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Coordinators can recruit partners for family involvement activities
The old proverb that begins, “It takes a village” is especially true when it comes to parent involvement. Often, some of the things that make a school program a success—providing transportation, a meal, or a special guest speaker—involve resources that just aren’t in the budget. But the family involvement coordinator can play a vital role[…]
Support involvement and learning all summer long
The arrival of summer is always exciting for students and staff. But how should students spend their vacations? Could summer plans significantly affect future learning? Yes, say researchers at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, MD. And parent involvement is part of the equation. In “Lasting Consequences of the Summer Learning Gap,” an article in American[…]
Prepare now for fall involvement
It’s not too soon to prepare for fall parent involvement! Inform parents now about fall events, such as back-to-school nights or open houses. If possible, specify dates, times and whether or not children are invited. Give families as much time as possible for planning. Meanwhile, be prepared to address concerns about involvement before these key[…]
Let pictures tell the stories of your students’ families
You know the adage about a picture being worth a thousand words. Pictures are also invaluable in learning more about the families and cultures of your students. To promote two-way communication between home and school, create an assignment for students to draw or take pictures of things that are important to them in their home[…]
Evaluate your attendance policy during the summer months
What’s a sure-fire way to improve academic achievement? Research says: Increase student attendance! Take time this summer to get parents involved in evaluating and updating your attendance policy. To get started, recruit a team of parents and staff and invite them to meet for discussions about attendance. (You may also consider having students serve on[…]
Q&A
Q. I failed a student because he did not turn in work in my class. I met with his parents to outline what he needed to do to pass. He did not choose to complete those requirements. They have contacted the principal, the school board and the superintendent. Now they want another conference with me.[…]
Alert parents about summer learning opportunities
Families often associate summer learning with students’ need to make up for academic failures. Ideally, however, summer is a time to maintain skills and even get ahead. Parent involvement is critical to making this happen. As soon as possible, get the word out about summer programs that promote success in high school and beyond. For[…]
Use surveys to boost parent involvement
Parent surveys are valuable tools for assessing everything from interest in volunteering to support for school policies. They can be administered in person (such as in a focus group) or in writing (via handouts, mailings or email). The most effective surveys are brief and specific, but be sure to also include room for open-ended responses[…]
Educators: Arm parents in the fight against drugs
Schools that have effective programs for preventing students from using drugs succeed because they have the help of parents. But to get parents’ help, schools—and the agencies they work with to create a safe and drug-free program—must provide parents with encouragement and strategies for influencing their children. Foremost, parents need advice in two areas: how[…]
Educators: Make a reading kite
A fun activity for a parent-child workshop this month might be kite-making. But rather than making kites to fly outside, parents and their children can make reading kites. All they need is colored construction paper and some yarn. For each book they read this month, children can add another “tail” to their kite. The tail[…]