Principals and parents
This column in today's paper about parental engagement drew upon some research I've been doing into the subject, some of which we have discussed here in previous entries. A point I'd like to bring up today is the one mentioned in the column about linking a principal's performance review to how well his or her school engages parents.
Obviously, the entire review can't be based on the parental element.
But, as Harvard's Heather Weiss says in the column, there is now a large body of evidence that shows a child's success is directly linked to the involvement of his or her parents with his or her schoolwork. So, why shouldn't districts look into how well principals are engaging parents?
Principals can't force parents to sit around the kitchen table and work with their kids, so there is a limit to how much they can be held accountable. But districts can look into the creativity of their parental strategies, gauge
Obviously, the entire review can't be based on the parental element.
But, as Harvard's Heather Weiss says in the column, there is now a large body of evidence that shows a child's success is directly linked to the involvement of his or her parents with his or her schoolwork. So, why shouldn't districts look into how well principals are engaging parents?
Principals can't force parents to sit around the kitchen table and work with their kids, so there is a limit to how much they can be held accountable. But districts can look into the creativity of their parental strategies, gauge