Family Engagement: Let’s FACE it! Principles for Designing Effective Family and Community Engagement (FACE) Programs Presented by La Tefy G. Schoen, Ph.D.

WELCOME On behalf of the Louisiana State Personnel Development Grant, I would like to welcome you to today’s webinar “FACE it! This is Part I in a series on effective Family and Community Engagement. My name is Dr. La Tefy Schoen and I am an educational consultant with Learning Innovations Educational Consultants in Baton Rouge. 2 Considerations: *This webinar is being recorded and will be available for viewing at *To download the materials for today, you can click on the files in the file share pod on your screen and save them to your computer Questions & Comments: If you need to ask a question, please use the Chat Pod or Q & A Pod on your screen

Questions? Please use your chat pod if you have questions related to this presentation. If time permits, we will answer them, during the webinar. If your question is not answered please us after the webinar.  Content-related questions -  LaSPDG grant-related questions - Melanie Lemoine

People First Language Kathie Snow. (n.d.) A few words about People First Language. Disability is Natural. Retrieved August 1, 2012 from “People First Language puts the person before the disability and describes what a person has, not who a person is.”

Roll Call At this time, EVERYONE please use your chat pod and type:  your first and last name  district/LEA that you are representing  If you are in the room with others from your district, please identify those participants as well

POLL – participant roles Please select your role: A.District level supervisor/coordinator B.School level administrator C.Special education teacher D.Regular education/inclusion teacher E.Other

Purpose of this FACE it! Series: Webinar #1 (Concept) 1. Introduce a research-based framework for effective FACE Programs – “SET for Success” 2. Examine our current practices Webinar #2 – 11/1/12 (Application) 3. USE “SET for Success” framework to develop/adapt FACE practices likely to have the greatest impact on student academic success Webinars #3 &4 – archived (Context Specific Strategies) 4. Discuss specific strategies shown to be effective for various age groups a. preschool & elementary b. middle & high school

-Mayer, Mullens, & Moore, Charles A. Dana Center, 1999

However, providing a few “parent involvement activities” does not constitute a partnership, nor an effective Family Engagement Program

The Building Blocks of an effective FACE Program

Expect ations Trust Structure

For Success framework… simple research-based principles that educators can use to create a program that meaningfully engages families and increases effectiveness of their work with students NOT a COOK BOOK Style How-to guide Expect ations Trust Structure

Programs Policies Procedures Scheduling of TIME Structure is important – it’s the “bones” of your FACE Program Formalize your FACE Programs Outline of FACE Program Policies, Procedures & School Contacts in writing Publish in handbooks, newsletters, notes home, on websites and posters etc… Allocate adequate time Provide training for ALL staff (even non-instructional personnel)

A common mistake schools make is to focus exclusively on structure and overlook establishing trust and setting expectations for family engagement. This leads to ineffective practices and programs.

Expect ations Trust Structure This questionnaire will help you analyze and describe the structure of your existing family engagement program WE will discuss Structure more in the webinar #2 – complete the Professional Reflections Log / questionnaire before webinar 2 Today we’ll focus on the less tangible components of FACE programs These components can make or break your FACE program ! … even one with an excellent structure

CHAT POD Why do parents become involved in their child’s school? What concept, in a parent’s mind, most strongly and consistently impacts… whether they choose to be involved and how they choose to be involved in school?

Q: The strongest influence on whether parents become involved and how parents become involved in school is…

MY ROLE AS A PARENT In this school Norms of Groups I belong to Beliefs about childrearing Support for Parents in guiding Home Learning Parent Sense of Self-Efficacy Influences on Concepts of ROLE in parents -Sandler, 1997 High Quality School FACE Programs impact these areas! MY role as parent at this school

Choices about HOW they choose to be involved are impacted by: Perceptions of their own skills and possible contributions Feeling welcome or that their actions are valued Other demands on their time & energy SPECIFIC invitations from school and suggestions from teachers Perceptions of EXPECTATIONS from the school and other parents

