RATIONALE/ REFLECTION COMPENTENCY D- ARTICLE 1 1

Rationale/ Reflection Competency D

Effective Communication and Collaboration with Students, Parents, and Community Members
Article 1

Stephanie Carmen
Regent University















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Rationale for Effective Communication and Collaboration with Students, Parents, and
Community Members to Support Student Learning
The artifact I chosen to demonstrate effective communication and collaboration with
students, parents, and community members to support student learning was a farewell/ thank you
letter I wrote to parents at the end of my first placement. In addition to thanking the parents and
guardians for allowing me to teach their children, I also, informed them of what we have been
studying and learning since Ive been in their childrens classroom. This particular artifact was
chosen for many reasons. To begin, communication to parents is the first step to support student
learning. A positive teacher-parent relationship contributes to a students success. When a
teacher has a positive relationship with a parent it shows the student that there is trust. If the
parents trust the teachers then it is more likely that the students will also. The students observe
their parents and teachers working together to ensure that they have a positive and productive
school year.
Secondly, the parents need information about what and how their child is learning, and
the teacher needs important feedback from the parent about the childs social and academic
development. Parents/ and guardians can give insight to teachers that may not be evident in their
files. If a parent trusts a teacher, I believe they will be more willing to collaborate with the
teacher. Trust is an important factor to maintain a positive and productive relationship between
teachers and parents.
To increase home- school collaboration teachers must take the first step to
communicate with the parents or guardians. Teachers should provide periodic updates of
classroom activities, assignments, and expectations. As a result, this gives parents ongoing
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information about their childs school experience and provides the opportunity to seek additional
information on what is being taught and how their child is growing. Home and school
everyone shares the goal of helping children learn and feel successful. Research have proven that
when parents and teachers work together, everyone benefits: students tend to earn higher grades,
perform better on tests, attend school more regularly, have better behavior, and show more
positive attitudes toward themselves and towards school. School programs that include a strong
are more effective (Canter, Andrea).
Reflection for Effective Communication and Collaboration with Students, Parents,
and Community Members to Support Student Learning
This particular artifact mirrored my teaching philosophy on collaboration with
parents because trust is one of the most important (if not the most important) characteristics of
having a positive relationship with parents. To earn a parents trust, I believe teachers must reach
out to parents in a positive manner like a newsletter every month. Its important to inform
parents what their children are learning in their class and what they are taking away from the
lessons. It will help the parents at home if a student seems to be struggling. In addition, I believe
parents will appreciate the fact that you took time out of your busy day to inform them at their
childrens education in a positive way and it turn, a beautiful relationship between parent and
teacher will evolve.



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References
Canter, Angela. Parents and Teachers: Strategies for Working Together. National
Association of School Physiologists (NASP).