{Communication Log}

One of the most overlooked aspect of teaching, in my opinion, is parent communication.

Research shows that students who have academically involved caretakers are excelling in school.  Teachers have to communicate to parents and caretakers!

Sometimes parents do not have 3 minutes to spare before or after class to talk about their child's improvements or areas they need to work on.  One effective way of communicating is through a communication log.
An example that I created is here.

I have used my classmates as example students and my college professor as the contact for each of my students.  

It is important to note that Andrea is not a parent to all of the students.  She is a neighbor, a grandmother, and also an aunt.  Today, people who provide and love and raise and care for our students are not always parents, and often, not even related to the student. How beautiful is it that someone takes on the "parent" role when one is lacking in a student's life? Since we as teachers care for our students just as much, it is vital that the person who is taking care of the student knows how they are doing, what areas they have improved on and what areas they need to improve on.

A relationship with the parents/caretakers is a window into who your student is and why they are the way they are. The communication log documents your conversations with parents, giving the dates, topics, and tool of communication preferred by the parent.  This is great for your personal achievement as a teacher to record how you have assessed improvement, it is a proactive way to avoid specific legal disagreements, and it enhances your parent/teacher relationship tremendously.