12/9/2020 Parent-Teacher Collaboration in the COVID-19 Era - NAfME

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Parent-Teacher Collaboration in the COVID-19 Era

 September 28, 2020

Parent-Teacher Collaboration in the COVID-19 Era

By Anthony Patterson, sponsored by Casio (https://www.casiomusicgear.com/)

It’s obvious to note that COVID-19 has severely impacted education practices, especially those related to
music education, in the United States as well as globally. As we enter the 2020–2021 school year, teachers,
students and parents will embark on a new journey with unforeseeable challenges. With these new
challenges, it’s more important than ever that teachers and parents collaborate to help their children
progress without delay. Prior to COVID, parent-teacher relationships may have been tense for some, so how
does one navigate this new dynamic in the time of COVID-19? Here are some tips to help music educators
and parents work together to foster a healthy learning environment at home:

1. Take advantage of free learning resources. The National Association for Music Education (NAfME) is
one of the world’s largest arts education organizations, and it o ers a variety of resources for
educators including NAfME Academy® (https://nafme.org/community/elearning/). NAfME Academy is a
robust webinar series hosted by a variety of di erent individuals that o ers music teachers insight and
resources. The Academy works with school districts to provide NAfME Academy subscriptions to the
music teachers they employ. Teachers can access this webinar series for expertise on a plethora of
topics to help better themselves, their students, and their communication with parents
(https://nafme.org/community/elearning/nafme-academy-content/#Beyond%20the%20Classroom).
2. Keep an open line of communication. Parents must take on a teaching role at home now, and
teachers must remain patient and understanding. The learning curve will be hard for everyone
involved including the students. When a student is learning a new concept or skill, the teacher is a
huge propelling force through their journey. Teachers can assist parents in this new role through
keeping an open line of communication. O ering means of contact such as email, phone, or any
messenger service or portal will help prepare parents to take on the teacher persona without feeling
stranded.

Support

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3. Create a sense of community for all. As we embrace the “new normal” together, teachers can create
a sense of community for both students and their parents. Group emails, interactive activities, Zoom
meetings, and town hall meetings are all ways teachers can help to facilitate an open dialogue and
feeling of community among their students and their parents at a distance.
4. Honesty is always the best policy. Although it may be cliché, we are all in this together. If teachers
remain honest and open about their experience, how students are handling their workload and
practice schedules, it’s easier to remain on task. The same goes for the parents. If parents remain
honest with the teachers, the teachers can pivot if needed and help their students along accordingly.
5. O er encouragement and a helping hand. “You’re doing great! Is there anything I can assist with?”
and “How can we best meet our goals?” are two questions that can revolutionize the parent-teacher
relationship. When a parent is confused or challenged with a task, it’s best to ask how we can clear up
confusion together. Parents may feel helpless and alone in the virtual-schooling process even if there
are virtual resources available. Meeting challenges head on and with a helping hand makes parents
feel more comfortable and collaborative.
6. Provide the right technology and learning tools when possible. Teachers can recommend
educational tools and products to use at home to support instruction and practice. Such products are
imperative to a student’s improvement and a parent’s ability to aid. Companies like Casio provide a
range of digital pianos that are ideal for learning, like the Casiotone or CDP-S series, and apps like
Chordana Play. Utilizing the right technology at a young age forti es a student’s craft and
development.
7. Set up regular check-ins with both students and parents. Allocating a set time to check in with
parents on a regular basis can help prevent any issues and develop a positive rapport. Setting aside
25–30 minutes to speak with parents and a student will help the student learn how to check in on
themselves and keep track of their own progress throughout the year. Everyone wants to succeed so
creating grounding moments where students, parents and teachers can level-set is ideal for a positive
experience.

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iStockphoto.com | SDI Productions

It’s easy to point a nger and get frustrated especially during a time in which everyone is tense or stressed
out. As we head into the new school year, it is important for both parents and teachers to stay grounded,
calm, and understanding. Although it will be tough, parents and teachers ultimately have the same goal,
which is to have their children/students succeed. Following the tips above can help to create and foster a
more collaborative and dynamic learning experience for all now, as well as in the future.

About the author:

(https://nafme.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Tony_8870-2-
scaled.jpg)Anthony Patterson is a man of many talents, a Solo,
Collaborative pianist, Composer, Arranger and Educator. Patterson began
classical piano lessons at the age of three with his father, Richard
Patterson, and made his concerto debut with the Lima Symphony at the
young age of eight, playing Mozart’s “Concerto no. 28.” Since then his talent
and skillful piano playing has taken him around the world, leading him to
record six albums for Chérie Noble (Brio Recordings), four of which are his
own compositions, and has allowed him to play for Broadway touring shows like “Wicked,” “The Color
Purple,” and many more. Also, just this past November he performed “Carmina Burana” and “Chichester
Psalms” with the National Chorale at David Ge en Hall at New York City’s Lincoln Center.

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The National Association for Music Education (NAfME) provides a number of forums for the sharing of
information and opinion, including blogs and postings on our website, articles and columns in our magazines
and journals, and postings to our Amplify member portal. Unless speci cally noted, the views expressed in
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September 28, 2020. © National Association for Music Education (NAfME.org (http://nafme.org/))

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