- Expand the classroom communications toolbox—websites, emails, e-newsletters, and specialized apps and other digital media help parents see the work students are doing.
- Take care of the routine matters—use technology to communicate easily about day-to-day school events.
- Bring parents in through video conferencing—Google, Skype, and FaceTime enable parents to participate in class activities.
- Take advantage of social media—use Facebook groups, email chains, or digital newsletters to keep parents informed and able to offer help or expertise when it’s convenient for them.
- Use text messages to build communication—technology can eliminate common barriers between schools and families. Simple and frequent texts to parents can be more powerful than a traditional progress report.
- Let parents help design communication tactics—survey families early in the school year to determine the best way to keep in touch with them.
- Use data to show student progress—with modern data tools, teachers can show parents where their students excel and where they need improvement.
- Make information easy to access with the cloud—digital portfolios create a place for teachers and students to store work in the cloud that is accessible from anywhere.
Source: EdTech Focus on K–12
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