Transcript Moving From Involving Parents

Put A Ring
On It:
Moving From
Involving
Parents
M. Dewana Thompson, Ph.D.
Village Consulting Group
Austin, TX
Engaging Families
What’s the
Difference?
Involved
Engaged
What’s the Difference?
Involved: To connect
with someone or
something
Engaged: To
genuinely occupy,
attract, or involve
someone's interest or
attention
So Why Aren’t Some Parents
Involved?
 Bad experiences in school
 Lack of time
 Cultural or language barriers
 Staff are seen as the experts
 Face challenges at home
 Mistrust of schools and school staff
 Child behavior problems
 Not knowing exactly what they can
do at school or at home
How Do We
Engage
Families ?
1. Support Families
2. Communicate &
Build Trusting Relationships
3. Hire & Develop A Family
Focused Staff
4. Build Linkages Across
Individuals & Organizations
5. Establish Policy &
Procedures
6. Plan Your Activity
7. Evaluate Your Activity
Reference: BOSTnet.org
Before You Begin Your Program:
Create Systems
1. Support Families
– Focus on Family’s Assets
– Consider the Needs of
Families
– Get input from families
PARENTS WE NEED YOUR HELP!!!
The ACE-Afterschool grant is starting classes that are FUN & FREE for
all parents of after-school parents this semester.
We just need to know what activities you are interested in.
Please check (√) which topics interest you & return to your child’s teacher by
---------------------------------------------
WHICH
ACTIVITIES
ARE YOU
INTERESTED
IN?
 Zumba
 10 Tips to Getting Your Next Job!
 GED Classes
 Self Defense Class
 Scrapbooking
 ESL Classes
 Iron Chef of _______
 Cooking Classes Made Fun!
 Gardening Club
 Yoga
 Construction Certification
 Help I Can’t Turn My Computer On!
If a topic is not listed here, please let us know what else you’re interested in:
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
What days and time of day work best for you?
 Monday  Tuesday  Wednesday  Thursday  Friday  Saturday
_____ early morning, after student drop-off
_____ lunchtime
_____ evening ( please indicate which evening(s) _________________
Child Name(s): ____________________________
Child Name(s): ____________________________
Child Name(s): ____________________________
Parent Name: _____________________________
Grade: ___________________________
Grade: ___________________________
Grade: ___________________________
Phone Number: ______________________
Thank you and we look forward to seeing you after-school!!
Before You Begin Your Program:
Create Systems
2. Communicate & Build
Trusting Relationships
– Over-communicate
– Positive Communication
– Be there for families
– Provide leadership opportunities
–Create a welcoming environment
BUILD RELATIONSHIPS
Get to Know Your Families
• Don’t make
assumptions
• Introduce yourselfwhether you are site
coordinator OR staff
• Ask questions
• Use a child’s behavior
as a conversation starter
Over-Communicate
Create a Welcoming Environment
PARENT INFORMATION TABLE KIT
Clip board for sign out sheets
A tote file box
Pens (1 box)
Pen Holder
Tri-fold or cork board with staff pictures and
names
White Out
Business Card Holder
A box for comments
A small digital clock
Post-It-Notes Dispenser
Poster board to display pictures of parents or
students on the wall (or use as needed)
Stapler
Antibacterial soap
Tape and Tape dispenser
Peel off letters
Table Cloth
Index cards
Digital Camera
Post it Notes
Create a Welcoming Environment
Create a Welcoming Environment
Create a Welcoming Environment
Before You Begin Your Program:
Create Systems
3. Hire and Develop a Family
Focused Staff
– Hire staff with family engagement
experience (traditional or nontraditional)
–Hire staff who share parent's
experiences and backgrounds
– Provide professional
development
Before You Begin Your Program:
Create Systems
4. Build Linkages Across
Individuals & Organizations
– Collaborate with local organizations
– Act as a liaison between families and
schools
–Help parents develop advocacy skills
Designing a Family
Engagement Program
5. Establish Policy & Procedures
– FOR PARENTS:
•Orientations/Info Meetings
•Parent Handbook
•Increase awareness of
school calendar & activities
•Increase engagement in
children’s informal learning
PLEASE COME
TO PARENT
ORIENTATION
Tuesday, August 25th
7:30-8:30 am
OR
Thursday, August 17th
5:30-6:30 pm
Jones Elementary School
Spanish Translator Available
Engage Parents in Children’s Learning
Using Technology
• Remind
(used to be Remind
101)
• Teachers to Parents
• BuzzMob
• Running Start
• Edmodo
Designing a Family
Engagement Program
SAMPLE
FAMILY
ENGAGEMENT
GOALS
• 100% of parents will
participate in at least 2
family activities
• Provide a minimum of 10
family engagement activities
each semester
• Increase parents
participation from last year
by 20%
5. Establish Policy & Procedures
– FOR SITES:
• Set Goals for Family Engagement
• Develop Action plans
• Develop systems for
communication with parents and
teachers
• Implement Site Visits
• Increase levels of family
involvement, engagement and
leadership opportunities
• Professional Development
Plan Your Family Activities
6. Plan Your Parent Activity
-Who?
