Engaging Parents In School… | Going Beyond Parent "Involvement":
“‘Fining parents of schoolchildren who are late for class is wrong’”
‘Fining parents of schoolchildren who are late for class is wrong’ is a commentary from the British newspaper “The Telegraph” about a new strategy some public schools are taking over there, and I tend to agree with the writer. You can read an article, and watch a video, on the same topic over at the BBC: School in Milton Keynes to fine parents for constant lateness.
YESTERDAY
“Educating, Engaging and Mobilizing Parents: A Conversation with Parents for Public Schools Executive Director Anne Foster”
Educating, Engaging and Mobilizing Parents: A Conversation with Parents for Public Schools Executive Director Anne Foster is a good interview from Learning First. Here’s how it begins: Public School Insights (PSI): What is Parents for Public Schools? Foster: Parents for Public Schools (PPS) is a national organization of community-based chapters working to strengthen public schools by engaging, edu
“Truancy down when teens eat with parents, says OECD”
Truancy down when teens eat with parents, says OECD is the headline of an article in the BBC. I think it’s just a different summary of the PISA report I recently posted about — see Two Somewhat Interesting Results From PISA Parent Survey. My post highlights what I think are more useful results from their survey. I’m not too sure anyone will be surprised by the lead in the BBC article: Young peopl
I Reluctantly Suggest This Bilingual “Parent Toolkit” Is Worth Checking-Out
I have been, and continue to be, skeptical of anything connected to NBC’s Education Nation — including their “Parent Toolkit” (see NBC “Education Nation” Unveils “Parent Toolkit” — Time To Be Skeptical). However, they have just published a Spanish version of that Parent Toolkit and, given the dearth of good multilingual parent resources, I’m very reluctantly adding it to The Best Multilingual Reso
“7 Crippling Parenting Behaviors That Keep Children From Growing Into Leaders”
7 Crippling Parenting Behaviors That Keep Children From Growing Into Leaders is an article from Forbes that offers some decent advice to both parents and to teachers. I might be useful as a hand-out at a parents meeting to quickly review and discuss…
JAN 19
“Learning is family affair at Broomfield library”
Learning is family affair at Broomfield library is a recent article in a local Colorado newspaper. Here’s how it begins: The sign on the door says the library is for kids, but at Broomfield’s Children’s Library, reading is a family affair. In addition to putting beloved books in the hands of children, the Mamie Doud Eisenhower Public Library is one of 28 across the country that is part of grant th
I Don’t Think A Supt. Suspending A Principal Because She Supported PTO President Will Encourage Parent Engagement
Some crazy stuff is happening in New Jersey these days, and I’m not just talking about “Bridgegate.” The Newark school superintendent just suspended five principals — four for speaking out against a plan to turn their schools into KIPP charters and one for supporting the president of her schools Parent Teacher Organization and opposing the Superintendent’s decision to ban him from school grounds (
“Keys To Parent Engagement – Relationships, Climate, Communication”
Keys To Parent Engagement – Relationships, Climate, Communication is the last in a four-part series I’ve published over at Education Week Teacher. Today’s post highlights responses from Darcy Hutchins and Mai Xi Lee, along with many readers’ comments. Here are some excerpts: I’m adding the series to My Best Posts, Articles & Interviews On Parent Engagement.
The Best Fifteen Minutes Of My Week
Had 10 kids come to my room after school; made 90 second calls home 4 each saying how well they were doing. Best 15 minutes of my week — Larry Ferlazzo (@Larryferlazzo) January 18, 2014
Worst Idea Of The Year: Don’t Attend Parent-Teacher Conference? Then We’ll Ban You From Attending Graduation Of Your Child
The Cobb County School Board is considering a member’s suggestion that if a parent doesn’t attend a teacher conference, then the parent could be banned from attending their child’s graduation. Here’s a news report on the proposal: This is a definite addition to The Worst Parent Engagement Ideas.
