Engaged Parents—

Who Needs „em?

Developing Teacher-Parent Partnerships

That Focus on

Positive Student Learning and

Behavioral Outcomes

NORMS

Be timely, present and participatory

Phones on silent or stun

Minimize sidebars

Return from break

Goals

At the end of this session, participants will:

1. Have knowledge of what research says about engaged parents‟ effect on student performance and behavior.

2. Have knowledge of a variety of ways to encourage parents‟ engagement in their child‟s education.

3. Have engaged collaboratively with one another on ways to plan for increasing parental engagement.

4. Be able to serve as a resource of information to others.

We know you‟re a teacher, but tell us more…..

http://www.zoomerang.com/Survey/WEB22CV4M7N6ED

Regardless of family income or background,

students with involved parents are more likely to:

Earn higher grades and score higher on tests

Attend school regularly

Pass more classes, earn more course credits

Have better social skills, show improved behavior, and adapt well to

school

Experience increased academic success

Graduate and go on to postsecondary education

*Source: A New Wave of Evidence, Southwest

Educational Development Laboratory (2002)

A parent‟s physical presence does not

necessarily equal a parental involvement.

The involved parent provides the

following to his/her child:

1. Support

2. Insistence

3. Expectations

6 Types of School-Parent Involvement

1. Parenting

2. Communicating

3. Volunteering

4. Student Learning at Home

5. School Decision-making and Advocacy

6. Collaborating with the Community

*Source: School, Family, and Community Partnerships: Your

Handbook for Action, J.L. Epstein, Corwin Press (1997)

No significant learning occurs

without significant relationships.

*Dr. James Comer

Memorable Experience

Think about your life as a student. What

memory “stands out”

for you?

How has this affected your approach to your own child‟s education?

Going Beyond the traditional

Parent-Teacher Conference:

More than Spaghetti Suppers

What‟s Their View on P-T Conferences?

It‟s your first visit to a new dentist. What

are the things you see and hear that might

increase or decrease your confidence in

the ability of the doctor and staff?

You are a parent, visiting your child‟s new

school. What might you see or hear that

might increase or decrease your

confidence in the school and its staff?

And the Survey Says…

Inventory of my Secondary School‟s Family

Friendliness—go to:

http://www.zoomerang.com/Survey/U2KH6UXQGR6A

And the Survey Says…

Inventory of my Elementary School‟s Family

Friendliness—go to:

http://www.zoomerang.com/Survey/U2KH6UXNGR53

Engaging Parents From the Start:

Welcoming Culture

Invite, Invite, Invite

Inform, Inform, Inform

Phones: real people

Newsletters, website, school blog

Feed them and they will come

Nix “Parenting Class” titles

Each one—reach one (or more)

Safe Schools—for parents too (emotional)

“I know you believe you understand what

you think I said, but I am not sure you

realize that what you heard is not what I

meant.”

*Richard M. NIxon

Tips for better communication

Clarify everyone‟s needs and wants.

Be sure you understand what each really is saying.

Convey a willingness to learn from each other.

Agree to disagree agreeably.

Use objective, non-judgmental language.

Agree what each of you will do.

Don‟t take it personally!

Be Mindful of These When

Communicating w/Parents:

1. MUTUAL RESPECT

2. USE OF NON-EDUCATIONESE

3. HOW HOME DISCIPLINE IS HANDLED

4. HOW TIME IS VIEWED BY PARENT

5. ROLE OF SCHOOL AND EDUCATION IN

PARENTS’ LIVES

Effective Communication Skills

Involve:

Paraphrasing conveys attention and

understanding. I’m listening and I care.

Clarifying provides greater specificity for

either observer or teacher. “Help me understand . . .”

Mediating stretches thinking, considers other

possibilities. “What if . . .”

And now, a word from our participants:

Paraphrasing and Clarifying

Can‟t I please just

teach and leave parent

engagement to the

Parent Facilitator?

How does classroom management fit in

the parent-engagement puzzle?

*Source: Behavior Management is not equal to Classroom Management, D.

Ginsburg, Education Week (2011)

Classroom Management

Materials

Instruction

Policies

and Procedures

Time

Behavior

Layout

Scenario:

Mrs. Allison, a ninth-grade science teacher, has been having trouble with

Samuel Hodges misbehaving during lab time. After his second disruption,

Mrs. Allison told Samuel that she was going to contact his parent. That

evening, Mrs. Allison called Samuel‟s mother, Ms. Andrews, and told her

about Samuel‟s misbehavior.

Ms. Andrews told Mrs. Allison to hold on; Mrs. Allison could hear Ms.

Andrews talking to Samuel in the background. When Mrs. Andrews came

back on the line, she said “Samuel told me that he didn‟t do it and my son

don‟t lie. “ Mrs. Allison replied that she saw Samuel‟s misbehavior and that

she had talked to him about it after class. Mrs. Andrews shouted into the

phone, “Listen, I‟m tired; I‟ve worked hard all day and I don‟t have time for

this. My son ain‟t no liar; he said he didn‟t do it and I believe him—because

he don‟t lie to me. ”

With Your Partner/Group:

Discuss:

Is this scenario a realistic one?

