Six Types Family/School/Community Partnerships Learning at HomeType 4 Based on the work of Joyce Epstein, Johns Hopkins University Baltimore Maryland PowerPoint presentation by Parents Plus Inc.

§Involve families with their children on homework and other curriculum-related activities and decisions Type 4: Learning at Home

Sample Practices Type 4 §Information for families on required skills in all subjects at each grade level §Information on homework policies and how to monitor and discuss schoolwork at home

Sample Practices Type 4 §Information on how to assist students with skills that they need to improve §Regular schedule of homework that require students to demonstrate and discuss what they are learning in class

Sample Practices Type 4 nCalendars with daily or weekly activities for parents and students to do at home or in the community nSummer learning packets or activities nFamily participation in helping students set academic goals each year and plan for college or work §Calendars with daily or weekly activities for parents and students to do at home or in the community §Summer learning packets or activities §Family participation in helping students set academic goals each year and plan for college or work

Challenges Type 4 §Design and implement a regular schedule of interactive homework (e.g., weekly or bi- monthly) for which students take responsibility to discuss important things they are learning with their families.

Challenges Type 4 §Coordinate family- linked interactive homework assignments if students have several teachers. §Involve families their children in all important curriculum- related decisions.

Redefine “homework” Type 4 §“Homework” not only means work that students do alone, but also interactive activities that students share with others at home or in the community, linking schoolwork to real life.

Redefine “help” Type 4 §“Help” at home means how families encourage, listen, react, praise, guide, monitor, and discuss schoolwork with their children, not how they “teach” children school subjects.

Results for Students: Skills, abilities, and test scores linked to homework and classwork. Homework completion. Positive attitude about homework and school. View of parent as more similar to teacher and of home as more similar to school. Self-confidence in ability as learner. Results for Parents: Knowledge of how to support, encourage, and help student at home each year. Discussions of school, classwork, homework, and future plans. Understanding of instructional program and what child is learning in each subject. Appreciation of teacher’s skills. Awareness of child as a learner. Results for Teachers: Varied designs of homework including interactive assignments. Respect for family time. Recognition of helpfulness of single- parent, dual-income and all families in motivating and reinforcing student learning. Satisfaction with family involvement and support. Skills, abilities, and test scores linked to homework and classwork. Homework completion. Positive attitude about homework and school. View of parent as more similar to teacher and of home as more similar to school. Self-confidence in ability as learner. Knowledge of how to support, encourage, and help student at home each year. Discussions of school, classwork, homework, and future plans. Understanding of instructional program and what child is learning in each subject. Appreciation of teacher’s skills. Awareness of child as a learner. Varied designs of homework including interactive assignments. Respect for family time. Recognition of helpfulness of single-parent, dual- income and all families in motivating and reinforcing student learning. Satisfaction with family involvement and support.