PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT Building a positive relationship with your students, families and caregivers

HOME VISIT The relationship starts with the home visit. In our Pre-K program, this is a wonderful opportunity to build the foundation for a successful home and school connection. We want to view our parents as partners.

TIPS FOR THE HOME VISIT Expectations- Communicate your expectations of your students and families this year and listen to what your parents hope their child(ren) gain in the program as well. Purpose- This is a time to learn a little about your student and family. The handbook should not be reviewed during the visit. Agenda- Please stick with your time frame and items that you will discuss. We want to be considerate of the families time and personal space.

TIPS FOR THE HOME VISIT Cultural Sensitivity- Please be aware of cultural differences and be open minded to work within these parameters. Mutual respect and support are key in this process. Emphasis strengths- Acknowledge our parents as experts of their children. Let them share how they handle challenges with their student. Remember to remain non-biased and non-judgmental.

WHY INVOLVE PARENTS? Research proves that parent involvement has benefits for students, parents and the school community.

Benefits to Students Regular school attendance- This is an important step in the start of their school careers. Social skills- Students are able to learn effective strategies to get along with others and their self- esteem is increased. Academics- As the educational career progresses, the students are more likely to obtain higher grades, test scores increase and post-secondary training is a goal.

Benefits to Parents/Caregivers Communication- The relationship is strengthened between the teacher and parent/caregiver when there is regular communication. Parent relationship- Parents have increased skills and build better relationships with their children when they are involved in the education process. Attitudes- Parents develop positive attitudes toward the school community and education.

Benefits to Schools Safe schools- Parental involvement enhances creating safe school communities. Academics- The curriculum and classroom activities are improved with parent support. Strengths- A school community benefits from parental involvement by allowing teachers to teach which in turn creates job satisfaction.

Epstein’s Framework of Six Types of Involvement Parenting Communicating Volunteering Learning at Home Decision Making Collaborating with Community

Parenting “Help all families establish home environments to support children as students” To foster success, you as the classroom teacher provide suggestions of how the learning process extends at home. If parents need more education, link them to resources for support.

Communicating “Design effective forms of school-to-home and home-to-school communications about school programs and children’s progress.” Daily and/or weekly communication logs with parents are helpful tools to promote success. Clear information sent home to families in a variety of methods (i.e. phone calls, newsletters, email correspondence) in their native language is important. Parent conferences as the program requires and more as needed.

Volunteering “Recruit and organize parent help and support” Have your parents sign up to be a volunteer through the CMS intranet system. Allow for multiple opportunities to provide support to your classroom and the entire school community. Consider having a parent assist with parent communication for all families ( i.e. room parent).

Learning At Home “Provide information and ideas to families about how to help students at home with homework and other curriculum-related activities, decisions, and planning” The pre-k program requirement of reading 100 books at home assists in getting parents prepared to begin the “homework” process. Family reading and math activities can be provided as an extension of their learning. This fosters a love of learning early in a students life.

Decision Making “Include parents in school decisions, developing parent leaders and representatives.” Encourage your parents to join the PTA. Suggest that they meet the administration and support staff of the school to become an active participant in the school community. If their student will attend another school for Kindergarten, this process will still enhance their experience for future years. Parents should become knowledgeable of the student handbook so that they know the rights of their students.

Collaborating With Community “Identify and integrate resources and services from the community to strengthen school programs, family practices, and student learning and development.” Many of our school sites have community partnerships in place. Some examples of these are Communities and Schools and Project LIFT. Business partners can enhance our Pre-K classrooms by serving as volunteers and mentors to students. Parents will begin to understand the community’s commitment to the education of our students.

MEETING THE CHALLENGE Engaging our parents as partners is key to a successful school year. The social/emotional/behavior process will be further enhanced and manageable with your parents on board. Make sure that you build on the strengths of the student and families to have a productive year.

REFERENCES The Home Visitors Guidebook. Promoting Optimal Parent & Child Development. Carol S. Klass Getting Parents Involved. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Parent University “Epstein’s Framework of Six Types of Involvement”, Joyce L. Epstein, PhD., et. Al., Partnership. Center for the Social Organization of Schools.