Best Way to Telephone Your Student’s Parents

Telephone calls to parents can be necessary for many reasons, and are acceptable forms of communication for both good and not-so-good news. However, sometimes they can be harder than arranged meetings. On the one hand you don’t have to approach the parent face-to-face: but on the other, the call will only be as pleasant as the subject matter you are calling to discuss.

To make a telephone call to a parent as stress-free as possible, always do some preparation before you call. Even if you are merely telephoning to commend a student, be aware that the parent may use the opportunity to raise other issues with you, and it is helpful if you have the information ready to divulge.

If your call relates to some concern or problem, make sure you have all the facts and relevant verification to hand, such as detention slips, notes from the parent, coursework or homework to be discussed, etc.

Telephone calls often worry and intimidate teachers; they often feel that it is some form of confrontation and are nervous about how to approach it.

Helpful hints for telephoning parents

• Telephone parents with good news as much as possible. This gives you a chance to introduce yourself and get to know the parent, which will make any later calls easier to do.
• Prepare yourself before you make the call: organize a checklist that highlights what you hope to achieve. Ensure you know who you need to speak to and how to address them.
• Be polite and professional. Identify yourself as a member of the school and state why you are calling.
• Refer to school policies and behaviours rather than personal opin­ions, and offer possible solutions.
• Give the parent the opportunity to engage – listen to their opinions and solutions. Always keep the tone calm and professional. Be diplomatic when discussing problems.
• End the call on a positive note, and encourage parents to contact you if they need to.
• Keep some sort of record detailing the time and date of the call, what was discussed and how issues were resolved (if appropriate).