“Bridging Worlds: Family Engagement in the Transition to Kindergarten”
Bridging Worlds: Family Engagement in the Transition to Kindergarten is a useful “case study” from The Harvard Family Research Project. I’m adding it to The Best Resources On Pre-School Parent Engagement.
I Don’t Think Fining Parents For Taking Students Out Of School For A Week’s Vacation Is The Best Idea….
A couple in the United Kingdom was given a substantial fine for taking their two children out of school for a one week vacation. If you read the BBC article, it certainly doesn’t sound like justice was served. Listen, I’m a teacher. It doesn’t make my job easier when parents take their kids to Mexico for a few weeks during the holidays, or when students miss school for a trip. But, come on, we liv
JAN 16
“Blaming Poverty on Single Parents Is Win-Win for Republicans, Evidence Be Damned”
Blaming Poverty on Single Parents Is Win-Win for Republicans, Evidence Be Damned is an extensive Atlantic article. It’s a must-read piece. Here’s an excerpt: And is where everyone should be screaming from the rooftops: “Correlation isn’t causation!” If you don’t have access to a roof, stand on your desk like you’re in Dead Poet’s Society and bellow, “Just because poverty is more common among the u
JAN 15
“Parents Can Teach Educators ‘Lessons About Learning and Life’”
Parents Can Teach Educators ‘Lessons About Learning and Life’ is part three in my Ed Week series on parent engagement. Today’s post features contributions from Catherine Compton-Lilly, Dr. Sherrel Bergmann, Dr. Judith Brough and Maurice J. Elias.
Parent Engagement Is The Topic Of My Newest Ten Minute Podcast
How Do We Increase Involvement Among Parents Who Are Already Overwhelmed? is the title of my newest ten minute BAM! Radio podcast. I talk with Mai Xi Lee and Darcy Hutchins about the topic, and I’ll be publishing their written responses on Sunday at my Education Week Teacher blog.
JAN 14
Sacramento Bee Tries To Involve Parents & Teachers In School Improvement
The Sacramento Bee has begun an initiative inviting parents and teachers to let them know if classrooms are not being heated well (or not air-conditioned in the heat). They then put the info on a map and try to shame districts into fixing the problem. I guess you’d call this an effort at community journalism. I suppose it can’t hurt, though sometimes I get concerned that efforts like this are sim
JAN 13
“What Do Parents Want in Their Child’s School?”
What Do Parents Want in Their Child’s School? is a good post by Bill Carozza summarizing a semi-recent poll of parents by the Fordham Institute. I had thought I had posted about the survey already, but I couldn’t find it, so I guess I just thought I had…. Of course, I have posted about many other parent surveys, and you can find all those here.
JAN 12
“Nominate The 2014 Toyota Family Teacher Of The Year”
From The National Center For Families Learning: “Know a teacher that deserves an “A+” for engaging parents, children and educators in the learning process? Nominate them for the Toyota Family Teacher of the Year Award and the chance to win $20,000 for their school or non-profit program. The National Center for Families Learning, together with long-standing partner Toyota, have partnered to recogni
JAN 11
“Parent Engagement Requires ‘Trust, Not Blame’”
Parent Engagement Requires ‘Trust, Not Blame’ is Part Two in my Education Week Teacher series on…parent engagement. Jane Baskwill, Julia Thompson and Bryon V. Garrett share their thoughts. Here are some excerpts:
This Looks Like A Useful Study: “Meta Analysis of the Studies of High Performing Family Literacy Programs”
Meta Analysis of the Studies of High Performing Family Literacy Programs comes from Toyota Family Literacy Program Research Project, and it looks pretty useful. Here’s a description: The National Center for Families Learning (NCFL) announces the release of Toyota Family Literacy Program Research Project, a meta-analysis of high-performing family literacy programs in a variety of communities/cities
JAN 10
My Best Posts On The Harlem Children’s Zone & Other “Promise Zones”
, President Obama announced grants to five communities designated at “Promise Zones” that are planned to replicate — more or less — the Harlem Children’s Zone. I’ve published many posts about the Harlem Children’s Zone — both positive and less than positive — including concerns about parent engagement and how they relate to local institutions. Though I don’t know all the specifics of these five ne
