Building Great Relationships With

ParentsCreating a Welcoming Environment For a Successful Head Start Program

Yvette Dobbs M.S.

The Gravely Group

Our Warm UpDiscussion Dice

• Introduce yourself to others at your table.

• Roll The Dice. Match The Sum Of The Dice To Topic.

Parental InfluencesWe Know that:

Parents are the single most important influence on children’s decisions

Adolescents who are connected to their parents are less likely to engage in risky

behaviors

Parental InfluencesWe also know that:

When parents are involved, students succeed in school

The earlier in a child’s life parents become involve the bigger the impact

Six Types of Involvement

Joyce Epstein’s Keys to

Successful Family-School-Community

Partnerships

The Six Keys• Parenting• Communicating• Volunteering • Learning at Home• Decision Making• Collaborating With The Community

What Comes To Mind When You Hear the Term

Parent Engagement?

Recognizing Challenges

Challenges to Engagement• Language• Different

Perspectives• Insufficient

information • Economics Language• Different

Perspectives• Negative School

Experience

• Role confusion• Racism, classism, • Defensiveness• Time, Logistics• Cultural differences• Trust• Anxiety, Negativity• Unresponsiveness• Powerlessness

Activity 1Part 1.Work Alone

Write Down One Important Challenge That Your Program Faces In Working

With Families.

BE READY TO SHARE!

ACTIVITY PART 2Let’s Solve Some Problems Together

Work with 4 People Together“Twenty Tips”

How can we make sure these “tips” happen in our programs?

BE READY TO SHARE!

ACTIVITY 3

Starting Points

BE READY TO SHARE!

Thank You!The Gravely Group.

1-614-901-3369www.thegravelygroup.com