Engaging Parents In School… | Going Beyond Parent "Involvement":
Kellogg Foundation Releases Poll Results & Increases Funding For Parent Involvement Programs
I’ve previously posted about the Kellogg Foundation’s plan to make $5 million in parent involvement grants over three years. However, they apparently received so many applications for funding they have decided to spend $5 million in the first year alone. I assume that means that they’ll add more funding in the subsequent years, but don’t know that for sure (and a quick look on their website didn’t
A Parent-Teacher Conference Without Numbers
Two recent posts by parents at other blogs both made the point that they are tired of having the focus of their conversations on measuring their children by numbers. In What parents don’t want to hear at parent-teacher conferences, Journo Adviser says: When my wife and I sat down at our daughter’s 5th grade parent-teacher conference last week, we hoped to get a sense that the teacher understood ou
APR 03
“Principal Connection / Tips for Better Parent-Teacher Conferences”
Principal Connection / Tips for Better Parent-Teacher Conferences is a nice article by Thomas R. Hoerr in ASCD Educational Leadership. Here’s an excerpt: Too often, parent-teacher conferences are seen as one-way reports from teacher to parent, but a parent-teacher conference should be a collaboration. Teachers have information to share, but they also need to allocate time for questions and discuss
“Teachers make house calls to improve performance”
Teachers make house calls to improve performance is a nice article in Cabinet Report that give an overview of making home visits (plus, it describes what’s happening at our school!). I’m adding it to The Best Resources For Learning About Teacher Home Visits.
MAR 31
“Parents have few, if any venues to express their concerns”
The headline quotation is from Jose Luis Vilson, who contributed to the New York Times “Room For Debate” forum on Should Parents Opt Out of Testing? Check out his full contribution and comments from others. I’m adding it to The Best Posts On Parents “Opting-Out” Of Standardized Tests For Their Children.
MAR 30
“A Recipe for Home Visits: 1 Afternoon, 2 Neighborhoods, 4 Families & Frijoles”
A Recipe for Home Visits: 1 Afternoon, 2 Neighborhoods, 4 Families & Frijoles is a nice post by Jessica Cuthbertson. Here’s an excerpt: With the help of a multilingual colleague, a teacher workday, and a few phone calls, we visited four families in two different neighborhoods over the course of an afternoon. We intentionally selected families who were unable to make the last round of parent/te
“Schools central to Promise Zone anti-poverty strategy”
Schools central to Promise Zone anti-poverty strategy is a good overview written up at Ed Source. It also reflects the questions I have about how seriously the role of parent – and community — engagement has played — both at the original Harlem Children’s Zone and in the expansion program. As I’ve written before (you can see those posts in My Best Posts On The Harlem Children’s Zone & Other “P
MAR 29
Philadelphia Inquirer’s Editorial On “Opting-Out”
Here’s an excerpt from Valerie Strauss’ piece at The Washington Post: The editorial board of a big-city newspaper, the Philadelphia Inquirer, has gone on record as not only supporting the right of parents to have their children opt out of high-stakes standardized tests but also saying they are “right to protest” in this manner. I’m adding it to The Best Posts On Parents “Opting-Out” Of Standardize
“Standing Up to Testing”
Standing Up to Testing is a New York Times article on parents opting their students out of standardized testing in New York City. Here’s an excerpt: This movement of refusal does not evolve out of antipathy toward rigor and seriousness, as critics enjoy suggesting, but rather out of advocacy for more comprehensive forms of assessment and a depth of intellectual experience that test-driven pedagogy
New Game: “Start the Talk: A Parent Learning Tool”
Here’s a new well-done online Choose Your Own Adventure game that is being nominated for an award at the Games For Change Festival: Start the Talk: A Parent Learning Tool. It’s designed as a role-playing exercise for parents so they can practice speaking with their children about under-age drinking. Surprisingly — at least to me — it seems to offer some very good advice, and I can see it being use
“3 Things Parents Wish Teachers Knew: We Can Handle the Truth”
3 Things Parents Wish Teachers Knew: We Can Handle the Truth is an interesting post at The New York Times by Jessica Lahey. It’s worth a “read.”
“Cartoons about Families and Schools”
Cartoons about Families and Schools is a fun collection over at Larry Cuban’s blog. If you could use a laugh — and who can’t? — check them out!
“Trying to Close a Knowledge Gap, Word by Word”
Trying to Close a Knowledge Gap, Word by Word is an article and video from The New York Times that gives a pretty good over of research, concerns and potential strategies related to the “word gap.” It includes discussion about the Rhode Island that’s inserting recording devices into children’s clothing, which I have previously posted about skeptically (though I’ve tried to maintain an open mind).
