Bridging the gap between home and school with voice-mail technology

Home-school relations are a growing concern for both teachers and parents, Time constraints sometimes prevent the timely, helpful contacts that enhance the mutual home and school awareness of children's academic and personal progress, and as children grow older, the connection between school and home becomes more difficult, although equally important to maintain. Two studies were conducted that explored the satisfaction of both parents and teachers with their accessibility to each other. Further, an intervention was monitored in which a voice-mail telephone system was used as an alternative vehicle for communication between parents and teachers, Findings showed an enhancement at the upper elementary level in both quality and quantity of teacher-parent communication.