The parent or caregiver phone call… an often scary and intimidating situation for any teacher, even the most experienced ones. It’s so important to reach out to a parent or caregiver to strengthen relationships between families and teachers. After all, it takes a village to help students succeed!
We’d like to share some ideas to prepare for a parent or caregiver call, including a “how to make a parent phone call” sample script. This blog and the sample script are designed to help you make the most of the precious few minutes you have on the phone, and ensure you cover key components during your call.
First and foremost, before you make the phone call, make sure you are fully prepared by having a few important items on-hand to help you with the conversation, including:
- Student’s portfolio, grades or tests
- Pen and paper ready to jot down any notes
- Your calendar open and ready as parents may request to come speak with you in person
Prepare for the phone call by creating a short bullet list of why you are calling including concerns and positive items such as:
- Something helpful the student has done in class or for a peer
- Your concern about the student
- Concrete evidence of the concern
- Assistance requested from parent or caregiver
- Timeline for improvement
- Something positive observed in the classroom
Having an outline will help you both stay on topic and to cover all areas of concern you have. If there are multiple areas of concern, select the two that will have the most immediate impact on the student’s learning and save the others for another time. 
Click here  to download a sample script to follow to ensure that you make the most out of your call home.
For additional tips on effective strategies for communication between teachers and parents, download our free ebook, “Parent and Caregiver Partnerships 101,” or click the image below, which offers our top tips for effective parent/caregiver-teacher communication.
