Jargon is overwhelming. It also shapes how parents feel about their relationship with school, and not in a good way.
It’s not about the words
When a parent reads or receives communication that talks about “co-constructed learning frameworks,” or “transdisciplinary inquiry,” they’re almost certainly skim-reading.
Over time, the little messages underneath grow:
I’m not sure I belong in this conversation.
I feel overwhelmed about how to best care for my child.
I don’t know how to support my child in their education, because I don’t understand it myself.
Research into parent decision-making shows that families form lasting impressions from thin slices of interaction. One confusing or overwhelming piece of communication in the first week of school can shape the whole relationship. Those early moments are particularly important.
Jargon, ultimately, excludes.
Every communication is a moment
Schools are in the business of human transformation. Transformation happens in moments:
- … A child connecting the dots to understand a concept for the first time.
- … A teacher who notices something nobody else noticed.
- … A parent who opens an email and understands how to reinforce learning at home.
The language you use in these moments can shape whether a parent feels inside the story of their child’s education, or outside of it.
When the experience of school is designed intentionally (not left to chance) small things like language choice become the building blocks of a great relationship with ‘school’.
What parents need
As educators, it’s hard to find clarity in your language sometimes. You want to share the nuance, the complexity, the hard work. But parents don’t need jargon to know this.
They need:
- … To feel informed without feeling overwhelmed
- … To understand what their child is experiencing, in plain terms
- … To feel that the school is talking with them, not at them
- … To trust that when something matters, the school will tell them clearly
- … To understand how their child is making progress, and what they need to know in order to support them
When you bust jargon, it’s not dumbing anything down. It’s actually doing the harder, more generous work of meeting parents where they are.
Ready to bust some jargon?
I created a small, free, and admittedly silly tool called ‘Jargon Buster’. Type in some jargon and ‘Buster’ will get to work and give you a clearer way of communicating, along with the reasons why the ‘busted’ version works better.
Jargon Buster may be a bit of fun, but it reflects something we care about deeply: the idea that every school communication is a chance to build a healthier, more productive relationship between family and school.
About the author
Jacob Shultz
Founder, Bolsta Education
Jacob is a specialist in experience strategy for schools. His focus is on improving the lived experience of schools — through story, systems and the small moments that shape how families feel.
