If there’s one area in the teaching profession where I’ve seen teachers get themselves into tough situations, it is in the practice of communicating with families and guardians. I can only imagine how this part of our profession is handled at the elementary school level (I teach High School), but regardless of age, guardians at home want to know what is happening with their learner in school. To catch a parent off guard or simply be absent is sure to spell disaster in the end.

While there’s an entire domain dedicated to this practice (4C in the Kentucky Framework for Teaching), it often gets pushed aside for more entitled categories on the PD menu like “Scaffolding your Framework for Differentiation in a Student Choice Environment”. And yet, if the connection (or even bond) of classroom and home is stable, healthy, and vibrant, it can propel meaningful learning forward in ways that even the most savvy lesson plan can not.

Below is one way I’ve found to up the engagement with home. Short-form video clips can not only communicate important information, but help families get a sense of your personality and approach to the classroom. This particular example is a little lengthy because it is a year opener, but throughout the school year I have found that a 2 minute “This is what’s Happening!” video can be super effective. If you’re trying to communicate ‘next level’, involve your students in this practice and have them start creating these shorts. Want to up your game even further? Have a Spanish speaking version done by your Latino community of students.