8 Tips for Engaging Families and Strengthening Communication

Family engagement plays a pivotal role in a child’s academic journey, especially when it comes to fostering literacy skills. As educators, our relationships with families, parents and caregivers can significantly impact how students connect school and home to create a positive, supportive learning environment. In this third episode of the Welcome-to-Teaching Conversation Series, AFT trainer Jean Hribar explores practical strategies and insights for nurturing those partnerships and enhancing literacy-focused family engagement.

Strengthening Communication with Families

Regular and effective communication is the cornerstone of strong family engagement. Here are a few ways to build these connections:

• Regular Communication. Particularly helpful in elementary or small classes, daily communication logs create a routine for consistent updates. Another strategy is to dedicate five minutes of each planning time for short, targeted updates like reminders or positive notes about students. By reaching out with even a few quick notes each day, you can reach every family within a short time. 
• Technology Tools. Apps like ClassDojo allow teachers to send announcements with ease, while texts enable quick, real-time exchanges. A class website, newsletter, or even videos introducing yourself or sharing midyear updates can foster consistent communication. 
• Parent-Teacher Conferences. Use these meetings as collaborative opportunities. Discuss your plans, brainstorm strategies, and share resources. Tools like student-completed templates can help provide insights, even if parents can’t attend. Show families you are part of the same team and use their feedback to refine your teaching strategies.
• Experiment with Different Strategies. Sometimes, families can be difficult to reach or may hesitate to talk to educators due to past negative reactions. Try a new form of communication (email, phone call or text) to see if they respond. Start by sending positive messages; families often become more receptive after hearing encouraging news. But remember to respect boundaries and acknowledge potential reasons for limited engagement.
• Use Your Time Effectively. Many teachers are already pressed for time within their day, and it can be challenging to find extra time for parent engagement. Sending those quick notes allows you to reach out to many families in a short time. Also, think about including parents and families in your curriculum; have them come to read to your students, lead a craft or share an area of expertise. You could also partner with colleagues to share outreach responsibilities if possible. Team calls and coordinated messaging offer varied perspectives and lighten the load.

Engaging Families Around Literacy

Focusing family engagement on a specific goal—such as literacy—can amplify its impact. A shared commitment to improving literacy fosters student achievement, motivation and skills. Here are some ideas to get started:

• Literacy Nights. Schools often host academic events to provide families with resources, tips and strategies for supporting their children’s reading habits.
• Rethinking Homework. Encourage activities outside of traditional homework that all families can do together. This could be reading at home, having conversations or journaling about your day, or working on teacher-provided vocabulary lists.
• Providing Resources. Sharing resources with families can help to reinforce the importance of literacy. Recommend audiobooks or podcasts, provide relevant resources, or connect families to public libraries. You might even organize a library field trip for families.