EXPECTATIONS in FACE Programs Expectations Trust structure

Infer values & expectations for their behavior People observe norms Expect ations

Family & Community PERCEPTIONS Matter … What do school staff expect parents/community partners to do? What would I actually be doing? How often? Do I feel prepared for this? Are there concrete, well defined tasks, programs, processes for me to get involved in? Will my efforts will make a difference? How much time or effort it will require? Do other parents and community partners participate? Establish Parent/student point of view: Put yourself in their place. Consider how THEY see the school and what it wants from them. Expect ations

Parents’ Expectations are influenced by what they See/hear and experience

Consider the norms in your schools and districts. T Do teachers’ actions routinely communicate that they value family involvement in school? parents as partners To what extent do teachers think of parents as paDo teachers routinely communicate rtners

CHAT RESPONSES Now Expect ations

State the school’s position that ALL parents are valued as partners in helping their child learn – regardless of home language, religion, marital status, custody arrangements, race, culture, income, work type, schedule or any other circumstance State it more than once, in more than one way Define for parents what they can do to help their child – be concrete Provide good examples; demonstrate what you want Do not limit “engagement” to only things parents do at school Invite /encourage /remind parents to assist regularly Ask for help on specific projects Create a checklist with variety of standing things a parent can do to help that includes both at-home and at-school activities Honor parents’ contributions – acknowledge publicly Create a space for parents to work at school where they feel welcome and comfortable Provide access to school resources, such as computers, art supplies at times when parents can work with their child on school-related activities (for example: after-school workroom hours) Provide training for parents in tasks they can perform Provide materials /resources that parents can use independently Say Thank You! – personally – not a form letter. Expect ations

POLL What is one of the most common ways schools learn about perceptions of families? A.Monitor the gossip mill B.Discuss it with parents at open house C.Exit interviews D.Parent Surveys

D. Surveys are one of the best way to find out how families perceive the school and its expectations for families Expect ations

TRUSTING Relationships in FACE Programs Expectations TRUST Structure

And kids SUCEED!

How well do I know the school staff/other parents? Do they know me by name/sight? Do I feel accepted, welcomed and appreciated? Are they sincere when they say they want help from families/community members? Does the school staff value my time, ideas, efforts? Will they show me/teach me everything I need to know to be successful with the tasks they want me to perform? Will my efforts be accepted, even if I am not sure at first how to do this? Do they really care whether or not this gets done- is it important? Build Relationships matter! Trust People do not engage with people they do not trust! Questions impacting parent decisions to be actively involved in their child’s school:

Rule 1 Teachers must get to know parents Rule 2 Teachers must convince parents that they really care about their child and WANT them to succeed Rule 3 Parents must believe that teachers or “school people” respect them and would never embarrass or humiliate them or their child intentionally Trust Build

PARENT OUTREACH Direct contact one-on-one contact with parents by a teacher providing specific personalized instructions Regular contact Positive feedback Specific invitations issued

Talk about school more frequently Discuss college and/or employment plans Assist with homework Network with other parents to help their child Attend parent meetings & functions Volunteer at school An excellent way to engage parents in the activities that make the most difference for students is to have a strong direct outreach program where teachers call regularly – regardless of any problems.

How can we encourage greater family engagement?

PROFESSIONAL REFLECTION

Studies in this presentation are summarized in A New Wave of Evidence: The Impact of School Family, and Community Connections on Student Achievement. (2002) by Anne Henderson & Karen Mapp. For a full bibliography or for consulting services please contact: Dr. La Tefy Schoen or

The contents of this PowerPoint presentation were developed under a grant from the US Department of Education, #H323A However those contents do not necessarily represent the policy of the US Department of Education, and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government.

Questions? Please use your chat pod if you have questions related to this presentation (if time permits, we will answer them, if not please questions to contacts below) After this webinar, you may any content-related questions to La Tefy Schoen You may any grant-related questions to Melanie Lemoine

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