FAMILY PARTICIPATION OR ENGAGEMENT: A POWERFUL DISTINCTION THAT SUPPORTS POSITIVE OUTCOMES FOR KIDS Presented at the National Catholic Educational Conference Orlando, Florida 4/8/15 By Shauna Adams and Susan Ferguson

Introductions Who is our audience? Who we are- Susan Ferguson: ◦ Director of the Center for Catholic Education at the University of Dayton ◦ Marianist Educational Associate ◦ Family Engagement Collaborative of the Miami Valley Steering Committee ◦ Catholic Family Traditions Specialist for Stories of God’s Love, RCL-Benziger Shauna Adams: ◦ Director of the Center for Early Learning at the University of Dayton ◦ Associate Professor of Early Childhood ◦ Principle Investigator Family Engagement Collaborative of the Miami Valley ◦ Co-author, Stories of God’s Love, RCL Benziger

Learner Outcomes Participants will 1.Evaluate their school’s family engagement strategies to identify areas of strength 2.Evaluate their school’s family engagement strategies to identify opportunities for growth

Family Engagement System Self-Evaluation Tool Throughout this session we will be referring to this tool to assist you as you evaluate the current practice in your school or parish. At the end of the session you will complete an action plan and be invited to join the Family Engagement Collaborative.

Supporting those who Support Families

Tool Kits

The 4 Principles of a Research-based Family Engagement System A.Effective family engagement programs build relationships between the school and families. B.Effective family engagement programs appropriately meet the needs of families and children. C.Effective family engagement programs establish a comprehensive system of communication. D.Effective family engagement programs embrace and respect the cultural background of all families.

A. Effective family engagement programs build relationships between the school and families. 1.They are based on the belief that families, teachers and administrators are partners and are jointly responsible for school readiness and success. Ready Families + Ready Communities + Ready Schools = Ready Children

2. Establish a family engagement team Teams work together to design, implement, and monitor the family engagement plan. More of this Less of this

3.Use effective survey processes. I did and gave them what they said they wanted but they still didn’t show up. Did you survey the families to see what they wanted?

4. Use data about families to plan. Be sure that you are gathering the right data. What you think we can do better What we think you can do better

5. Incorporate many roles Families and educators are not limited by the traditional view of their roles

B. Effective family engagement programs appropriately meet the needs of families and children. 1.Empower families by focusing on strengths and avoiding a deficit model 2.Address children and families’ basic needs before higher learning skills. 3.Recognize that many factors act together to influence the development of a child. 4.Provide information about community resources available to support families and educators.

5. Incorporate the Six Protective Factors Social and Emotional Competence of Children Parental Resilience Social Connections Concrete Supports for Parents Nurturing and Attachment Knowledge of Parenting and Child Development

5. Incorporate the Six Protective Factors Social and Emotional Competence of Children Parental Resilience Social Connections Concrete Supports for Parents Nurturing and Attachment Knowledge of Parenting and Child Development

Family Café Adapted from the work of Center for the Study of Social Policy,(2006). Strengthen Families: A Protective Factors Framework. 1.Include a meal 2.Provide child Care 3.Are hosted by families 4. Start with three 2-hour sessions 5. Avoid experts and advice

Family Café Philosophy Families come with strengths There are no experts here Guidelines for successful Cafés ◦ Everyone shares ◦ No one dominates ◦ Share personal experiences ◦ Do not give advice ◦ Disagree respectfully

Let’s try a segment of a Family Café 1.What are you doing the same and what are you doing differently from your parents and why?

C. Effective family engagement programs establish a comprehensive system of communication. 1.Work with families to create a clear mission statement 2.Include a two-way communication system 3.Include both formal and informal meetings and/or home visits

D.Effective family engagement programs embrace and respect the cultural background of all families. 1.Include activities that have a clear cultural connection to the community and the participants 2.Involve facilitators who are familiar with the culture of the school and community.

To Contact Us Susan Ferguson Shauna

References Center for the Study of Social Policy,(2006). Strengthen Families: a Protective Factors Framework. Crosson-Tower, C. (2010). Understanding child abuse and neglect, (8th ed.). Boston, MA: Allyn and Bacon. Diffily, D. (2004). Teachers and Families Working Together. Boston, MA: Pearson, Allyn and Bacon. Epstein, J.L. (2011). School, Family and Community Partnerships: Preparing Educators, Improving Schools. Philadelphia, PA: Westview Press. Family Engagement Collaborative of the Miami Valley Region: Grant, K.B. & Ray, J.A. (2013). Home, School and Community Collaboration: Culturally Responsive Family Engagement. Los Angeles, CA: SAGE Publications, Inc. Hanson, M. & Lynch, E. (2013). Understanding Families: Supportive Approach to Diversity, Disability, and Risk (2 nd ). Baltimore, MD: Brookes. Overton, S. (2005). Collaborating with Families: A Case Study Approach. Columbus, OH: Pearson.