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Question: Trust is one of the ethical standards and is crucial in making connections and relationships. How can you form strong relationships with parents and an open line of communication when there are language barriers? How can you form trust with families, including families that do not speak english? 

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Question: Trust is one of the ethical standards and is crucial in making connections and relationships. How can you form strong relationships with parents and an open line of communication when there are language barriers? How can you form trust with families, including families that do not speak english? 

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Putting your child's concrete goals in action is a lot easier (and more effective!) when you've got a great bond with his teacher. After all, she may spend more waking hours with your child than you do - and see behaviors that you might miss. Follow these do's and dont's in order to forge a strong connection:

Do lay the groundwork for a friendly partnership by telling the teacher how excited you are that your child is in her class. And share the goals you set with your kid. She'll appreciate your proactive approach.

Don't dictate your expectations. Saying, "Noah's mastered his times tables, so you can put him in the highest math group" puts your opinion above her observations. Let her assess your child's needs.

Do stay on top of class events by reading her notes or website posts.

Don't call the teacher at home unless it's an emergency. E-mail or phone the school to set up a time. And don't hit her up at open house or school assemblies with personal questions about your kid.

Do send thank-you notes once in a while. ("Sam really enjoyed making slime during science yesterday.") Teachers love knowing they matter in a child's life.

Don't bad-mouth the teacher within earshot of your child. Even if you think she's the Wicked Witch of the West, you need to present a united front, or your child will lose interest in her teacher, and possibly learning.

Do make sure your child gets a good night's sleep (it's the number one request from most teachers!). Tired children have a harder time focusing and may become overly silly or emotional in class.

Don't talk to the principal about your classroom concerns before you've addressed them with the teacher first.

Do be understanding. Teachers face a difficult job: Balancing the academic, social, and emotional well-being of a roomful of kids, plus keeping parents happy, isn't easy!
Get ready for your child to go back to school with our guide - it's full of recommended books, teacher tips, homework help, and more resources for a successful school year.

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Parent Teacher Communication: Dos and Don'ts

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Putting your child's concrete goals in action is a lot easier (and more effective!) when you've got a great bond with his teacher. After all, she may spend more waking hours with your child than you do - and see behaviors that you might miss.

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20 Tips for Developing Positive Relationships With Parents

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Blogger Elena Aguilar shares 20 tips to help teachers better connect with parents.

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How Schools Can Support Immigrant Students and Families

Learn why getting to know ELL/immigrant students and families is so critical to building a strong partnership for the year, as well as how to get started with families who speak different languages. This strategy is part of our guide on how schools can support immigrant students and families.

Why This Matters for Schools

One of the most important steps schools can take is to get to know students and families in a personal relationship that establishes trust and rapport. It is much easier to address a difficult situation when you already have a solid relationship.

Tips for Getting Started

Learn more about family backgrounds and strengths by talking with families, cultural liaisons, and ELL/bilingual colleagues.

Invite members of the community or local organizations to share their insights.

Look for ways to increase the amount of interaction among staff and families.

Get into families' neighborhoods by:

◦ planning events in neighborhood venues or around families' schedule
◦ conducting home visits.

Recommended Resources

Strategies and Tips

Student Populations

Recommended Videos

Video Playlist: Home Visits with Immigrant Students

Video Playlist: Getting to Know Your ELL/Immigrant Students

More Recommended Videos

You are welcome to print copies or republish materials for non-commercial use as long as credit is given to Colorín Colorado and the author(s). For commercial use, please contact info@colorincolorado.org.

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How to Build Relationships with Immigrant Families

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How Schools Can Support Immigrant Students and Families Learn why getting to know ELL/immigrant students and families is so critical to building a strong partnership for the year, as well as how to get started with families who speak different languages. This strategy is part of our guide on how schools can support immigrant students and families.

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Edutopia is a free source of information, inspiration, and practical strategies for learning and teaching in preK-12 education. We are published by the George Lucas Educational Foundation, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization.

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You are welcome to print copies for non-commercial use, or a limited number for educational purposes, as long as credit is given to Reading Rockets and the author(s). For commercial use, please contact the author or publisher listed.

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Effective communication is essential for building school-family partnerships. It constitutes the foundation for all other forms of family involvement in education.