PARENT TEACHER CONFERENCES is one of the ways that I will be communicating with families/caregivers. During the first conference of the year, which will be held at the beginning of the year, it would be more of the families/caregivers telling me about who their child is and what their goals for their child are. During the other conferences I will talk to the families/caregivers about their child’s growth and development. I will also share work samples and anecdotes that have to do with the information that I am sharing with them. At the end of each conference I will always leave time in case the families/caregivers have any questions.

GOOGLE CLASSROOM is another way that I will communicate with the families/caregivers. In Google Classroom I will have a section called “Bulletin Board” where I will share information on a daily or weekly basis. Some of this information will be the books we are reading, the nap log, major words we are learning that week and a few other things that change on either a daily or weekly basis. Having this bulletin board will allow families/caregivers to feel connected to what is happening in our classroom, especially after COVID-19 that families are not allowed in the building. Google Classroom will also be used to share helpful resources with the families/caregivers.

NEWSLETTERS will be sent out at the end of every week. These newsletters will consist of what we learned that week along with PICTURES of the students. If there are any new songs that we learn during the week, especially the songs learned with the music teacher, I will share a link to the song in the email as well. The email will also include upcoming dates and a sneak peek of what we will be learning the following week. Something else the email will include is a section where families can send me any suggestions they might have.

SPECIAL GUESTS will always be invited to our outdoor classroom space (since we cannot have families indoors due to COVID-19). I will invite family members and/or caregivers to come talk to the class about their culture, especially if there is a special holiday coming up or if we are learning about something that has to do with their culture or their profession or passion. By inviting the family members I am also developing cultural awareness amongst the students and helping them develop respect for these cultures as well.

MEETINGS will be held based on mutual availability, and depending on if there are any major concerns. If there is a student that is struggling or dealing with challenging behaviors, I will meet with that student’s family every two to three weeks to keep the family updated on their child’s progress. These meetings will serve as a form of ongoing communication with the families/caregivers and could be held via Zoom or phone call.