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Research on Parent Involvement. Effects of Family and Parent Engagement School attendance increases Better attitudes about school Discipline problems decrease Children go on to higher education Good Types of Involvement Programs Emphasize academics Monitor involvement at home
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Research on Parent Involvement • Effects of Family and Parent Engagement • School attendance increases • Better attitudes about school • Discipline problems decrease • Children go on to higher education • Good Types of Involvement Programs • Emphasize academics • Monitor involvement at home • How to Involve Parents • Relationships are important: Build trust and respect
Benefits of Involving Parents Educating children is a tough job – no one entity can do it alone! • More can be accomplished as a team • Both parents and teachers experience “burnout” when all pressures are placed on them • Establish an equal partnership so everyone participates to help the child learn
Tension between Parents and Teachers • Parents are required to leave their child with a stranger all day • Schools must work to overcome barriers • Difference of cultural backgrounds • Parents who do not speak English • Schools can take the first step to link parents into education
School Resistance to Parent Involvement • Teachers are unsure of how to involve parents • Few opportunities to learn how to communicate with parents • Isolationist view • Classrooms are private - only the teacher and students belong inside • May need encouragement to invite parents in • More training must be provided on parent/teacher communication
Avoiding Adversarial Relationships Book: Including Every Parent, Patrick O’Hearn Elementary School • Set small goals • Improvement takes time and effort • Leadership of principal is key • ‘Walk the walk’ of collaboration, communication, welcoming • Show willingness to communicate • Employ a welcoming philosophy • Examine school attitudes about parents • Offer training for parents showing them how to help their children academically
Implications of Laws • No Child Left Behind and Put Reading First Initiative • Reading First was established as part of NCLB • Requires parent access to information • Only available in certain schools, but serves as model for all • Effective administrators have always involved parents; now schools are accountable for parent involvement • Tied to funding • Adds level of accountability • Ensures that parents in failing schools have access to information and services • Encourages rich partnership between parents and schools
Impact of Parent Involvement on Reading • Read Boston Initiative • Parents sign reading contract and read to kids 3-4 times per week • Result: gains in reading scores • Literacy can be the key to involvement • Parents want to know how to help
Parent Involvement Under NCLB • Title I Schools must: • Inform parents of services, programs and progress • Offer school choice program • Policy emphasizes parental rights and responsibilities • Allows parents to be better informed • Encourages advocacy
Building Motivation for Partnerships • As a teacher/administrator • Share success stories with colleagues • Models, examples from other schools can prompt discussion • Teachers and principals with vision can bring about change! • As a parent • Research your child’s problem • Be informed • Engage in positive dialogue with school faculty
Video Thomas Johnson School,Baltimore, MD Children’s Literacy Initiative • Guidance and leadership from principal • Expected parent involvement • Early Literacy program requires involvement • Evident when parents are/are not involved • Parents of absentees are called/visited each morning • Message to parents: School matters!
Overcoming Excuses • Expect involvement both from parents and schools • Reflect on practices at home and school • Identify the factors that impact reading achievement (positively and negatively) • Shared mission: Make reading a priority in school and at home • Set clear goals, develop a plan • Analyze data • Create incentives for involvement • Partnership with public library – rewards kids for visiting • Self knowledge and examination of current system is crucial for success
Involving Parents and the Community Children are a community’s greatest resource • Call upon existing strengths within the community • Use data to influence involvement • Student surveys about reading habits at home • Advice for principals: • Examine school culture • Identify areas of strength and weakness • Capitalize on strengths and work to reduce barriers to reading proficiency
Teachers • Find what works through research and experience • Examine practice within and across grade levels • Standardize practices • What works? What is based in research? • Get the rest out of the way • Encourage collaboration • Create opportunities for discussion • Set aside time during the work day to allow the staff to discuss methods and coordinate vision
Encouraging Parent Involvement • Involve community organizations • Go where the parents are: church, grocery store, local businesses, etc. • Establish ‘family room’ • Supply books • Talk to parents • Offer workshops • Allow classroom observation • Share strategies both parents and teachers have found • Encourage communication of ideas • Makes parents feel involved and gives teachers valuable information
Making it Work in Your School • Importance of building relationships • Hands-on approach effective in building trust • Home visits, direct contact with families • Reach out to parents • Schools can be intimidating for parents • Schools should take the first step in communication • Welcome parent ideas • Acknowledge parents’ unique knowledge about their child • View as whole-school approach, not just an add-on
Parent Views • Make sure parents are welcome in educational realm, not just in school building • Classroom observation • True participation in learning • Many parents want to do more than help at fundraisers • Provide guidance for helping struggling readers • Be a model for parents • Show parents techniques to use at home • Invite parents to be engaged in content
Video Mira’s Family, San Jose, CA Foundation for reading success begins early • Everyday opportunities to learn concepts of print: • Grocery Stores • Shopping Lists • Letter magnets at home • Daily reading time • Child learns how books are used, how reading works • Message to child: Reading is a pleasure!
