As teachers, we work hard to get our students on board with what we’re doing in class.

We try our best to relate everything to their lives in the real world. We help them to see the big picture. We praise them when they succeed and encourage them when they stumble.

But if the students are the only ones we’re getting on board, we’re still missing half of the equations.

The other half? Parents. (Or grandparents or guardians or whomever the main caretakers are.)

In my own experience in the classroom (and in yours too, I’ll bet), we have an uphill battle if parents aren’t convinced of what we’re doing in the classroom. (Or if they’re not convinced of the value of education in the first place.)

I’ve seen kids torn between what the teacher tells them is important in class and what the parents are saying at home. Both sides usually think they have the students’ best interest at heart.

And when push comes to shove, who will students side with — their parents or the teacher?

Let’s try to avoid that confrontation all together.

Instead, what if we can get the parents on board, too? What would it look like if we had them as advocates at home, cheering their children’s progress and supporting our shared academic goals for their kid?

In writing our book, Ditch That Homework, Alice Keeler and I are finding something that is a bigger deal than we expected.

Many of the parents that like the idea of homework do so because it helps them feel involved in their children’s education.

They say that the assignments their children work on at home help them relate to their lives at school. They say that it helps them feel involved and active in the education of their children.

Our thought?

Sending worksheets home is a rotten way to help parents feel involved.

It’s a topic that we spend a whole chapter on in our book — how to get parents involved, keep lines of communication open and find ways for them to support learning at home.

(By the way, if you’d like to receive updates on the book or help out by contributing ideas to it, become a Ditch That Homework VIP by clicking here!)

It all starts with buy-in. How can we align the vision of parents and teacher so they’re both on the same team — rooting for shared goals for the child?

Alice and I share some ideas for having those initial conversations with parents to help them to buy in to what you think is best for students.

In this example, we’ll use eliminating homework as the conversation. But the framework of the conversation can work with many parent/teacher topics.

• Help them see your vision. Look into the future with them — a month, a year or a lifetime. Envision the change that you’re driving toward, and help parents to see it, too. If homework is the topic, ask them, “What would life be like if your child had less homework? What would you be able to do with that extra time?” Or, if you don’t want to ask, describe the vision in your own words. “Imagine life with less homework. You’re able to … You finally have time to …”. (Persuasion experts suggest that you not ask a question you don’t know the answer to, so if you’re unsure how a parent will react, try describing instead of asking.)
• Share your heart. Let them know why you’re passionate or excited about this change. Show them that you’re convinced and confident. When you let your emotion show authentically, you reach those parents’ hearts.
• Cite research that supports your decision. Research can go a long way to convince parents, even though many studies have their flaws and some areas don’t have a ton of useful research. Pick one or two studies that illustrate your point. Don’t get overly technical, and don’t inundate them with too much. Make your point clearly and simply. If they have follow-up questions, you may be able to dig in more in-depth. Otherwise, state your case and move on.
• Point to your own experiences. Personal stories can be powerful. They help put parents in your shoes and shows them that you’re much like them.If you’ve seen the inadequacies or inefficiencies of homework as a teacher, as a parent or as a student, share them. 
• Give them plenty of opportunity to talk. They may have questions. Answer them as honestly as possible, or let them know you’ll get them answers. (And then do it!) They may just want to talk — to describe their concerns, their fears and their own stories. Sometimes, a listening ear does more to convince than 100 valid reasons.
• Don’t overdo it. Be concise. State your case plainly and then see what they have to say. We have all had someone make a lengthy, long-winded case to us when we had our minds made up in the first 30 seconds. Try to make it more a dialogue than a monologue.

Of course, this won’t work with every single parent. Some parents will have concerns that you won’t be able to allay. Some parents just won’t want to talk to you or will be impossible to reach.

But I think you’ll find that the net gain for your efforts will be worth the time and effort. You’ll find that your day-to-day work will be easier and met with less resistance if you have a key ally in place in sync with your message at home — parents.

There are LOTS of ways to reach the goal of shared vision with parents. If you’ve had experience with this and have some advice or ideas, I’d love to see them in the comments below.

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