How Can Professionals Help Parents Reinforce Communication Skills?
 | Listen to Anna Swenson’s advice about the things professionals can do to help parents reinforce communications skills at home. |
Transcript
Hello. My name is Anna Swenson, and I’m a teacher of students with visual impairments in the Fairfax County Schools in Fairfax, Virginia.
What do you believe professionals should do to help parents teach and reinforce communication skills at home, in the school, and community?
Teaching is most effective when it includes an ongoing dialogue between parents and professionals. Teachers should listen carefully to parents’ observations about their children’s reading and writing at home. How long does it take for them to complete homework? Are they reading for pleasure? Are they experiencing eye fatigue?
The answers to these questions provide valuable answers to questions about the appropriateness of children’s reading media. Teachers can also encourage parents to visit the school and observe their students using optical aids, braille, or technological tools so that they can reinforce these skills at home.
What do you believe are the benefits of a parent/professional collaboration related to the expanded core curriculum?
Looking at the demands of the core curriculum and the expanded core curriculum, it’s obvious that there is just so much for our children to learn. Only when parents and professionals communicate frequently, problem-solve together, and share priorities, can children reach their potential. It’s as simple as that.