Fostering Teacher and Family Relationships with EdOptions Academy

Often, children look at their teachers and immediate family members as the most important individuals in their lives. These are the adults who ultimately provide day-to-day guidance and direction for most aspects of their lives. Needless to say, the relationship between these individuals directly shapes a child's learning experience. Just as with any healthy relationship, communication is key.

The teachers of EdOptions Academy, Edmentum's fully virtual school, place paramount importance on establishing strong relationships with students’ families. Here are some ways in which our virtual teachers foster these relationships.

Welcome Letters

An official welcome letter sets the groundwork for clear communication and establishes a rapport between teachers and families. EdOptions Academy teachers send welcome letters that provide contact information; instructions on how to access live and recorded lessons; personal office hours; and often, a short video introduction.

Live Lessons

Every EdOptions Academy teacher offers personalized attention to build strong, supportive relationships with students and their families. The direct attention offered by our teachers can give families peace of mind that students are getting the support they need. Teachers interact with students through live lessons and also offer group activities that allow students to collaborate with peers.

Specific Feedback

Parents and caregivers can rest assured that their children are receiving feedback regularly for any activity submitted for a grade. In order to help students move forward in their learning journey, teachers at EdOptions Academy provide feedback designed to help students understand where they are doing well and to suggest areas for improvement.

Progress Reports

Throughout the school year, the K–5 platform can be accessed by parents and guardians to check lesson notes and monitor progress. Also, progress reports will be sent in accordance with district reporting schedules. In addition to monthly progress reports, secondary students' families may also receive their own login credentials if the site administrator so chooses.

Recurring Family Meetings

Just as in traditional classrooms, regular meetings between teachers and families are important to reinforce the home-to-school connection as students grow and take on more responsibility. Specifically for youngest elementary learners enrolled in EdOptions Academy, the teacher will schedule recurring, one-to-one virtual meetings to discuss a student's progress and virtual learning experience. 

Live Help and Direct Communication

With all of the technological platforms available today, communicating with virtual teachers is easier than ever. EdOptions Academy’s online teachers readily communicate with families via video conferencing, phone, text, and email; many also offer virtual “office hours” for real-time conversations when needed. Students and families can reach out to their teacher anytime with questions or requests to meet one on one and learners can expect a response within 24 to 48 hours.

We are at a crucial point in the school year when teachers and families can begin building a partnership and foundation that will benefit their students’ learning and development. With these key insights, we hope to provide families with peace of mind that their learners’ educational journey is well taken care of during enrollment with EdOptions Academy.

If you’re an administrator just pivoting to virtual learning, make sure that you're fully prepared to communicate with staff, students, and parents and caregivers with our FREE administrator’s virtual learning checklist!