-What?
-When?
-Where?
-How?
-WHY?
Offer several opportunities
for engagement
Evaluate Your Family
Activities
7. Evaluate Your Program
• Numbers of Parents
• Number of Activities
• Surveys
• Parent Climate Survey
• Focus Groups
• Track increases in grades,
attendance, behavior of a
target group of students
Evaluate Your Family Activities
Parent Workshop Evaluation
This evaluation instrument is designed to determine if the training, as delivered, met your
needs. For each of the following statements, please circle the number from that most closely
matches your feeling about
that statement using the following scale.
(5=Strongly 4 = Agree 3 = Neither 2 = Disagree 1= Strongly Disagree).
Date:_________________ Title: _____________________ Facilitator:_____________
1. Overall, the workshop met my needs as a parent 1 2 3 4 5
2. The location of the workshop was appropriate and comfortable 1 2 3 4 5
3. As a result of the workshop, I feel even more equipped to help my child 1 2 3 4 5
4. I would recommend this workshop to other parents. 1 2 3 4 5
5. I received what I need to help my with their work. 1 2 3 4 5
Please share any additional comment or feedback:
__________________________________________________________________
How Do We Get Them Here?
•Food
•Transportation
•Childcare
•Don’t call them classes
• Volunteer badges
• Use catchy memorable names
• ADVERTISE through the students
• Showcase students
• Emphasize fun but integrate learning
• Consider non-English speakers
Types of Engagement
Volunteering
Academic
Enrichment
Family
Enrichment
Ongoing
Classes
Cool Ideas to Engage Families
•
Assist with Snacks
•
Watch Dogs After- School
•
Reading to Students
•
Homework Help
•
Career Day
•
Teach an Enrichment
•
Donations
•
Send Items Home
Cool Ideas to Engage Families
•
Family Game Night
•
Dance Off!!
•
Fine Arts Night
•
Family Soccer Game
•
Student Showcase
•
Movie Night Outside
•
Pajama Party
•
Spaghetti Dinner Night
•
Let us Serve You
•
Karaoke Night
•
Smoothie/Ice Cream Social
Cool Ideas to Engage Parents
•
Parent Orientation/Information Meeting/Open House
•
Home Visits
•
ESL Classes –U.S. School Culture Based (Bringing Attendance Home)
•
Parent Universities
•
Grocery Store/Community Family Nights
•
Family STEM Night/Weird Science Night
•
APTT (Academic Parent Teacher Teams)
•
Book/Magazine Swap/Literacy Night
•
M&M Math Made Fun
•
FASFA Nights
•
School Bus Family Engagement
•
College/Career Readiness or Information Nights
•
Science Experiments: Funology.com
•
Family Adventure Reading Pack http://www.readingrockets.org/article/27935
Cool Ideas to Engage Families
Partner with local community college
• GED Classes
• Continuing Education Classes
• CNA
• Job Skills
• Iron Chef of Texas
• Certification Courses
• ESL Classes
• Computer Classes
•
•
•
•
•
•
Are You Smarter Than A 3rd Grader?
Finance/Budgeting Classes
LEAD Classes
Cook It Up in Spanish
From Books to the Big Screen: Parent & Child Book Club
Active Parenting/Strengthening Families/Love & Logic
Remember
Don’t just
involve…
engage!!
Dr. M. Dewana Thompson
Family Engagement Resource Provider
(FERP)
Manhattan Strategy Group
832-687-6209