Could the teacher have used a different

approach and, if so, what would you

suggest?

Why do you think Mrs. Andrews reacted as

she did?

Debrief

Effective Classroom Management =

Engaging Parents‟ Involvement

Communicate, communicate, communicate—early, often and in variety of media

Let parents know your rules, routines, procedures; teach to kids and practice—REGARDLESS of grade level

Make yourself available—give advance notice of available talk/meet time

Know how to use parent PR—be open, be inviting, be yourself

Invite, invite, invite—into your class and into your activities

Catch the kids doing good stuff and shout it from the rooftop to parents (especially the ones you know you‟re going to have to call conferences for before October arrives).

Don‟t be afraid to “phone home” and let the kids know of your boldness!

Document, duplicate, deliver and be determined (to follow up)

Parents are not

a single group 1. Career-oriented/too busy to attend

school activities

2. Very involved in school activities

3. Single parents—working two jobs

4. Immigrant parents

5. Parent w/overwhelming personal

issues

6. Surrogate parents

7. Children who are, in reality, their

own parent

Think of parents as being

members of distinct

sub-groups.

Some parents choose to act as friend

rather than parent to their child.

Three possible reasons for this:

1. Divorced/single

2. Schedules

3. Own parents‟ history

Ideas and Suggestions to Encourage More

Parent Activity in Schools

Engaging Specific Groups of Parents:

Two-career parent: fliers, web page, newsletter, email updates

on class/school events, color-coded information (white-nice;

yellow-concern; red—immediate attention), if call at work only

do so to ask them to call you back when they are off work to

talk

Non-working /uninvolved parent: volunteer phone call updates,

home contacts, coffee “klatches” at one parent‟s home with 3-4

other parents/principal/counselor

Surrogate parent: since tends to be grandparents/foster

parents, offer support through a mentor who contacts them

monthly

Engaging Specific Groups of Parents:

Immigrant parent: short videos (not commercially produced),

dubbed in their own language explaining how—school works,

talk to teacher, what grades mean, what homework is, etc.

Single parent: activities with open time frames, food, child care,

and possibly on weekends; videos introducing the teacher at

beginning of year

Unavailable parents (child self-parenting): teacher child how to

care for self, provide linkages for student to other school

service agencies, counselor provide lunches for kids of similar

circumstances to meet, eat, and discuss relevant issues.

Ideas for Engaging Parents:

Museum format for parent meetings.

Introductions Video

Let children attend with parent (volunteers work with

children)

Child-care for moms without support systems to attend

activities.

Gift baskets or gift certificates donated by community

businesses.

Food

Offer classes for parents (filling out applications, computer,

English, small-business)

Ideas for Engaging Parents:

Fliers: use both written AND visual information

Send home simple, how-to activities for parent and child

Make connections—each one/reach one

Make home visits—as appropriate

Hold activities in community centers or other non-school locations

Use a variety of announcement media throughout the year

Buffet—make it easy, provide a variety of ways to be engaged

Ideas for Engaging Parents:

Invite, Invite, Invite—and Ask Personally

Welcome Wagon

Pair newly involved parent w/experienced parent

volunteer

Follow-up with parents on volunteerism

surveys/responses

Limit meeting time—less than an hour

Make it easy--provide variety of time slots if possible

Ideas for Engaging Parents:

Show your appreciation—simply say “thank you”

yields rewards

Reach Out—all making an effort, all the time

Get the kids to perform (science fair, band concert,

literacy/math night)

Be at the activities; be visible yourself

Speak to individual parents—be mindful to include all

Listen to parents‟ suggestions; ask for input

Building Communities of Support:

First-line staff trained to greet

Diverse school-design teams identify needed support systems and develop solutions

First-of-year home contacts by teachers, lasting no more than five minutes.

Ask parents and students informally and conversationally what the school can do to better serve them

Weekend activities; not athletics but other family-oriented activities

Donuts for Dads--Coffee Chats for Moms—Grandparents‟ Lunch

Building Communities of Support:

Picnics on Playground or Block Party (after school,

on weekends) for Parents/Children

Information for parents such as basic money skills,

conflict resolution skills, etc.

Student-led parent/teacher conferences

Child-nominated parent awards

Awards ceremony for Parent Volunteerism (using

variety and diverse definition of)

With Your Team

Brainstorm, discuss and map out a plan for increasing

parental engagement at your school that can be

implemented in the upcoming school year.

“Locate a resilient kid and you

will also find a caring adult—or

several—who has guided him.”

Invincible Kids, U.S. News & World Report

Be joyful and have a great year!

Sources:

• Payne, R.K. (2006), Working with parents: Building relationships for

student success (2nd ed.). Highlands, TX: aha! Process, Inc.

• Payne, R.K. (2005), A framework for understanding poverty (4th revised

ed.). Highlands, TX: aha! Process, Inc.

• Creagh, M.L. (2006), Nobody wants your child. Atlanta, GA: Rock Hill

Books of Atlanta.

• Price, H.B. (2008), Mobilizing the community to help students succeed.

Alexandria, VA: ASCD.

• Other sources are cited within the document.