple roles parents fill
- Collaborating with your teaching team to assist parents
- Helping staff and families navigate technology
- Frequency of communication
- Adapting technology to different needs
- Solutions for rural and tech-challenged areas
- Using multiple channels to reach both students and parents
- How PBIS Rewards can help keep the lines of communication open
Students and parents alike may be missing the routines of a typical school day. Learning to adapt to a new way of learning takes time and patience for everyone involved. Communicating with parents can help to smooth the transition.
You CAN still use PBIS during distance learning, and parents can be a part of it! PBIS Rewards has a collection of distance learning resources available for educators and students at every level.
Want to create a digital token economy to help connect with parents and students during distance learning? Contact PBIS Rewards to learn more!
