Partnering with Families to Support Positive Student Behavior in Elementary Classrooms

Partnering with Families to Support Positive Student Behavior in Elementary Classrooms

By: Anna Fazio, Delia Minto, Demi Wasden, and Ella Alvarado

Building Culturally Responsive Home–School Relationships

Welcome to Partnering with Families to Support Positive Student Behavior in Elementary Classrooms! This course is designed to help elementary educators build culturally responsive partnerships with families to promote positive student behavior and social-emotional growth. Through practical strategies, real classroom examples, and interactive activities, you will learn how to strengthen communication, overcome barriers, and co-create behavior support plans that empower both families and students.

Audience Statement

The primary audience is elementary classroom teachers (PRE-K-5), including general education, special education, and ESL/bilingual teachers who support students with diverse behavioral needs. Teachers in these roles frequently encounter challenging behaviors shaped by cultural norms, trauma, or environmental stressors. Professional learning focused on collaborative, culturally responsive behavior support strengthens teacher capacity to create safe and inclusive classrooms.

TABLE OF CONTENTS ICON

Index & Table of Contents

• Course Home & Introduction

• Learning Objectives & Course Structure

• Module 1 - Foundations of Family–School Behavior Partnerships

• Module 2 - Addressing Barriers and Bias

• Module 3 - Multi-Modal Communication for Behavior Support

• Module 4 - Family-Centered Behavior Strategies

• Glossary of Key Terms

• Additional Resources for Continued Learning

• Certificate of Completion

• Feedback Survey

Learning Objectives

• By end of this e-course, participants will be able to:

• Explain key principles of culturally responsive family engagement and how they influence positive behavior support.

• Identify common barriers, such as deficit thinking and inconsistent home–school communication, that limit family participation in behavior planning and propose solutions.

• Design a proactive communication plan, digital and non-digital, for sharing behavior goals, progress, and celebrations with families.

• Implement at least one family-centered strategy, such as home-school behavior agreements, sheets with daily behavior updates, and positive phone calls within four weeks of course completion.

of research indicates that consistent, two-way communication between teachers and families reduces behavior incidents and improves student engagement.

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HOME

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Course Structure and Navigation

• This course is divided into four learning modules, each addressing key components of building strong, productive partnerships with families around student behavior.

• Modules 1-2 focus on foundations and mindset building, such as understanding family-school dynamics and identifying barriers.

• Modules 3-4 provide applied strategies for communication, collaboration, and joint behavior planning.

• Interactive Elements:

• Clickable icons with teacher/family “voices” (quotes from interviews).

• Embedded reflection prompts and journaling boxes.

• Case study analysis with “choose your response” scenarios.

• Quick quizzes after each module to check understanding.

Module 1: Foundations of Family–School Behavior Partnerships

Explore how family expertise, cultural values, and home routines shape student behavior and inform effective teacher responses.

Module 1: Foundations of Family–School Behavior Partnerships

Family–school partnerships are collaborative relationships between educators and families built on mutual respect, shared responsibility, and open communication to support student learning and well-being.

Family-school partnerships matter because they:

REDUCE BEHAVIOR INCIDENTS

INCREASE FAMILY ENGAGEMENT

STRENGTHEN STUDENTS MOTIVATION

PROMOTE CONSISTENCY

BETWEEN HOME & SCHOOL EXPECTATIONS

IN PROBLEM SOLVING AND GOAL SETTING

ALIGNING STRATEGIES & REINFORCING POSITIVE BEHAVIOR

WITH UNIFIED ADULT SUPORT

Module 1: Foundations of Family–School Behavior Partnerships

• Studies show consistent, two-way communication between families and schools can reduce behavior incidents by up to 50% and improve student engagement.

• Family–school collaboration is linked to better self-regulation, attendance, and prosocial behavior.

• Schools that actively include families in behavioral planning see fewer office referrals and suspensions and greater student accountability.

• Ongoing, proactive communication builds trust and shared commitment to positive student behavior.

• Missi Crossley uses daily positive notes or quick messages home highlighting student successes before discussing concerns; models transparency and positivity.

• Nicki DeMaggio engages in collaborative goal-setting conferences with families, ensuring their voices guide behavioral strategies and classroom expectations.

• Both teachers prioritize listening first, use strength-based language, and maintain regular, two-way communication that values families as partners in supporting student behavior.

Module 1: Foundations of Family–School Behavior Partnerships

Deficit-Based Perspective

Asset-Based Perspective

Module 2 : Addressing Barriers and Bias

Purpose: Help teachers identify and overcome common challenges that prevent equitable family engagement, including language barriers, technology gaps, and cultural misunderstandings.

Module 2: Addressing Barriers and Bias

• Strickland-Cohen et al. (2021) emphasize that effective partnerships depend on two-way, ongoing communication.

• This means we don’t just inform families—we invite them to share insights about their child.

• When communication is consistent, respectful, and leads to action, families perceive the school as a true partner rather than an authority figure.

• Teachers can build trust by showing consistency, following up on concerns, using a warm tone in communication, and recognizing family strengths.

• Missi demonstrates exemplary persistence in building authentic partnerships with families by actively addressing communication barriers through translators and home visits.

Module 2: Addressing Barriers and Bias

• Implicit Bias: Unconscious attitudes or stereotypes influencing how teachers perceive families.
• Can affect expectations, interactions, and engagement opportunities.

• Deficit Thinking:
• Assuming a student’s struggles come from family “shortcomings” rather than systemic or instructional factors.

• Adopt an asset-based mindset—focus on families’ skills, knowledge, and cultural strengths.

“You’ve sent three emails and no response. What’s next?”

Module 3 : Multi-Modal Communication for Behavior Support

Purpose: To demonstrate how combining digital, verbal, and paper communication tools creates stronger family-school connections that reinforce positive student behavior.

