As we return to school this autumn, dedicated educators know how important it is to get to know our students. What occasionally falls to the wayside, however, is getting to know their parents and guardians. Read below to find out why family knowledge and parental engagement is so important in this school year – and to discover 20 insightful questions to kick off your school year right.
Real quick – have you gotten your free guide yet?
Why is parental involvement important to education?
Speaking as both a mom and a teacher, I can confidently state that the majority of parents have had a steady seat on the struggle bus in the midst and wake of Covid-19. Like a seat that is custom formed to your booty – that’s how long it’s been there. On top of the usual steep learning curve of parenting in general times, parenting in COVID has added a whole new layer of doubt and uncertainty. “Is it safe to return to school?” “Will my child adjust to being back to ‘real’ school?” “Has my child been emotionally stunted for life because they never saw friends this year?” Questions swirl, doubts rage and lots of us are running at about a 13 out of 10 as we return to school these post? pandemic years.
While early childhood and early elementary teachers are likely accustomed to the usual back to school questions, we’re sure to face a higher volume – and depth – these coming year. Families are rightly seeking reassurance and information – and, like it or not, we as teachers are the front-line providers of it.
Just like we do within the classroom, excellent teachers can anticipate this wave and proactively plan for it. One of the best ways to do this is through getting to know parents and guardians right from the get-go. Simply asking thoughtful questions lets parents know that they’re not alone and that we care. The next level – reading and taking to heart parents’ responses – allows us to build a foundation of trust as we engage in parent education & involvement throughout the year.
The link between getting to know families and culturally responsive teaching
Getting to know the parents and families of our students also blends beautifully with the practice of culturally responsive teaching. Of the 8 competencies for culturally responsive learning, at least 2 – arguably 4 – directly relate to getting to know families, their cultures, and the real-life issues that affect them. It’s about as simple as it gets: to be responsive to a family’s culture, we need to know about it! And in order to know we need to ask – the earlier the better.
Once again, the simple act of asking thoughtful questions goes a long way towards building a teacher-parent relationship. It opens the door for additional sharing and making connections with and between families – all of which ties seamlessly into the principles of the culturally responsive teaching we wish to center in our classrooms.
20 questions to ask parents as we return to school
So, we know we need to ask questions as soon as we return to school – but which questions should we ask? Not all questions are created equally in this case: open-ended questions that aim to get at deeper aspects of concerns and cultural considerations critical. I also like to present the questions in a variety of formats (short answer, complete the sentence, multiple choice, etc.) to mix it up.
I’ve divided the questions below into 5 central categories just to organize my own thinking, but they could clearly be presented in a different order – or pared down to just 2-3 questions per category. I hope you find these helpful!
General Questions
These questions ask for basic information about the student, but from the parent/guardian’s perspective.
- Who lives in your home? Please include names, ages of other children – and any pets!
- What languages are spoken to/around your child?
- What name does your child like to go by at school (I will ask them, too!)
- What are your child’s preferred pronouns?
Questions about Interests
These questions go a step deeper to inquire about students’ interests.
- Complete the sentence: My child could spend hours _____________
- What are 2-3 things (topics, ideas, etc) that really interest your child?
- Tell about a time when your child was highly interested or engaged. It could be a school project, a camp, a game – whatever. What do you think drew their attention? How could you tell they loved it?
Questions about Social-Emotional aspects
- How does your child usually respond when…
- They encounter something that is difficult for them?
- They are having a problem with another student?
- Complete the sentence:
- My child is at their best when __________________________
- My child shows they are struggling when they _________________
- Do you have any concerns about your child’s social emotional skills? If yes, please explain.
Questions about prior learning experiences
- General
- Complete the sentence: when my child comes home from school, they first tell me about __________________.
- What subject (including specials) does your child like most?
- What subject does your child like least?
- How do you see your child learning the best?
- What have previous teachers noted to you about your child’s learning (style, etc)?
- Do you have any concerns about your child’s learning (suspect an LD, attention, etc.)
Cultural Questions
- Complete the sentence: as a family, we love to __________________________
- What holidays do you celebrate at home? (if you want them added to our monthly class calendar, include the date(s) please!
- What do you consider to be the parents’ role in education?
- What is your preferred method of communication:
- For general class news?
- For celebrations?
- For any issues that arise?
Check out these other blog posts from Lit by Learning!
- How to Build Indestructible Teacher-Parent Relationships this school year!
- Supporting ELL’s: 8 Best Practices in Effective Bilingual Education!
Other great resources for teachers as we return to school!
I’m so glad you found this resource, but if you’re like me – you want to read even more! Check out these other great resources as we return to school this fall!
Colorin Colorado: Encouraging and Sustaining ELL Parent Engagement
National Equity Project: 5 Ways to Create a Culturally Responsive Classroom
Schoology: 4 Questions to ask Parents at the Beginning of the School Year
Pernille Ripp Blog: What Parents Wish We Would Ask Them About Their Child
Your return to school must-have: my free guide!
