Memphis+prep


 * [[file:Soccer Moms & Hockey Dads.ppt]]

Soccer Moms and Hockey Dads: Leveraging Technology to Communicate with Parents**

Target Audience: Technology Integrators/Teachers/Trainers Attendees recommended bringing laptop? yes**
 * While it’s often a struggle to maintain contact with parents in this fast‐paced, ever‐changing world, effective use of web‐based technology can help. Utilizing free web 2.0 tools can play a role in maintianing strong relationships with families at home and even abroad. Whether it is daily classroom blogs to celebrate learning, sharing class notes that were missed via wikispaces, or a report card being sent home at the touch of a button, technology has made communicating with parents and students much easier, allowing for anywhere, anytime learning. At the dinner table, in the car on the way to work or halfway around the world, parents and students are able to be more connected with what is going on in the classroom.**
 * Rob Miller, Teacher ‐ 8th Grade, Nashwaaksis Middle School, Fredericton, New Brunswick Canada Shauna Plummer, 8th Grade Teaher, Nashwaaksis Middle School

Initial contacts, set the foundation of the parent/teacher relationship - programs such as Markbook and eclass allow teachers to have parental contact (e-mail, all #'s, etc) info at their fingertips - daily homework emails beginning in Sept. help to create a + rel. w/ parents - Contact via email is a valuable "first impression". Tone, message, presentation are very important. Get the relationship started properly. Makes 1st in-person meeting more relaxed. -

Free web tools -wikispaces- share assignments, notes, homework, important news and project expectations -blogs- homework, school and classroom news, contact info -edmodo- assignment sharing, storage and organizing. Parents, teachers and students can share and elaborate. -Twitter- instant, quick contacts. -Facebook- communication