fbpx
Join Us: Shifting Mindsets to Unlock Student Outcome Gains – Live Webinar , April 10, 2025. Register now!

‘It’s your birthday!’ and other happy things

Group 2486

Written by Paige DeLozier

 

At TalkingPoints, we believe that family engagement must include positive interactions.
 

Dr. Karen Mapp, America’s foremost expert on family engagement, explains how making families feel welcome and giving them a positive experience first is crucial to building a trusting relationship that will last.

 

 
Let’s talk about a few specific ways to bring some positivity into the mix!
 

A birthday surprise

It can be difficult to begin personalizing things for students before you’ve met them. But what if we told you that’s the perfect time to start?
 

As soon as rosters come out, teachers can start scheduling messages to families in TalkingPoints. Let’s start with birthdays. One of the best ways to make someone, especially a child, feel seen is by recognizing them on their birthday. That’s exactly what Michigan teacher Lisa Briegel does every year before a single birthday comes around.

 

 

How does she manage that? She simply schedules the birthday messages in her TalkingPoints account when she gets her roster. Then, throughout the year, families receive their sweet messages and kids get a little extra attention.

 
We love this tip because it’s a pretty easy way to be sure you are sending a special surprise to each student’s family. Work smarter, not harder, right?
 

Making the grade

Of course families want to hear about missing assignments and slipping course grades. Those are the red flags they expect. But what about the green flags?

 

  • a photo of a passing grade on a weekly test
  • a short video of their child working hard with their group
  • an encouraging message about their student’s progress towards a goal
Any of these could make the difference for a parent who is feeling discouraged about their child’s success. Consider making these messages part of your routine. That way, when the difficult conversations come around, families aren’t already expecting the worst.
 

Beyond academics

Some students’ goals are less academically-focused and families have a hard time tracking their progress. They don’t get to see them interacting with other children on a daily basis like teachers do.

Sharing check-ins and updates around students’ social goals like these can be enlightening for families.
 

A simple “thank you”

Who doesn’t love recognition? Families are no exception.
 
Sending the occasional message or announcement thanking parents and family members for their support could do wonders for the family-school partnership. Whether messages focus on homework help, participation, or simply getting to school on time, families will be grateful for the acknowledgement.
 

Share your positivity

As an educator working hard to build purposeful, enduring relationships, what are some creative ways you’ve found to connect positively with families? We would love to hear your ideas! Share with us on social media.

Are you an administrator?
Request a quote

Are you a teacher?
Sign up for free Download the teacher app Download the teacher app

Would you like more info?
Contact us

Recent posts

The Untapped Potential of Family Engagement: Insights from the TalkingPoints Benchmark Survey

Family engagement is one of the most impactful, yet underutilized, strategies for improving student outcomes. Despite its potential, many educators struggle to implement effective engagement practices due to barriers such […]

6 benefits of universal family engagement for students blog header

6 Benefits of Universal Family Engagement for Students

How Strong Family-School Partnerships Create Lasting Impact Effective family engagement benefits individual students and drives systemic improvement across schools and districts. Schools that prioritize strong family partnerships see enhanced student […]

nabe 2025 conference blog header

NABE Unpacked: Key Takeaways and Insights

Last week, our team had the incredible opportunity to attend the National Association for Bilingual Education (NABE) Conference in Atlanta. This event brought together educators and education professionals from around […]