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Communities: Leveraging Partnerships and Promise Tracy Smith, Corie Maffett, Ashley Miller, and Cindi Bradshaw Appalachian State University

Parents, Teachers, Schools, Communities

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Page 1: Parents, Teachers, Schools, Communities

Parents, Teachers, Schools, Communities: Leveraging Partnerships

and PromiseTracy Smith, Corie Maffett, Ashley Miller, and Cindi Bradshaw

Appalachian State University

Page 2: Parents, Teachers, Schools, Communities

Interactive ActivityRemain standing if…

Requirement that staff members document contact with families

PTO/PTA Organization Parental membership on multiple school committees Dedicated budget for parental involvement Paid staff member whose job is to support/increase

parent involvement

Page 3: Parents, Teachers, Schools, Communities

Challenges

What challenges do we face when we try to partner with parents and community?

Transportation

Parents are “burned out” from 6 years of elementary school

Scheduling

Page 4: Parents, Teachers, Schools, Communities

Special Considerations for Middle School

Parents often report feeling that children should do homework alone; parents shouldn't try to help if they're not experts in the subject.

The structure of many middle schools can also deter parents: larger and can feel more impersonal than most elementary schools, and students; receive instruction from several teachers(Rutherford, et al., 1997).

Page 5: Parents, Teachers, Schools, Communities

This We Believe in Action

If parents are to become genuine partners with and supporters of their child’s middle school, every effort should be made to educate them regarding the format and functioning of an effective middle school.

Parents should have a clear picture of how a middle school operates and, as part of their orientation to the early teen years, understand the importance of advisory and advocacy.

Back to School Night provides an annual opportunity to inform parents.

The first stop on such an evening should be a meeting with their child’s advisor.

After explaining the program to parents, advisors can engage them in an advocacy exercise that will help them appreciate how advisory can serve their child (p. 154).

Page 6: Parents, Teachers, Schools, Communities

Why partner?

This We Believe characteristic: School-initiated family and community partnerships

Cultivating an Ethic of Caring

Capitalizing on Funds of Knowledge

Research Support and Positive Outcomes

A comprehensive and meaningful partnership meets the needs of the families, schools, and communities involved.

Page 7: Parents, Teachers, Schools, Communities

The Ethics of CareNell Noddings, 2002

Education (in its widest sense) is central to the cultivation of caring in society.

Education is “a constellation of encounters, both planned and unplanned, that promote growth through the acquisition of knowledge, skills, understanding and appreciation.”

Special emphasis on the home as a site for educational encounter. Indeed, she views the home as the primary educator.

Need for re-orientation of social policy to this end. Not to sideline the role of schools but simply to recognize

just what the home contributes to the development of children and young people.

Page 8: Parents, Teachers, Schools, Communities

Studies show that more students will be motivated to learn and will increase their skills if educators design class work and

homework that enable students to draw from their families’ “fund of knowledge” to understand the real-world applications of

school skills.

This We Believe in Action, 2012

Page 9: Parents, Teachers, Schools, Communities

What are the outcomes of parent involvement?

Page 10: Parents, Teachers, Schools, Communities

Epstein, et al. Framework

Page 11: Parents, Teachers, Schools, Communities

Parenting

TYPE 1--PARENTING: Assist families with parenting and child-rearing skills, understanding child and adolescent development, and setting home conditions that support children as students at each age and grade level. Assist schools in understanding families.

Ex: Book groups on adolescent reading

Page 12: Parents, Teachers, Schools, Communities

Stop Cyber-Bullying Informational Night Just for Parents-March 7, 2013

Page 13: Parents, Teachers, Schools, Communities

Communicating

TYPE 2--COMMUNICATING: Communicate with families about school programs and student progress through effective school-to-home and home-to-school communications.

Examples: texting to parents, kikutext, Reminders 101(app and website), Texting to the Next Generation, Bring Your Own Device, Raven Card, and Carbon copies of conferences.

Page 14: Parents, Teachers, Schools, Communities

Volunteering

• TYPE 3--VOLUNTEERING: Improve recruitment, training, work, and schedules to involve families as volunteers and audiences at the school or in other locations to support students and school programs.

• Examples: Conversation starters and activity generator from the Search Institute

• October is the Month of the Young Adolescent (AMLE)

Page 15: Parents, Teachers, Schools, Communities

Learning at Home

TYPE 4--LEARNING AT HOME: Involve families with their children in learning activities at home, including homework and other curriculum-linked activities and decisions.

Page 16: Parents, Teachers, Schools, Communities

Decision Making

TYPE 5--DECISION MAKING: Include families as participants in school decisions, governance, and advocacy through PTA/PTO, school councils, committees, and other parent organizations.

Examples:

Parental book approval

How do we encourage the less affluent to become members of the PTA/PTO?

Page 17: Parents, Teachers, Schools, Communities

Parent Advisory Council

Clubs and performances bring parents to school!

Page 18: Parents, Teachers, Schools, Communities

Family Engagement Coordinator

Page 19: Parents, Teachers, Schools, Communities

Collaborating with the Community

TYPE 6--COLLABORATING WITH THE COMMUNITY: Coordinate resources and services for families, students, and the school with businesses, agencies, and other groups, and provide services to the community.

Page 20: Parents, Teachers, Schools, Communities

Cultural Arts Night

Page 21: Parents, Teachers, Schools, Communities

Space & Science Nights

Page 22: Parents, Teachers, Schools, Communities

Questions that will help middle grades educators in the middle grades move

toward involvement in action:• What is a research-based, comprehensive, and goal-

oriented program of school, family, and community partnerships in the middle grades?

• How can teamwork ensure that a school will organize and implement a sustainable program of family and community involvement?

• How does family and community involvement link with the other elements of effective middle level schools?

• How can schools answer the call for action to develop and sustain productive partnership programs?

Page 23: Parents, Teachers, Schools, Communities

Action Team for Partnerships (ATP)

Essential structure in each school. At the middle level, schools improve the quality of their plans and practices, outreach to families, and results for students when they have a dedicated committee – an Action Team for Partnerships – of teachers, administrators, parents, and community partners (p. 192).

Composition of ATP: p. 193-4.

Page 24: Parents, Teachers, Schools, Communities

Tips for Engaging Families

Take the Initiative

Be Nice!

Provide Information and Support

Solicit feedback from families and the Community

Deliver positive message about Students in the school

Enhance your school’s presence in the electronic media

Think Outside the BOX!

Repair broken Relationships

Middle Ground, October 2010

Page 25: Parents, Teachers, Schools, Communities

Your Turn

What’s the most successful parent or community involvement activity or initiative that you have had at your school? Introduce and Discuss with a Neighbor!

Be prepared to share!