Parent–Teacher Communication

Parent-teacher communication involves the exchange of information between a student's family members—whether biological parents, blended or extended family members, adoptive parents, or other caregivers—and educators, including classroom teachers, aides, and other support personnel. This communication is essential to bridging the gap between the home and the school as it allows parents and teachers to share knowledge of a student's interests, strengths, and challenges; their own goals for the student's learning; and general information about policies, procedures, and upcoming events. Moreover, as the demographic characteristics of American families such as ethnicity, language, family structure, work schedules, and other factors have become increasingly diverse, communication represents an important resource for fostering connections and trust between families and educators amid this change. This entry first describes the varied ...