There are a million good reasons for a teacher not to make parent phone calls. They can be stressful; you've got a small mountain of grading to get to; etc. But, simply put, we think that parent phone calls are too important not to make. In our experience, they have a disproportionately large impact on the effort your students will exert, their willingness to let you push them to achieve, and the work they'll do outside of your classroom. This Mini makes the case for establishing a consistent routine for making parent phone calls as a powerful tool in establishing positive relationships with your students and their families.