One of the many teachingrequirements that often gets overlooked is communicating with students' parents. However, many educators are too busy with other daily duties that it becomes difficult to consistently reach out to family members.
A new survey of more than 5,000 teachers from six countries reveals that almost half, or 44 percent, said that they do not have the time or the means to communicate with parents as much as they would like. Three-quarters of respondents classified parental engagement as either "important" or "very important" for a child's academic achievement.
Approximately 46 percent of educators said that they email parents at least once a month, while 37 percent use texts and 24 percent send letters.
However, a total of 71 percent of respondents said that they support a secure online portal that encourages parents to view details about their child's education. This digital progress report would allow mothers and fathers to regularly check their kids' performance, which could free up time for educators who would no longer have to set up conferences or send messages to address minor questions or concerns.
