Emerging Idea: Bi-weekly Student-Family Communication
Authors:
Educator Research
We welcome you to proceed using this idea!
This idea has shown promise but needs additional testing before it can be considered a research-based change idea. Do you want to be a part of a movement to improve outcomes for students anywhere by testing this idea and contributing to the field? Are you willing to test this idea? We are here for you.
Email thailey@schoolsthatlead.org for a simple data collection tool. Once you have successfully completed testing and submited your data, you will have the opportunity to receive a token of appreciation from us here at Schools That Lead (Some restrictions apply).
This is a chance to improve outcomes for your students and to accelerate improvement overall!
Positive parental support and engagement can have a significant impact on a child's education. The idea is that having students regularly communicate their progress with their parents will increase ownership over their achievement, increase family engagement and improve course performance.
" I ask students to use the template below to communicate with the adult(s) in their home. I thought we would do this every week, but it has turned out to be every other week. This takes about 15 mins if their grades are updated. It’s an assignment. Correspondence is a standard they’re tested on and this is one way we work on it. The first time took awhile! Now the lines of communication are open, it’s much more streamlined."
Chanea Bond, Literacy educator, teacher-scholar, Southwest High School, Ft Worth, TX
@heymrsbond (Twitter)
email: heymrsbond@gmail.com
The Process: How to Test This Idea
“I use this template with 9th and 10th graders in English II. In Week 6 of sending emails home and Y’ALL: My students’ ability to draft a solid email + their advocacy skills are ON POINT! One thing I’ve added: I want my students to end the email detailing something they’re proud of. Here’s the template we use.”
Instructions for Students
Instructions: Use the template below to draft and send an email to your home adult(s). Include:
- Your current grade in the class
- Any missing assignments
- Your plan for addressing any issues
- Absences
- Something you believe you did well this week (examples: showing up on time, turning in all your assignments on time, participating in class discussions, volunteering to read aloud, did really well in group work, made a good grade on a particular assignment, attending tutoring, got better at a skill you practiced…)
You must CC your teacher in order to get credit for the assignment. This must be completed during the class period. You can find your grade and absences on [Canvas/PowerSchool/whatever platform your school uses]. The template below will help you:
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Impact
Student Survey
Some of the things they’re proud of that made my heart smile (shared with permission):
- “This week, I am really proud of myself for putting my phone in the phone box.” (Student A)
- “This week, I am really proud of myself for paying attention in class and completing the assignments assigned in class during the class period. Ms. Bond has also said that I have been more active and participated a lot more in class this past week.” (Student B)
- “This week, I am really proud of myself for being awake enough to work.” (Student C)
- “This week, I am really proud of myself for not looking at my phone during Mrs. Bond class. Yay me.” (Student D)
- “One thing I did great this week was putting my phone away to better focus.” (Student E)
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Practical Keys to Success
- Be patient. The changes take time. I did see an uptick in work submitted before Fridays almost immediately.
- We have drafts and they’re learning how to correspond in a way that communicates respect.
- I look at them [the emails] as soon as they come in and move them to a folder. I’m generally sitting at a desk with my laptop checking the info they send and then I can add a note to the home adult or the student in the same thread.
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Measurement
Process Measures:
Record the students that complete the communication.
Outcome Measures
Record the current course average or course performance metric. Record the change in the course average/course performance metric over time.
Use the data collection tool for measurement: Bi-weekly Communication Data Collection
