Collaborating with parents beyond parent/teacher conferences

Includes bibliographical references.Collaboration between parents and teachers is often disregarded. Communicating with the students' parents will offer insight regarding the child's background including personal, academic, and sometimes important medical information that may be undisclosed to individual school records. The parents know the child more than the teacher ever will in the school year and can provide perceptions that may be otherwise overlooked. Thorough research integrated primary and secondary sources through interviews with parents, scholarly journal articles, web sites, and educational templates for improving communication. According to research, parents are to be considered valuable allies rather than disruptions in the teachers' day. An open door policy builds relationships which ultimately will reduce behavior and academic tribulations. The rapport will strengthen the teachers' bond with their students and their parents, as well as faculty, administrators, and the community at large. Taking further time to initially form a relationship with the students' parents will ultimately lead to a more successful school year, reputation, and career for the teacher as well as building greater experiences for each child who enters his or her classroom.B.S.Ed. (Bachelor of Science in Education