As a company that helps schools communicate better in this brilliant technological age, working to bring down barriers is one thing that we’re particularly focused on at Parentapps.
Most teachers and heads of school understand that good communication and involvement with parents is key to good education. The trouble is that, in today’s busy and fast-paced world, there are several barriers that hamper good communication from the outset.
The first of these is the distance that sometimes exist between schools and parents. Mums and dads are seen dropping off their kids in the morning or picking them up later but, apart from parent’s evenings, there isn’t a lot of formal contact.
More families than ever have both parents working and it can be difficult to engage when they’re trying to juggle home life along with a busy job. The only time there is major communication is often where there is a problem at school. Children too can be particularly uncommunicative when it comes to what happened during their day at school, especially as they get older.
The good news is that technology is one thing that can now bring parents and schools closer together. Used well, it means parents are less isolated and have a clear idea of what is going on.
Overcoming School Communication Barriers
The school website is now one of the primary sources that parents use to stay connected. It gives them a chance to get involved in their child’s education and, if developed properly, can offer engaging insights into what is happening in school. Heads and teachers are able to post videos of events, put up blogs explaining new developments in the school as well as highlighting successes.
The latest addition to the pantheon of communication tools, the school app, is also proving to be highly effective. Most of us nowadays carry around a smartphone or tablet and being able to download a school app makes communication both immediate and a whole lot easier. Parents can be sent notifications that appear almost instantly on their phones, so if there’s a problem or information that needs to go out, communication is relatively simple.
Language and cultural differences can also be a problem for school/parent communication but with today’s apps language and cultural sensitivities can easily be catered for.
The new apps we have today also open up the opportunity for parents to contribute to and engage with a school. In isolation, a parent may not be confident or know how they can get involved but with a school app or a great website, they can be encouraged to do so.
A dedicated school app also improves communication between parents and their children. In the future, we could see technology that gives parents a better handle on how their child is doing in particular classes and even offer help and advice on how to deal with any problems.
Technology is playing an increasingly important role in bridging the communication gap between parents, schools and children. While, in the past, this may have been piecemeal in nature, nowadays schools can develop effective communication strategies that also come at a decent cost.
At Parentapps, we help schools to develop dedicated apps that help them keep in contact with parents. Contact us today to find out how we can help your school.