JAN 08
“Universal preschool may help parents more than children — and that’s okay”
I think the evidence is more clearly positive in favor of the advantages of pre-school education for children than the author of the Reuters piece, Universal preschool may help parents more than children — and that’s okay, suggests. And, I’m not entirely comfortable with his somewhat condescending attitude towards poor parents. Nevertheless, I think he does make a good point that we proponents of
JAN 07
“Listening To Parents With Our Heads And Hearts”
Listening To Parents With Our Heads And Hearts is my latest Education Week Teacher post. This is the first post in a three-part series on parent engagement. Today, Katy Ridnouer, Janice Fialka, and Joe Mazza provide their guest responses
The Best Articles Questioning The View That Single Parents Are A Problem
As most people know, there is a common narrative suggesting that single-parent households can be a cause of many problems affecting children — in and out of school. I’ve previously posted some articles questioning that view, and a new study has just been published. I thought it would be worthwhile to put them all in one post: Marriage Promotion Has Failed to Stem Poverty Among Single Moms has just
Under Political Pressure, D.C. Schools Chancellor Invites Parent Input — Sorta’
Before creating plan to improve D.C. middle schools, chancellor wants community input is a Washington Post article discussing the D.C. Chancellors efforts at parent involvement — only after receiving substantial political heat to do so. But it doesn’t sound like her heart is really in it: Maury Elementary parent Joe Weedon, who has been active in efforts to improve Eliot-Hine Middle School, said i
Interesting: “Calif. Charter Caters to Home-Schooled Students”
Calif. Charter Caters to Home-Schooled Students is an article in Education Week that offers a “take” on family involvement with schools that you don’t often hear about: It’s a truism that a child’s most important teacher is his or her parent, but one charter school here uses that mantra literally, as a blueprint to reconnect one group of families that have become disengaged from public schools: ho
“Special Education Toolkit: Resources”
Special Education Toolkit: Resources is from the National PTA and it has a lot of…resources related to special education. I’m adding it to The Best Resources To Help Engage Parents Of Children With Special Needs – Help Me Find More.
JAN 03
“How Teachers and Parents Work Together for Student Success”
How Teachers and Parents Work Together for Student Success is a useful article from NEA Today. Here’s an excerpt: If you show a willingness to learn more about your students from their parents, then they’ll be more willing to work with you throughout the school year. Show an interest in them, and they’ll return the favor. Mellanay Auman, a middle school language arts teacher, uses the beginning of
“Avoiding the Midwinter ‘Back to School’ Slump”
Avoiding the Midwinter ‘Back to School’ Slump offers good advice to both parents and teachers, and couldn’t be more timely! It’s by Jessica Lahey, and appears in The Mother Lode blog at The New York Times.
“Parents and Relationships “
Parents and Relationships is the title of a very good post by Steve Vessey, Superintendent of the Beaver Dam Unified School District. I’m adding it to The Best Sources Of Parent Engagement Advice For Teachers.
JAN 01
“Is Parental Input the Key to Healthy Student Eating Habits?”
Is Parental Input the Key to Healthy Student Eating Habits? is a good explanation and analysis of a recent study that showed sending home “report cards” on student lunch eating habits caused them to eat healthier. I just wonder, though, if instead of that, or “twinned” with such a report, some non-preachy lessons on the impact of good nutrition might be a less “behaviorist” way of improving studen
“New Schools Chancellor Stresses ‘Fun’ and Parent Communication”
The New York City public schools have had a long history of problems engaging parents. The new Chancellor, however, promises to change that. Here’s an excerpt from The New York Post’s article, New Schools Chancellor Stresses ‘Fun’ and Parent Communication: Ms. Fariña emphasized the need to treat parents as partners, not adversaries–a frequent critique of the outgoing Bloomberg administration. She