Teachers in the United States are receiving hands-on training to handle difficult conversations with parents before entering classrooms. Per a report, Towson University in Maryland and Elon University in North Carolina are helping aspiring educators develop communication skills through direct interactions with families.
The programs focus on managing disagreements about student behavior, discussing academic concerns and responding to parents’ expectations. They also help future teachers establish professional boundaries while maintaining communication with families.
The initiative comes as research suggests many teacher-preparation programs offer limited opportunities to practice family engagement, even though educators regularly face these responsibilities.
Universities Expand Parent Communication Training
Towson University’s Maryland Center for Community Schools introduced the program around 2021, about five years ago, after recognizing that student teachers were uncomfortable contacting parents.
Jessica Shiller, the center’s director, described the anxiety among aspiring educators. “They didn’t want to call parents, meet with them; they felt very overwhelmed by the whole thing,” she said, per Education Week.
Elon University offers similar training through partnerships with community schools in North Carolina.
Both programs provide instruction on conflict resolution, cultural awareness and family involvement. Participants then spend roughly 80 hours working with experienced teachers and community representatives.
Their responsibilities include attending parent meetings and participating in school activities that involve families.
Research Showed Gaps in Teacher Preparation
A survey by the National Association for Family, School, and Community Engagement found that slightly more than half of teacher-preparation programs offered a course addressing parent and family engagement.
However, fewer than one-third of program leaders reported that aspiring teachers received adequate preparation in essential skills such as creating welcoming environments and establishing family partnerships.
The findings indicate that traditional teacher education may not consistently prepare graduates for sensitive conversations involving parents.
A separate survey involving more than 5,800 teachers also identified stronger parent coordination and reduced parental interference as preferred ways to improve classroom behavior.
Teachers Discover Parents Have Different Priorities
Kara Watral, a fifth-grade teacher at Hortons Creek Elementary School in North Carolina, initially feared contacting parents after hearing negative accounts of family interactions.
Her experience changed after participating in practical training.
“Obviously grades were on their radar,” Watral explained, “but for the most part, they were concerned about how their kid was doing socially, if they had a good group of friends, and how they were acting in class.”
Her interactions demonstrated that parents often wanted information about their children’s social development alongside academic performance.
Veteran Baltimore educator Bertha Knight also stressed that teachers should recognize the knowledge and experiences families bring, regardless of economic background.
Teachers Learn to Manage Expectations and Boundaries
Mia Glickman, a third-grade teacher in North Carolina, credited Elon’s program with helping her approach uncomfortable conversations about student misconduct.
“With student misbehavior … sometimes the parent isn’t super supportive, and they blame the teacher,” Glickman explained.
She now contacts families directly when classroom problems arise instead of avoiding potentially difficult discussions.
The training also helped her establish limits on communication outside school hours.
Although Glickman regularly updates parents about student progress, she avoids responding to late-night calls.
“Obviously I could easily pick up for a five- to 10-minute phone call, but it’s about setting boundaries,” she explained.
The programs offer aspiring educators practical experience in navigating family expectations while managing their responsibilities beyond classroom instruction.