Module 3 : Multi-Modal Communication for Behavior Support

Parent Apps / Messaging Platforms

Daily Behavior Sheets

Weekly Home "Book Bags" or Folders

templates for proactive communication plans

Mid-Year Partnership Check-In Plan

Beginning-of-Year Family Communication Plan

End-of-Year Appreciation Communication Plan

Maintaining Positive Communication During Behavior Issues

• Stay Calm
• Focus on Behavior, Not the Student
• Use Positive Language

• Listen Actively
• Set Clear Boundaries
• Collaborate on Solutions

• Reinforce Positives
• Be Consistent
• Communicate Transparently
• Show Empathy
• Provide Regular Feedback
• Be Approachable

Module 4 : Family-Centered Behavior Strategies

Purpose: To equip teachers with tools to co-design behavior plans that reflect shared responsibility between school and home.

Collaborative Strategies

Behavior Contracts

Collaborative Strategies

Positive Reinforcement Charts

Collaborative Strategies

Daily Feedback Loops

Glossary of Key terms

Click each term for more!

Two-Way Communication

Family–School Partnership

Deficit Thinking

Culturally Responsive Teaching

Behavior Contract

Positive Reinforcement

you did it!

Below, you will find a Certificate of COMPLETION

We appreciate your feedback

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeuFqtOp2pr8wz5kkH-1t9xjZCExlFrvFdEceSSAoXjtKKcpg/viewform?usp=publish-editor

Thank you!

End-of-Year Appreciation Communication Plan

Subject: Thank You for a Great Year

Hello families, As the year comes to a close, I want to take a moment to recognize your support and the hard work your child has put in. In the coming week, each student will receive: • A celebration message highlighting their strengths • Suggestions for maintaining confidence and learning over the summer Thank you for your partnership this year — working together has made a difference in your child’ssuccess.

Asset-Based Perspective

• Recognizes families’ knowledge, strengths, and cultural resources as valuable contributions to student success.
• Focuses on what families bring rather than what they lack.
• Encourages partnerships built on respect, empathy, and shared expertise.

A mindset that blames students or families for challenges in learning by assuming they “lack” ability, values, or motivation. It focuses on what students cannot do instead of recognizing their strengths and potential.

Positive Reinforcement Charts

Purpose: Visually track and reward desired behaviors. How It Works: Students earn points, stickers, or tokens for meeting behavioral expectations. Benefits: Encourages motivation, consistency, and immediate recognition of positive actions.

Mid-Year Partnership Check-In Plan

Subject: Mid-Year Check-In to Support Your Child Hello families, As we approach the middle of the year, I’d love to connect to make sure your child continues to grow and feel confident in school. During the next two weeks, I will reach out with a brief update on: •

• Academic strengths
• Social-emotional strengths
• Skills we are working on next

You are also invited to share what you are noticing at home so we can continue supporting your child together. Thank you for partnering with me — your input matters and helps guide instruction.

Weekly Home “Book Bags” or Folders

• A collection of student work, behavioral progress summaries, and reading materials sent home weekly.
• Supports parent involvement in reviewing and discussing learning and behavior goals.
• Tangible take-home tools help families engage with their child’s learning and behavior while reinforcing strengths-based communication (Strickland-Cohen et al., 2021).

Daily Feedback Loops

Purpose: Provide consistent, timely feedback to support behavior improvement. How It Works: Teachers check in daily with students to review successes and areas for growth. Benefits: Builds self-awareness, reinforces positive behavior, and strengthens teacher-student communication.

Beginning-of-Year Family Communication Plan

Subject: Welcome & Communication Plan for Our Classroom Hello families, I’m excited to be working with your child this year! To keep you informed and involved, I want to share how communication will look in our classroom I will send weekly email newsletter every Friday, classroom announcements via Class Dojo / Remind updates about student progress every 3–4 weeks. You will hear from me even when there is no concern. If a challenge arises, I will contact you early so we can partner together quickly. You’ll also receive positive messages celebrating your child’s growth throughout the year. The fastest way to reach me is [preferred contact method]. I respond within 24 hours on school days. We are a team supporting your child socially, emotionally, and academically. Please reach out anytime you have questions or insights to share.

An instructional approach that recognizes and values students’ cultural backgrounds, experiences, and identities. It uses those strengths to make learning meaningful and accessible for all students.

Communication where both the family and school share information, ask questions, and express ideas—rather than information flowing only from the teacher to the family. It involves active listening and ongoing dialogue.

Deficit-Based Perspective

• Views families through a lens of problems or shortcomings (e.g., lack of involvement, limited education).
• Can create barriers to collaboration, lower expectations, and damage trust.
• Shifting to an asset-based mindset transforms communication from corrective to collaborative, leading to more effective and equitable behavior support.

A strategy used to encourage and increase desired behaviors by rewarding them. The reward can be praise, a privilege, a sticker, or anything the student finds motivating.

A collaborative relationship between families and educators where both work together to support a child’s learning and development. It includes shared decision-making, regular communication, and mutual respect.

Parent Apps / Messaging Platforms

• Digital tools (ClassDojo, Remind, Seesaw) enable instant communication between teachers and families.
• Families can receive updates, photos, or behavior points in real time.
• Teachers must balance convenience with ensuring empathy and clarity, as tone can be misinterpreted in digital messages (Thompson, 2008).

A written agreement between a student and teacher that outlines expected behaviors, goals, and the rewards or consequences connected to those behaviors. Both parties review and sign the contract.

Behavior Contracts

Purpose: Clearly outline expected behaviors and consequences in a written agreement between teacher, student, and sometimes parents. How It Works: Students agree to specific goals; teachers track progress. Benefits: Promotes accountability, clarity, and shared responsibility.