Preschool Parent-Teacher Communication

Parents love to know what their child is doing during the day while they’re at preschool. They may also have questions about their child’s development. But when parents and providers see each other at drop-off and pick-up, it can be a hectic time to address all of these questions.

So when should preschool teachers be communicating with parents and how do they communicate most effectively? Here is a guide to the best preschool parent-teacher communication, from what to share to exactly how to share it!

How should a preschool communicate with a parent?

There should be lots of communication between preschool providers and parents, and the communication should go both ways. It is helpful for teachers to know about things that may affect the child’s day— how their sleep was, how their morning was or if there are any big changes in their life like a move or a new sibling at home. 

Parents also love to hear the details about their child’s day at school. They’re usually curious about whether they ate, if they had fun and participated in activities, and what they are learning about. 

It can feel overwhelming to communicate with every single parent and caregiver for every single child in your care, every single day but if you have systems and strategies in place, it makes things easier. 

Communication doesn’t always have to be face-to-face and verbal. When it comes to how preschools communicate with parents, a combination of face-to-face, electronic and paper communication is the key to covering all your bases and getting your message across clearly. 

How often should a preschool communicate with a parent?

Ideally, a preschool program should be communicating with parents daily. This doesn’t mean that the teacher has to have a face-to-face conversation with each parent and caregiver every day— but some updates or quick messages go a long way. 

For daily updates, some preschool programs use apps, communication notebooks, or even a whiteboard on the wall outside the classroom. A simple sentence or two about what the children did that day can help the parents feel connected to what is going on in the classroom and can help spark conversation between parents and children. 

For example: “Today we read “The Very Hungry Caterpillar. We painted a caterpillar mural in art and had oranges and crackers for snack.” Easy peasy.

Some examples of parent-teacher communication apps:

• Remind 
• Brightwheel
• ClassDojo
• Tadpoles

It’s also a good idea to send home a monthly or quarterly newsletter. You can include photos of the children, talk about what you’ve been learning, and remind parents of any upcoming events or important dates. It doesn’t have to be anything super fancy, parents truly appreciate any chance to get a glimpse into their child’s day at school. If you have access to Canva, there are pre-made classroom newsletter templates that make it even easier for you to just plug in any necessary information. 

For more in-depth progress updates or conversations about behavior or academics, you may choose to schedule parent-teacher conferences a few times each year or allow parents to schedule one-on-one meetings with you if they have concerns. 

If a parent tries to have a conversation with you during drop-off or pick-up and it isn’t a good time you can encourage them to email or call you (depending on your program’s preferences) to schedule a time to sit and chat. Let them know you hear them and that you want to have the conversation at a time when you can give them your full attention. 

What are the benefits of open communication with parents?

In any relationship, communication is key. By maintaining open lines of communication with parents, you are developing trust and building a strong relationship.

As an added bonus, if you’re communicating frequently when things are going smoothly, a parent is more likely to be open to feedback if their child is struggling later in the year. If the only time they hear from you is when there is a problem, they may be more likely to respond defensively. 

How to have difficult conversations with parents about their preschooler

It can be intimidating to have a conversation with a parent whose child is struggling, especially the first few times you do it. However, there are things you can do to lay the groundwork for the conversation to go smoothly, and it’s worth putting in the effort ahead of time! 

• Schedule a time to chat. Drop off and pick up times are notoriously difficult times to have a conversation with parents. Plus, if a parent is just getting off work they may not be in the right frame of mind to engage in a difficult conversation. 
  • Say something like “I’d love to find a time for us to sit and chat, do you have any availability Wednesday morning?” If the parent can’t meet in person, offer to schedule a phone call. 

  • Learn more about parent-teacher conferences.

• Front-load the conversation with good stuff. When you start the conversation by highlighting the child’s strengths it shows the parent that you really see their child and that you genuinely care about them. 
• Focus on the facts. Try to stay objective and share what you’re seeing. It's not your job to make a diagnosis, for example.
• Let them know what you’re doing to help. After you share the challenges, let the parent know what strategies you’re employing to help their child. It’s easier to digest uncomfortable information if there is a plan in place. 
• Encourage teamwork. Let the parent know that you’re on their side. You’re sharing this information because you care and are trying to help their child succeed. Let the parent know what they can do at home to help their child. 

What this looks like in action:

“It has been such a pleasure to get to know Jenny over the last few months. She has such a great imagination and draws amazing, elaborate pictures. She loves helping out around the classroom and is always the first to volunteer to help clean up after snack!  

I have noticed in the last few weeks that during circle time she is struggling to keep her hands to herself. I gave her a cushion to sit on, to allow for some wiggling if it’s movement she's seeking and we’ve been talking as a group about using gentle hands and giving our friends space. I have also shortened circle time a bit and added in some movement breaks. I will keep you posted on how the strategies are working, but just wanted to keep you in the loop.”

Then give the parent some time to ask questions or share their concerns. 

It takes a village to raise a child, and as a preschool teacher, you are an important part of that child's village!