A student's success hinges on quality schools, invested educators, and engaged families. Outside the classroom, students rely on their families to drive support for their education and learning opportunities. Studies show that family and guardian engagement has positive effects on student outcomes, encouraging teachers to build and maintain healthy relationships with families.
Beyond day-to-day communication, building meaningful connections with students and their parents or guardians improves morale and provides a solid foundation for learning outside of the classroom. Knowing that learning doesn’t stop when the school day ends, it’s important to ensure students receive the continual support they need.
Students benefit from families that are actively involved in their education and academic environment. Here are some ways family engagement can positively impact their success:
- Improved academic performance: Students progress academically when guardians monitor and engage with their studies.
- Better attendance: Students attend school regularly and on time when guardians enforce a schedule and routine.
- Improved behaviour: Students develop social and emotional regulating skills when families reinforce positive behaviours and provide support in challenging situations.
- Increased confidence: Students who are supported by their families are more likely to reach for their goals and believe in themselves.
- Better Communication: Students learn how to communicate and advocate for themselves when guardians regularly check their academic progress.
Teachers can play a big role in driving family engagement. If you're looking to further support your students, try these 10 strategies to boost family engagement in your classroom.
1. Host open houses and class tours
Back-to-school or mid-year open houses allow you to set a positive tone for the school year and initiate healthy relationships with your students' families.
Use this time to establish a personal connection and allow students and their families to get an understanding of your personality, teaching style, and expectations. Begin to build trust by allowing them to ask questions or express concerns.
2. Send scheduled newsletters
A regular newsletter keeps families informed on classroom expectations, what their students are learning, and upcoming assignments.
Newsletters can also be a resource to express class needs, inform parents of the latest events, or any extra information about what's going on in class. While there might be a school-wide newsletter already, focusing on what's happening in your classrooms can be helpful for busy families. Set a schedule for newsletters, whether weekly, monthly, or semester-based. Consistency is key, and your families will appreciate your effort.
3. Be accessible
Clear communication is important as you look to increase family involvement. Be sure all families know how to contact you for updates, questions, or concerns. Alternately, it's also important that you're able to contact them should the need arise.
Phone, email, or in-person meetings are all perfectly fine ways to keep in touch with parents and guardians. But don't forget that your LMS is also a convenient, flexible option to connect with families through chats, notifications, and calendar reminders.
You can also use other digital tools and apps to engage your families. For instance, video chats via Zoom can make scheduling and hosting parent-teacher conferences more accessible and foster connection.
4. Welcome volunteering and assistance
You may need additional classroom help for class events, field trips, or other special occasions. Provide an accessible volunteer list where families can find current opportunities. When families offer a helping hand, ensure they have clear instructions and can actively engage with the class.
5. Offer homework and project support
When teaching new or complex concepts, keep families informed so they are equipped to support students outside of the classroom. Families appreciate having the tools to offer academic assistance for homework and projects. Provide guides, tutorials, rubrics, and other additional resources on the LMS.
6. Encourage parent workshops and sessions
Parent and family workshops are another way to keep families up-to-date about the latest teaching practices, concepts, and technologies. Families learn how to best advocate for their students and give back to the school. Encourage families to take advantage of these resources, adding value to your school’s ecosystem.
7. Promote school and community events
Hosting events like school fairs, fundraisers, enrichment programs, and career days brings the entire school community together.
Use these events to collaborate and engage with your families, and to encourage networking with one another, building bonds that benefit students.
8. Organise inclusive class celebrations
Remember to consider your students' cultural and religious backgrounds when hosting celebrations. Ensure all students can participate, or accommodations can be made for class parties. For example, teachers may throw a holiday party instead of Christmas one to accommodate students with different customs and beliefs. The goal is to ensure that all students and families can participate and enjoy in class celebrations.
9. Showcase student work
Keep students' work on display, sharing what students have accomplished and celebrating their achievements. Families enjoy seeing what activities their students are engaging in. Use student work as a conversation starter, sharing what the students learned, and the next steps in their learning journeys.
Showcasing student work gives them a sense of belonging, reminding them they are an essential part of their learning community. Welcome your families to view the latest student work, keeping the classroom updated with engaging content and activities.
10. Encourage family feedback
See how you can better serve your students and families with surveys. Soliciting family feedback encourages a partnership and gives families a voice in their student's academic life.
Remember that teaching is a journey, and feedback facilitates improvement. Families appreciate your accountability as you welcome their honesty and transparency.
Increasing family engagement with an LMS
An LMS plays a pivotal role in enhancing family engagement, bridging the gap between home and school, and empowering parents to become active partners in their child's education. A learning management system like Canvas supports connections between teachers, students, and their families.
Parents can monitor their child's progress, view assignments, communicate with educators, and access resources and learning materials, ensuring they remain actively involved in their child's education. This transparency keeps parents informed and empowers them to offer timely support and encouragement.
It can be challenging for a student’s support system to keep up with their learning by simply looking over their shoulder at their coursework. Instead, invite guardians to have a seat at the table by allowing them to monitor their student’s learning from afar using mobile applications and course notifications.
Encourage families to download the Canvas Parent App, where they can monitor and engage with their student's learning journey. Don’t forget to offer a tutorial to guide them through the app.