Creating respectful, responsive relationships with families and communities promotes collaboration, equity, transparency, and cultural responsiveness in professional practice. (AAQEP 2a, 2b, 2e, 2g). these standards guided my development of communication strategies that build partnerships with families and guardians, fostering trust, engagement and shared responsibilities in support of student success. In this classroom where most students are nonverbal or use AAC devices to communicate, the involvement of families is critical to ensuring support and consistency between school and home environments.
Effective partnerships with families are built through consistent communication, mutual respect, and shared decision-making. In my classroom, I will develop a communication protocol that includes weekly home logs and overnight communication logs. These highlight on what the students did throughout the week and what kind of day they had behaviorally.
A key element of communication strategy is transparency and frequency. I would plan to send weekly updates outlining academic focus areas, behavioral goals, and weekly accomplisihments. I would also use visual progress reports to include photos of student engagement and brief comments aligned to IEP goals bi-weekly. These updates would be accessible and visual to accommodate varying literacy levels and communication barriers among families. To maintain alignment with the school team, I would log communication updates on a shared document accessible to adminstrators and related service providers. This document will include anecdotal notes, parent feedback, and communication frequency, ensuring that the whole support team remains informed.
To engage families actively in their child's learning, I will create monthly family surveys and informal check-ins to gather insights into the student's interests, home routines, and cultural preferences. I will host a family participation day where parents can join a morning session, observe a lesson, and engage with their child's learning materials. This will foster stronger family-school bonds and reinforce the value of shared responsibility.
Two of my specific goals for building trust and sustaining communication include 1) establishing a predictable weekly communication rhythm so families always know when and how they will hear from me, and 2) offering translated materials and verbal follow-ups in the families' preferred langauge. These are essential in creating inclusive pathways for parent participation and ensuring all voices are heard.
I will also use technology strategically, digital platforms such as Seesaw allow for photo and video sharing, message logs, and two-way feedback. I will also provide hard copies for families without access to Wi-Fi. I will ensure that no family is excluded due to a lack of technology. (AAQEP 2a, 2e).
These strategies are supported by research showing the critical role of family engagement in student success. There is en emphasis on the importance of family-school partnerships in fostering student achievement. (Epstein, 2011). Culturally responsive communication significantly improves educational outcomes, by creating a learning environment in which students and their families feel seen, heard, and respected. (Henderson, 2002). The responsibility of the educator in responding to cultural and contextual differences to serve all students equitably is crucial. (AAQEP, 2f and 2g). My communication plan illustrates my growth in fostering partnerships and reflects my commitment to engaging families through transparent, equitable, and inclusive systems of support.
References:
AAQEP. (2021). AAQEP Standards and Expectations. Association for Advancing Quality in Educator Preparation. https://aaqep.org/standards
Epstein, J. L. (2001). School, Family, and Community Partnerships: Preparing Educators and Improving Schools.
Henderson, A. T., & Mapp, K. L. (2002). A New Wave of Evidence: The Impact of School, Family, and Community Connections on Student Achievement.