Use technology to share: As 21st century teachers, there is no need to waste paper, time and energy. You can use the website of your school to share information if possible. Or you can make group folders for your classrooms in an e-mail account of yours to inform the parents at the same time only with a click. Another thing you can try is phone chain charts. This way it will be easy to reach all parents by calling only one parent.

Start with the positive: While informing the parents about their children, it is good to start with the positive and choose the appropriate words to tell about the problems.

Never trust: Trusting is good but not the parents. Do not forget they are like multi-use bridges between you and the student, student and the administration, administration and you and so on. Do not talk about other students or parents with any of the parents even if you will say something positive. You will never know who will talk about you behind your back.

Weary children: Some parents like the role of the teacher. They can give their children extra work, force them with private lessons and overload them with bombarded activities. Explain the parents that teaching is your job. If they still insist on doing extra things about language, they can organize family events such playing Scrabble in English or watching a film in English.

What else can we do? Do you have any more suggestions?

Friends? or Enemies? I think the answer can change according to the role you will choose. Will you be the one who is completing the pieces of the puzzle or vice versa? Let’s be logical! Who would want an enemy (especially at work)? Parents are like the backside of the medal. For me, the other side is the students’. The chain necklace of the medal is the administration and the colleagues of you. And finally you are the one who is wearing the chain necklace with the medal. So what can we do to wear the medal?

Cooperation: The first step of working with parents seems to be cooperation. The best thing for this is to speak the same language and be on the same side with them. Remember that they are not your enemies.

Elicit help: Do not hesitate to elicit help and information from the parents. Make them feel you are next to them. You can only help their children with their help. They are the ones who have got the best information about your students.

Share: Why don’t you share the programme with them? You don’t have to send your daily plan but informing them about the vocabularies and structures you teach would be great. Adding the weekly homework or the dates of the important events such as projects or exams can also be very helpful. This will include the parents in the learning process.