Creating Effective School Change
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Transcript of Creating Effective School Change
Creating Sustainable Systematic School Change
Wafa Hozien, Ph.D.Virginia State [email protected]
Based on the Book: Why Failure Is Not An Option
Fifth Principle: Gaining Active Engagement From Family and Community
CHAPTER 9
Partnership
• Nothing motivates a child more than when
• learning is valued by schools and families/ community
• working together in partnership…
• These forms of involvement do not happen by accident or even by invitation.
• They happen by explicit strategic intervention. (Fullan, 1997)
• What is meant by “helicopter parents”?
Involvement
• Greater parental involvement leads to
• higher levels of student achievement and
• improved student behavior,
• irrespective of such factors as socioeconomic status or ethnic background.
Building Positive Family and Community Relationships
• Three Key Principles in Building Positive Family Relationships:
1. Mutual understanding based on empathy and recognition of shared interests
2. Meaningful involvement of family and community in a variety of school activities
3. Regular outreach and communication to family and community
Areas in which schools can extend Understanding and Support
• Creating afterschool homework centers so that children include who don’t have someone at home to help them are not penalized because they have not completed assignments;
• Creating schedules, policies, and programs that take into account students’ home-life challenges;
• Providing translators who can communicate with non-English-speaking families and produce versions of important school announcements and communications in the languages spoken by the families that are served;
School as Community
• Creating waiting areas at school for parents and other visitors so that they don’t have to stand at the counter while waiting to speak to a staff;
• Arranging for transportation of students to afterschool activities and for families to school events;
• Setting up alternatives to telephone communication for families who lack telephones; and
• Holding meetings for parents at public libraries and community centers when transportation to school is a problem.
Encouraging Meaningful Parental Involvement
• Establishing a parent-to-parent outreach
• Inviting parents and community members to provide lessons in the language/ culture represented in the community
• Inviting parents and community members to provide leadership for extracurricular activities
• Training teachers and the school receptionist in how to greet parents/ conduct productive parent to parent conferences
Teacher wisdom for maximizing parent-teacher collaboration includes asking parents to:
• Mentor and tutor students who need extra help
• Assist with classroom writing projects, science experiments and so forth
• Direct or assist with dramatic productions
• Present various performances, e.g. musicals, dramas, puppet shows, etc.
Strategies for Engaging Parents in Genuine Partnerships
• Change middle and high school handbooks so that they provide positive, identity-building opportunities awaiting students.
• Develop positive feedback systems
• Provide parents with multi-media formatted guidance
Partnerships
• Creating forums for dialogue about cultural and ethnic differences
• Create opportunities for community service and more meaningful student government
• Provide forums for parent discussions and mutual support
Questions
• How do you productively engage family and community in schools?
• Why is this important?
• What is your school doing that is providing for meaningful parental school relationships?
• How can this be improved?
References
• Blankstein, Alan M. (2004). Failure Is Not an Option: Six Principles That Advance Student Achievement in Highly Effective Schools. Thousand Oaks, Calif. : Corwin.