Teachers: Use Tossable Digits to Call Parents and Protect Your Number [plus Special Offer]
It’s time for school again! The 2015/2016 school year is in full swing, and though I love my kids, I am looking forward to them being back. Our teachers have been preparing all summer for this, and parents around the world can’t wait!
Today someone came to our site and used our Live Chat to ask a few questions about how they could use our service to make and receive calls from parents without giving out their own cell phone. That’s what we do! So here’s how you can accomplish just that — staying in touch with parents during the school year without having to use your personal cell number.
Before I dove into writing how Tossable Digits will keep you in control of parent/student phone calls and text messages, I thought I should learn more about why teachers call parents.
Education Week Teacher had an article titled Teaching Secrets: Phoning Home highlighting the benefits of an open communication channel with parents. It was written by Kenneth J. Bernstein, who was a winner of the 2010 Washington Post’s Agnes Meyer Outstanding Teacher Award, who wrote:
By the end of the second week — earlier, if possible — of school, I call the parents or guardians of every one of my students. I teach high school, and I often start the year with more than 180 students, so calling home is a time consuming process. It’s also one of the most important things I do as a teacher.
The value derived from regular and proactive communication between students, parents and teachers is clearly high. And having kids of my own, I know how much I value a call or email from their teachers so I can continue their work in our home.
But, unlike so many teachers who are reluctant to give out their personal home or mobile number, Bernstein says:
When I call, I do not attempt to hide my phone number. If parents (or students) find it important enough to call me, unless or until the privilege is abused, I’m not going to complain. Typically, I don’t get many calls during the course of a year.
But what do you do when the privilege IS abused? What recourse do you have?
That’s where Tossable Digits gives you Super Powers.*
With a Virtual Phone Number from Tossable Digits, we provide you tools to:
- Send all incoming calls to Voicemail with a custom teacher-focused greeting in your voice
- Place calls to parents & students from any phone with your Virtual Number showing on their CallerID
- Block specific numbers or callers with no CallerID
- Call people from any phone where your Virtual Number shows up on their CallerID — Not your Real Phone Number
- Send and receive SMS Text Messages** on your mobile phone that look like they are to and from your Virtual Phone Number. Parents love this and so will you!
- Record every phone call — both for your protection and later review if you miss something
You don’t need an App, nor a new phone. We handle everything for you! And everything is tracked — you can review calls, Voicemails, Call Recordings and SMS Messages on our website, on your phone, and we can email you as well.
Special Offer
Now I know teachers are on a tight budget so we’ve created a special Teacher Plan Subscription — 1 Local US or Canada Virtual Phone Number plus 30 minutes of monthly calls for just USD$3.00 per month. Sign up with a .edu email address (or any address really) and email or Live Chat with our Support team with proof that you are a teacher and we will put you on this Teacher Plan with our deepest appreciation and a warm Thank You for educating our kids. Get your Number Now!
Trust me, we know how hard you work at this!
* Beyond your already existing Super Powers as a teacher!
** SMS available on US and Canada numbers only. Numbers available in 60+ other countries including Australia, United Kingdom, Mexico, Spain and Italy
Resources
So we solved HOW you to make calls to parents without revealing your personal number. I was inspired to dig more deeply into the topic and post some links to guides on what to say once you get the parents on the phone.
- The Power of the Positive Call Home [Edutopia.org]
- Scripting a Parent Phone Call [TheEducatorsRoom.com]
- Tips for Calling Parents [MassTeacher.org]
- Making Difficult Calls to Parents [ThePracticalMommy.hubpages.com]
- How can I call the Home without Fear? (PDF) [suu.edu]
- Parent-Teacher Call Checklist [712Educators.about.com]
- Positive Phone Calls can Make a Difference (Script) [NMHU.edu]
- How to Handle the Phone Call Home [MusicTeachingAndParenting.com]
Good luck and have a great year — I hope I will get some positive phone calls home from my kids’ teachers this year too!
