4 Easy Steps for Weekly Parent Communication

Hi friends!  The last few years, our administration has required weekly communication in the form of some sort of newsletter.  As a 3^rd grade teacher, I really struggled with this at first—we really felt this was a great time for the line of communication to shift to the student being more in charge. However, in the digital age, it is time to evolve with the needs of our parents.  I’ve tried several things over the last few years. 

• ·     Weekly emailed letters
• ·     Weekly homework stapled in a homework book
• ·     Printed newsletters in weekly signed papers

All are viable forms of communication, but I always wondered if my parents received it!  Add the most recent glitch—our email server blocking all emails from Hotmail---I knew I needed a new solution.

Enter, one of my favorite Web 2.0 tools..PADLET!  I’ve blogged once before about how I use it with my students in my 1:1 digital classroom.  You can read about that HERE if you are interested or need more info on how to set one up.

Padlet has several features for sharing.  I’m sharing with you how to embed the Padlet on your classroom website—creating once.  The result??  Each time  you add a newsletter, homework assignment (whatever you want to share), you will NEVER … wait for it…have to update your website AGAIN!  Here’s how it works in a few simple steps.

I promise you…this is easy!  You do not need to be techy.  Seriously..copy and paste.  PROMISE!

Design your padlet.  

I really suggest using the “grid” layout.  Each time you add a padlet to the page, the most recent will automatically rise to the top.  This format also keeps them neatly arranged without any effort

Click the “Share” icon.  

Once inside, copy the text inside the Embed section.

If you have a website through Blogger, you will:

Then

Then

There it is!  By clicking on "preview", you can see how it would look on your website.  

It is ready for your parents to scroll up and down, select the newsletter to view, and even print.

On my school-hosted website, which is where I actually have this for my parents, it works a tad different.  I’m still going to find where to place the HTML…and just save it.  Mine looks like this--perhaps your school site is similar.

Onw our school site, it isn't quite a pretty as my blog, but it works for our parents to access all of the school information in one spot.

Hmm....I really need to update my picture!  Hahaha!

Last but not least…from now on, all you need to do is add your newsletter, parent letter, or homework to the Padlet.  It automatically updates on your website for you! 

I promised you one and DONE!  All I do now is send out a quick message on Remind to let parents know it’s there.

Now, there are no worries of the email getting lost in someone's inbox, papers being lost from school to home, and  now provide easy access to all newsletters at any time. 

There are so many possibilities doing it this way!  I hope you’ll give it a shot, friends!