Frequency of Teacher Communication

How often does your child's teacher contact you regarding their progress?

My son is in Kindergarten and while we get a weekly newsletter, there is obviously no information that is specific to him. The only times we have had any communication about progress was our conference in October and his November report card. Is this normal at the elementary level? I think I might send a quick email for an update. I work with him on skills at home, but by the end of the day he is super tired and whiny so his effort is not the best.

I will also add that I am a HS teacher and send out a weekly email to all parents and a targeted email to at risk students at least once every two weeks so the lack of communication from his teacher is bothering me.

Re: Frequency of Teacher Communication

For us, this is normal.
I never really hear from my DD's teachers other than the conferences.
Unless of course there were a problem or something she needed to address.

Re: Frequency of Teacher Communication

Re: Frequency of Teacher Communication

Re: Frequency of Teacher Communication

OMG! I could have wrote this myself. My LO is in 1st grade. We didn't get much communication from his K teacher and the same hold true for 1st grade. Other than the weekly HW agenda... I never hear from the teacher. We don't get progress reports either. I check in with the teacher every 6 weeks or so. I don't want to be blindsided about anything once report cards come.

I don't want to be "that parent", but I feel it's my responsibility to check in if I don't hear anything from the teacher.

Re: Frequency of Teacher Communication

Frequency of Teacher Communication

UGH! I don't blame you. I would expect it too. And thank you for doing what you do for your students. TRUST ME... the parents are grateful for it! :)

Re: Frequency of Teacher Communication

Re: Frequency of Teacher Communication

Frequency of Teacher Communication

Dd's kindergarten teacher uses the remind app so she sends messages to the whole class or for individual students sporadically. Today there was a message saying they all did well on their sight word assessment (dd was absent but I'm assuming the results came home today). Before break she sent home the words, date of the assessment, and which words they still hadn't mastered so we could help them at home. With the app it's easy to shoot a message to check in or ask her to call and she's always very quick to respond.

My 2nd grader's teacher doesn't use any of the apps so I miss that. She is responsive to emails though. She does have an up to date website with hw, assessment dates, and general news. None of my kids have gotten a weekly newsletter. I think we got a monthly one in prek but nothing since then.

Frequency of Teacher Communication

i have a kindergartener and a 3rd grader. The younger ones's teacher uses the Class Dojo App every day, so i can check that during the day. But thats mostly for behavior. they gain or lose points during the day for different things. But she has used it before to send out pictures of projects or reminders, or messages about different things. I always assume no news is good news i guess. and i also go by the graded work that they bring home, too. As long as i can see how hes doing on whatever they're doing in class and get an idea of how he is understanding stuff, im good. I would probably reach out to her if i saw he was getting a lot of things wrong or struggling or whatever.
My older son's teacher uses the remind app- its faster than email.... there were a couple days when he had a rough day behavior wise that she reached out to me on that, which was good. and again as far as academics i just assume no news is good news, and go with my own feelings about how hes understanding his homework and the grades on the classwork he brings home. (this is why i'm not totally anti-homework like some peoplel- i like that it gives me an idea of what they're working on and how he is grasping it.)

Frequency of Teacher Communication

Thanks everyone! I guess this is the norm and I guess I am a but with communication.

My son only gets formal math assessments, which he pretty mush always gets 100 on. Every thing else is done one on one so nothing is sent home.

Re: Frequency of Teacher Communication

Frequency of Teacher Communication

I could have written the same thing. I resigned last year, but when I was teaching I had 80 students, and I touched base with all parents at least once a month, and emailed home anytime they got below an 80 (with almost weekly assignments). I spoke to some parents multiple times a week.

In kinder, with 18 kids, I hardly hear anything back. I’m also annoyed that no ELA assessments are sent home, yet it was a huge part of their report card.

Re: Frequency of Teacher Communication

Re: Frequency of Teacher Communication

Unless there is a problem, there is no communication from the teacher. This year, our school implemented on line grading for the middle school, so I can see grades as soon as the teacher corrected things for my son. For my daughter, she is in fifth and brings home all tests and quizzes in her folder for a parent signature. There were no real tests in kindergarten. Tests started in first grade, but homework was sent home with comments.

Re: Frequency of Teacher Communication

Frequency of Teacher Communication

Only conferences but she does well and there have not been concerns (I have a 1st grader)

There is a class dojo app and I see updates daily on there but it’s not really regarding academics, just behavior

Frequency of Teacher Communication

Interesting replies.

As an educator, I think there should be regular communication between teachers and parents. I think this should be done even if there aren’t any concerns. I guess since I do this for my students, I was expecting it from my child’s teacher. I thought most teachers did this, but I guess not.

Frequency of Teacher Communication

My son is also in Kindergarten. I also don't get any communication. Except if there is an issue. They send home work each day so I see what's going on in class. I work with him on skills too but he's exhausted after school. I wish I got more communication too. His teacher is very responsive to e-mail. But, especially as someone in works in a school, I hate to be 'that' parent, and try to reach out only when I feel appropriate. My son is getting extra reading help as a pull out. The reading teacher does call monthly to let me know how he is doing.

Re: Frequency of Teacher Communication

Re: Frequency of Teacher Communication

Re: Frequency of Teacher Communication

Re: Frequency of Teacher Communication

I taught for a few years and always, always did at least a weekly newsletter with info. I hate sending DD to school and getting no info back unless it's during a conference or one of those dreaded your child did something wrong phone calls. I want them to tell me, what are you working on this week? How can I help? Give me am occasional something positive happened... Some teachers do reach out more than others. I wish her current teacher did more in the sense of filling us in on what goes on during the day.

Frequency of Teacher Communication

I think it is the norm to only hear feedback during conferences and if there are any problems that need to be addressed. Just like you are putting in your grades daily, the K teacher is sending home work daily. You are reaching out to parents of the students you are concerned about and I'm sure your child's K teacher is doing the same. So, if you are not hearing any concerns, great. Although you are not looking at grades on a screen, you are seeing the work daily and so is the teacher. The prep period is used up by setting up the classroom for the next activity, lots and lots, and did I mention lots of transition times in K, so prep periods and some of lunch periods are used to set up to let the day and the rest of the day run smoothly with many little ones to look after from tying shoes, replacing pencils, opening glue sticks, helping set up scissors in hand, praising kids, putting out "she/he hurt my feelings" fires, etc.. Elementary school requires constant attention and if your not hearing directly about your child, rest assured they are most likely on target.