The Essential Conversation What Parents and Teachers can Learn from Each Other 2014 Statewide conference

AGENDA 8:00 - 8:45 Let’s get started! 8:45 -10:00 Foundations of Family Engagement 10:00 -10:15 Break 10:15 -11:15 Core Beliefs of Family Engagement 11:15- 12:00 Building a Successful School Partnership 12:00 - 1:00 Lunch and Gallery Walk 1:00 - 2:00 School- Home Communication 2:00 - 2:45 Linking to Learning 2:45 - 3:00 Bringing it Home

Learning Objectives Participants will… 1. Read/discuss research related to family engagement and how it supports student achievement and success. 2. Understand the four core beliefs and why they are important to home/school relationships 3. Practice effective communication skills 4. Learn to develop partnerships focused on student learning

Ground Rules Listen and Engage Confidentiality Be Respectful Cell Phones Take Care of Yourself

SUMMER FUN

Getting Acquainted SHARE: Name Where you live/what you do ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS: Favorite holiday – why? If there was a movie of your life – what actor would you want to play you?

Reflection Discuss your response to the paper heart skit Share with large group

THE FOUNDATIONS OF FAMILY ENGAGEMENT

What is Family Engagement? Belief that families play a critical role in the success of their child. Interaction between schools and families and the degree to which families are involved in the educational lives of their children.

“Organizing Schools for Improvement: Lesson from Chicago” Five Essential Supports LEADERSHIP that drives change Professional Capacity Student Centered Learning Climate Instructional Guidance Strong Parent-Community Ties

Essential Supports All of the systems affect each other. Family engagement interacts with other systems. Schools that have all FIVE components have 10 times the chance of increasing reading and math scores!

Handout on Family Engagement Read handout on Family Engagement Highlight 2-3 statements Share with your car

Beyond the Bake Sale The Essential Guide to Family- School Partnerships Anne T. Henderson, Karen L. Mapp, Vivian R. Johnson and Don Davies The New Press,

Karen Mapp speaks………

What’s YOUR move

CORE BELIEFS OF FAMILY ENGAGEMENT

What are your beliefs about family engagement? What are your beliefs about family engagement?

Core Beliefs of Family Engagement Core Belief 4: The responsibility for building partnerships between school and home rests primarily with school staff, especially school leaders. Chapter 3 Beyond the Bake Sale

Looking out the window Looking in the mirror

Core Beliefs of Family Engagement Core Belief 3: Parents and school staff should be equal partners. Core Belief 2: All parents have the capacity to support their children’s learning. Chapter 3 Beyond the Bake Sale

Core Beliefs of Family Engagement Core Belief 1: All parents have dreams for their children and want the best for them. Chapter 3 Beyond the Bake Sale

Dreams Talk about your dreams and expectations for your child’s future Identify what needs to be in place for these dreams to come true What do schools need to do? What role do families play? DREAMS SchoolsFamilies

Animal School

BUILDING A SUCCESSFUL SCHOOL- FAMILY PARTNERSHIP

WHY are Partnerships important? Partnership and student achievement are closely linked.

Types of Partnership Schools Chapter 2 of Beyond the Bake Sale

Types of Partnership Schools Focus on academic achievement School climate Communication and Information School-wide practices and policies to engage families

The Joining Process Invite and WELCOME parents to participate Honor Parents as the EXPERT on their child Connect with parents with a focus on LEARNING Chapter 4 Beyond the Bake Sale

Your Gold Nuggets What do you do to build effective school-family partnerships? Write and post on wall

LUNCH Explore the gallery of ideas !

SCHOOL-HOME COMMUNICATION

Reflexión En mi escuela… Con qué frecuencia se espera que los profesores se comuniquen con las familias? Cual es el enfoque de la communicación entre la familia y la escuela? Cuando tiene comunicación cara a cara los padres y maestros? (ademas de las conferencias).

DISCUSSION At my school…. How often are teachers expected to communicate with families? School-family communications focus on? When do parents and teachers have face- to-face communication (besides conferences)?

“When teachers reach out with the goal of building partnerships based on mutual respect and common purpose, families will respond.”

Teacher Outreach to Parents Pays Off! 1. Meet face/face with families at the beginning of the school year. 2. Sent home materials weekly on ways to help children at home. 3. Telephoned routinely with news! RESULTS: Student performance improved at a 40-50% higher rate!

BARGNA

Communication The Right Attitude Ongoing contact Two-way

Communication ELL families Watch the jargon Maximize face/face opportunities

We are continually faced by GREAT opportunities, brilliantly disguised as insolvable problems. ….Andrew Matthews

Why did you become a teacher?

Sharing Perspectives TeachersFamilies

Reframing the Discussion Parent-Teacher Conferences Don’t let conference be your FIRST conversation with parents Give parents the opportunity to be the ‘expert’ The ‘sandwich’ approach If you want their help – be prepared Emphasize their roles

Your Gold Nuggets What are your tips for Parent-Teacher Conferences? Write and post on wall

HAPPY

LINKING TO LEARNING

Beyond the Bake Sale Chapter 5 Section 1 – pages 1 to 6 Section 2 – pages 6 & 12 Section 3 – pages 13 to end Steps: Individually read your section – a couple of you might need to read the same section When each member completed – explain your assigned section to the others until entire reading has been covered Each table identify 1-2 ‘take away’ thoughts to share with large group

An Enterprising Turkey gathered the flock together, and with demonstration and instructions, taught the group to fly. All afternoon, they enjoyed soaring and flying and seeing new vistas. After the meeting all the turkeys walked home.

BRINGING IT HOME Reflect – What will you do differently next year?

Lori Laughlin r Connie Hermann

HAPPY