Ideas for Parents of Struggling Readers • Look to schools first • Talk with classroom teachers • Become informed on the reading process • Understand your role • Three aspects: coach, monitor, and advocate • Set TV limits at home • Provide good books • Follow child’s interests • Encourage reading throughout adolescence
Understanding the Parent Perspective • Parents need encouragement to become partners • Trained teachers and collaborative school community can help bring parents in • Parents feel up against a system • May not understand it; feel that it doesn’t always work in their child’s best interest • Need to learn the system and understand how to make it work for their child • Engage parents in a dialogue • Provide models for the home/school relationship • Parents can serve as models for other parents
Tips for Parents • Know about your child, how things are going at school • Ask for specific information • Reading level, progress, screening information • Explanation of data • Ways you can help • Available services
Role of Parent in Early Intervention • Contact the teacher right away to discuss problems • Notice signs of struggles at home • Child avoids reading aloud • Child struggles to recognize common words • Provide a reading environment at home • Be a coach as the child learns how to read • Model at school Often, parents of struggling readers had problems in school themselves • Should be encouraged to take an active, positive role
Bringing Parents In • Give parents power • Involve them as a positive change agent • Organizations for parents • Parent Teacher Association • Institute for Responsive Education • Parents for Public Schools • Southwest Educational Development Laboratory • Parent liaison • Contact point between families and school • Set up workshops, create opportunities for parent involvement • Can be less intimidating for other parents
Getting Information to Parents • Pass along information to parents from national organizations • Tools, tips, resources • Find small instructional activities that kids can practice at home • Speeds progress in school • Offers parents area of engagement that is purposeful and that matters • Share with parents: • Child’s current reading level • Child’s expected reading level • Materials that parent can use at home to reinforce class work
Video Neile’s Family, Raleigh, NC • Phonemic Awareness • Knowledge that words are made of individual sounds • Parent involvement • Word games • Rhyming games • Reading with children
Helping Struggling Readers • Research is providing more information on how to help kids • Communicate research-based methods to teachers through professional development • Shift from seeing parent involvement as an add-on to a whole-school improvement strategy • Make parents aware of their important role in literacy development
Involving Experienced Teachers Overcoming Resistance to Change • Provide professional development • Give everyone in the school responsibility to communicate with parents • Teachers, aides, counselors, administrators, nurses • Administrator should set expectation, model strategies • Ease tension, anxiety about parent relationships • Provide information on how to conduct conferences Teachers want a positive relationship with parents!
Talking to Teachers Tips for Parents • Use data to discuss academic progress • Keeps focus on child improvement • Reduces sense of personal attack, blame • Use partnership language to build trust • Express willingness to help • Ask for strategies to use at home
Helping a Struggling Reader without a formal reading program • Advocate for use of a formal reading program • Programs are research-based • Help teachers address all areas of reading development • Advocate for early literacy screening Meanwhile… • Coach child at home, but advocate for change • Parents should supplement, but not replace, school curriculum • Become involved in the parent council at school • Organize with other parents to address concerns
Benefits of Student-Led Conferences • Portfolio works are selected by the student • Student reflects and communicates ideas • Parents and teachers join in discussion with student • Leads to self- advocacy later in life for the child • Articulation of goals • Understanding of progress
Involving Busy Parents • Information does not have to stay at school • Hold events at community locations: grocery store, nail shop • Go where the parents are! • Make it easy for parents to attend events • Provide transportation, food • Encourage parents to make school a priority
Difficulty Communicating with a Teacher • Remain professional • Your child is watching the interaction and could suffer if it is conducted poorly • Contact a school guidance counselor to mediate • Improve relationship with the teacher • Do not give up or go over the teacher’s head • If necessary, involve principal
Working with Non-Reading/Non-English Speaking Parents • Have child read to parents for practice • Involve extended family • Grandparents, siblings • Use whatever reading material is in the home • Comic books, cookbooks • Provide audio-taped stories for child • Tell stories to children • You do not have to be a reader to encourage literacy • Encourage school to provide GED/ESL classes for parents
Balancing Structured Curriculum and Parent Concerns • Be creative • Find ways to integrate literature across content areas • Encourage reading at home • Use the school library for independent reading books • Encourage parents to take their children to public libraries for reading at home
Working with Demanding Parents • Channel parent energy • Use parents as a resource for the school • Ask parents questions, make them partners • Simply asking a parent questions about their child can make them feel useful and involved • Involve parents in a positive role in the school • Encourage them to serve on the parent council Turn demanding parents into advocates for the school!
Final Thoughts • Parents are powerful • Village concept – engage community and families • Parent and schools working together can lighten the burden and benefit students • Parents can demonstrate the value of literacy without being a reading teacher themselves • Parents: Advocate for early literacy screening to avoid reading problems later!
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