The Power of Just One Photo

 As a mom, I love and truly appreciate the moments where I get a Remind alert from my daughter's teacher. Today's message included a photo of her creating a landform model out of clay. I loved being able to see her in her classroom with her peers, doing cool things. 

What's great about sending photos to families is that it provides an instant portal into the learning. I'm now a part of the class. I'm there with her, seeing what she sees, and "doing" what she's doing alongside her. 

The best part? This photo provides instant language access for everyone. No one has to worry about translating text or even having literacy skills. The photo provides instant access. As an EL teacher, I truly wished I could have spoken the 63 languages of my students and their families. With a photo, I can.

Sending photos to families is a powerful practice. I also must mention that I have a son who is in 8th grade, and we battle the same conversation that many other families also go through:

Me: How was your day at school?

Him: Good.

Me: What did you do/learn?

Him: Nothing/I don't know.

Of course, yes- I should definitely mix up our conversation to avoid these famous one-liners! However, if I have a photo shared by the teacher/school, I can hold it out and instead ask, "What were you doing here?" or "Tell me about this photo!" or "Wow, you all looked like you were having fun!" This photo packs so much power, and it can do much more to guide conversations at home. 

One photo can help me as a parent feel more connected to the teacher/school/learning. 

One photo can help me as a parent feel more connected to my child, and can enrich our conversations at home. 

That's the power of just ONE photo! So however you share it (classroom Instagram account, Twitter post from the school, Remind text messages, a Seesaw post, a picture message, an email, etc.), I encourage you in your efforts. Just one photo can make such a powerful impact!