Common Core Parenting: Best Practice Strategies to Support Student Success Core Components: Successful Models Patty Bunker National Director Parenting Partners Family Leadership Inc.

U.S. Dept. of Ed

Family’s Role: Academic Social Emotional Development Everyone Agrees!

Common Refrain Desire: More Families Diverse Backgrounds & Cultures Engaged in Child’s Education Strong Partnerships – Home & Schools

Family Engagement: HOW Cultivate and Sustain Positive Relationships Partnerships for Shared Responsibility

The Challenge Current Policies and Programs Flawed Assumptions Collective Capacity to Succeed

Some Parenting Partners Observations Flawed Practices/ Assumptions Parents as Consumers vs. Partners Service Delivery vs. Valuing Parents’ Contributions Expecting Involvement w/o Investing in Capacity Building District Wide vs. School-based Academic Focus vs. Parent Skills

Success Starts at Home Importance of home environment coming into focus Creating calm and quiet at home Efforts in classroom maximized when parents encourage achievement

The Evolution of Parent Engagement Developing a new mindset – Parent engagement is no longer just a compliance issue Family Engagement vs. Parent Involvement Moving beyond Random, Discrete Activities Building leadership capacity

Epstein’s 6 Types of Involvement: NNPS Stresses the importance of going beyond the status quo Calls for a more systemic, sustainable approach Attempts to increase the skills of both teachers and parents

Epstein’s 6 Types of Involvement: NNPS Parenting Communicating Volunteering Learning at Home Decision- Making Collaborating with the Community

Focus: Building Capacity Skill Mastery & Knowledge Relationships & Networks Assumptions, Values, Beliefs Self- Efficacy

Capacity = Whole Capacity = Whole “Developmental Assets” What Kids Need to Succeed What Parents/Adults Need Valuing & Building on Strengths Skill-Building and Affirmation Creating and Strengthening Relationships Partnering with Other Adults – Not in Isolation Positive View of Future: What we are Capable of Accomplishing With and For our Children

Asset Skit What are some of your Dreams and Goals for your children? What are the Risk Factors your children face that could prevent them from reaching these goals?

The Power of Assets to Protect

The Power of Assets to Promote Health and Academic Success

All Four Capacity Building Components Required to enable Staff & Parents to Cultivate & Sustain Family Engagement

Focus: Building Capacity Skill Mastery & Knowledge Relationships & Networks Assumptions, Values, Beliefs Self- Efficacy

System Conditions For Success Systemic Integrated Sustained

Systemic: Parent Engagement is a CORE COMPONENT of Educational Goals Integrated: Embedded into all Structures & Processes (Training, Prof Dev., Teaching, etc) Sustained: Adequate funding & infrastructure support. Multiple funding streams, component of overall improvement strategy. SCHOOL LEADERS ARE COMMITTED TO and HAVE A SYSTEMIC VISION Of FAMILY ENGAGEMENT

Process Conditions For Success Linked to Learning Relational Developmental Collaborative Interactive

Aligned with School and District Achievement Goals Connects Parents: Teaching and Learning Goals Linked to Learning

Building Respect and Trusting Relationships Between Families and District, School, & Program Staff Relational

Not just providing a service Building Intellectual, Social, and Human Capacity Of “Stakeholders”: Parents & Staff Developmental

Learning is conducted in Group vs. Individual Setting Focused on Building Strong Networks & Learning Communities Collective/Collaborative

Participants given Opportunities to Test Out, Practice & Apply New Skills! Interactive

Effective Home/ School Partnerships What do they look like?

Honor & Recognize Families’ Fund of Knowledge Connect Family Engagement to Student Learning Create Welcoming, Inviting Cultures School and Program Staff:

Have Developed Skills, Knowledge & Confidence Negotiate Multiple Roles of Effective Engagement Feel Honored and Respected Families

Actively Engaged in their Children’s Academic, Social and Emotional Development (Cradle to Career) Partnership with School for Academic Achievement Families

But…HOW? Frameworks show “what” to do, but don’t show “how” to do it Quality programs are needed that help schools implement the core components Sustainable Model

Selecting Best Practice Programs: A Checklist Develops Parents’ Skills & Capacity to Support Achievement Practical and Relational Sustainable – Ongoing support Best practice – Research Based Builds Parent Leadership

Addressing the Need US Dept. of Ed. Recommends: Linked to Learning Relational Developmental Collaborative Interactive Parenting Partners Provides: Focus on Academics Practical Parenting Skills Builds capacity of both Teachers and Parents Parents work together and with their schools Each parent participates in fun skill building exercises

Engaging Parents for Student Success Key Principles of Parent Engagement Build on Strengths of Parents Leadership is the Secret Sauce

Valuable Parenting Qualities CaringGood ListenerFlexible LovingTrustworthyConsistent PatientCreativePlayful Follow-Through Structured

Engaging Parents for Student Success Key Principles of Parent Engagement Parenting Skills are Leadership Skills Listening Clear Expectations Dealing with conflict Affirmation and Encouraging

Paper Heart Skit Words that wound the hearts of our children

Creating Structure for Student Achievement Common Core

Key Principles of Parent Engagement Parents Make Great Trainers They are credible Parent trainers provides sustainability Dads reach dads They have language & cultural skills

1. Each school forms a team with up to 5 members Teams include parents and key staff members.

2. The team attends the 2-day Facilitators Training Together T eams practice presenting the workshops. Each team receives coaching at their table in their own language.

3. At the close of Training, teams have everything they need: Comprehensive Team Resource Kit Competence, Confidence, Certification Complete team plan for strong attendance Coach for ongoing support

4. Teams now lead the 8-week workshop series at their school. Teams can offer the workshops multiple times throughout the year.

Outcomes ADA Attendance Improves Reading, Academics Improve Students’ Behavior Improves Sustainable program produces more skillful parents and positive parent leaders

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