Sharing updates from the classroom is a powerful way to build a strong connection between your childcare program and the families you serve. When families get a glimpse into their child's day—seeing them learn, play, and interact with friends—it fosters trust and creates a supportive community. Consistent, positive communication keeps everyone engaged and reinforces the value of the learning happening in your program.
This article explores creative and effective ways to share classroom highlights. You'll learn about different methods for keeping families in the loop, best practices for sharing content safely and respectfully, and how tools can simplify the entire process.
Why share classroom highlights?
Regularly sharing what happens in your classroom offers significant benefits for children, families, and educators. It goes beyond simple updates; it builds a bridge between home and school, strengthening the entire community.
Connect with families
Sharing moments from the day helps families feel connected to their child's experiences. Seeing photos of their child building a block tower, hearing about a new song they learned, or reading about a funny moment in class allows families to be part of their child's world, even when they're not there. This connection strengthens the partnership between educators and families, creating a more supportive environment for the child.
Promote transparency
Open communication builds trust. When families can see the activities, lessons, and interactions that fill their child's day, it provides transparency into your program's curriculum and teaching philosophy. This clarity helps families understand the value of your program and feel confident in the care and education their child is receiving.
Celebrate achievements
Every day is filled with small and large achievements for young children. Sharing these milestones—whether it's learning to write their name, successfully sharing a toy, or mastering a new puzzle—allows everyone to celebrate the child's progress. It acknowledges the hard work of both the child and the educators and keeps families informed about their child's development.
5 creative ways to share highlights
There are many ways to share classroom highlights, and the best approach often involves using a mix of methods to reach families where they are. Here are five effective strategies for keeping your community informed and engaged.
1. Send daily photos and videos
A picture is worth a thousand words, especially for busy families. Sending daily photos or short video clips offers a direct window into the classroom. Capturing moments like a science experiment, a collaborative art project, or outdoor playtime can brighten a family's day and spark conversations at home. Real-time updates help families feel involved and connected throughout the day.
2. Share weekly newsletters
A weekly newsletter is a great way to summarize the week's events, announce upcoming activities, and share learning themes. You can include photos from the week, a brief overview of the curriculum focus, and reminders about important dates. Newsletters provide a consistent, organized way to communicate key information while showcasing the fun and learning that happened in your classroom.
Family Newsletter Template
A free template to simplify family communication at your childcare program.
3. Post on social media
Using a private social media group for your classroom or childcare program can be an effective way to share highlights with your community. You can post photos, videos, and updates in a format that families are already familiar with. This method allows for easy interaction, as families can like and comment on posts, fostering a sense of community among families and staff.
4. Write a classroom blog
A classroom blog offers a space for more detailed storytelling. You can write posts about specific projects, document the learning process, and share in-depth reflections on classroom activities. A blog allows you to showcase the "why" behind your teaching methods and provide richer context for the learning that is happening. Families can follow along at their own pace and leave comments, creating an ongoing dialogue.
5. Create digital portfolios
Digital portfolios are a structured way to document a child's growth and development over time. By collecting work samples, photos, videos, and teacher observations in one place, you can create a comprehensive record of each child's learning journey. Sharing these portfolios with families during conferences or throughout the year provides a powerful tool for discussing progress and setting goals.
How brightwheel helps teachers share classroom highlights
Managing communication with multiple families can be time-consuming, but tools like brightwheel are designed to make it simple and efficient. Brightwheel is an all-in-one platform that streamlines how you share classroom highlights, track development, and engage with families.
With brightwheel's daily reports feature, you can easily send real-time updates, photos, and videos directly to families' phones. You can log activities like meals, naps, and learning milestones for individual children or the entire class at once, saving valuable time. These updates are centralized in an activity feed that families can access anytime, keeping them connected to their child's day. According to 95% of administrators and staff, brightwheel improves communication with families.
Brightwheel also simplifies the creation of preschool progress reports and student portfolios. You can log observations in the app, link them to your state's early learning standards, and compile them into structured reports. These digital portfolios create a visual narrative of each child’s growth, making it easy to share progress with families and facilitate meaningful conversations about their development. You can even customize templates to align with your program's specific curriculum.
For broader communication, brightwheel allows you to create and send customized newsletters with photos and different sections. You can save drafts, duplicate past newsletters, and track everything in one central message center, ensuring your communication is consistent and professional.
Best practices for sharing
Sharing classroom highlights is a great way to build community, but it's important to do so responsibly. Following these best practices will help you protect children's privacy and maintain a positive, professional relationship with families.
Obtain consents
Before you share any photos or videos of children, you must have written consent from their families. Create a clear media release form that explains how and where you plan to share images and have it signed by a legal guardian during enrollment. Be sure to keep these forms on file and respect the wishes of any family who does not grant permission.
Be mindful of privacy
Even with consent, be thoughtful about what you share. Avoid posting any personally identifiable information, such as a child's full name, address, or birthday. If you're using social media, ensure your group or page is private and accessible only to the families and staff in your program. When sharing group photos, be mindful of any children whose families have not provided consent and ensure they are not identifiable.
Keep it positive
The goal of sharing classroom highlights is to celebrate learning and foster a positive community. Focus on showcasing children's achievements, engagement, and positive interactions. While it's important to communicate with families about challenges, save those conversations for private, one-on-one discussions rather than public posts.
Be consistent
Consistency is key to effective communication. Whether you choose to share updates daily, weekly, or through a combination of methods, stick to a regular schedule. When families know when to expect updates, they are more likely to stay engaged and feel connected to your program.
Strengthening community through sharing
Sharing classroom highlights is more than just a task on a teacher's to-do list; it's a vital part of building a strong, supportive community. When you invite families into your classroom through photos, stories, and updates, you create a partnership built on trust and transparency.
This connection not only enhances family engagement but also enriches the child's learning experience. By using creative methods and following best practices, you can build a vibrant community where everyone feels valued and involved.
