

Adults are welcomed into the school setting for everything from attending adult education classes to meeting with other parents for a discussion on common issues to working one-on-one as tutors and student mentors.Īt every level schools must strive to communicate that the business of education is a shared responsibility and that student families are vital to that partnership. Some communities are repurposing older school buildings and designing new structures to provide space for family and community members to share room with students. Often translators are provided for those who do not know or who struggle with the English language. In many areas local community leaders and/or church leaders are asked to partner with schools to set up meetings for educators and families of students. Some schools encourage teachers and students to set up tables at local supermarkets and other central locations to answer questions from parents who are unable or unwilling to venture into a formal school setting. I have visited districts that have set up satellite programs in community halls, apartment complexes, and other target locations to help serve parents in a myriad of ways. District-wide initiatives include providing parenting workshops, parent resource rooms on campuses, parental advisory boards, family nights and other events, newsletters and websites, volunteer programs, and any number of activities specifically designed to encourage parents to become purposefully involved in the school community. In order to actively engage parents and families in school activities and decisions districts are now reaching out as never before. Basically the research finds - the more extensive parent involvement, the higher student achievement. However, research from the National Parent Teachers Association clearly indicates when parents are involved in school processes, students achieve more regardless of socioeconomic status, ethnic/racial background, or the parents’ education levels. Unless they served on local school boards most parents and guardians had limited input about educational decisions regarding their children. In general parents regarded schools as sacrosanct and limited their participation to booster clubs, bake sales, and other non-essential contributions. You can read more about her at and follow here on Twitter at American education’s not so distant past there was a distinct separation between home and school. She co-wrote the new book, Deliberate Optimism: Reclaiming the Joy in Teaching. Debbie Silver is the author of the best selling books, Drumming to the Beat of Different Marchers: Finding the Rhythm for Differentiated Instruction and Fall Down 7 Times, Get Up 8: Teaching Kids to Succeed. Reilly provide their commentaries on the topic.ĭr. Today, Debbie Silver, Jenny Edwards, Sean Slade, Judy Bradbury, and Nadja N. You can also find a list of, and links to, previous shows here. You can listen to a ten-minute conversation I had with Jennifer and Shane on my BAM! Radio Show. Mapp, Allen Mendler, Mary Tedrow, and Patricia Vitale-Reilly share their suggestions.

In Part One, Jennifer Orr, Shane Safir, Karen L.
#Sean slade abq journal series
This series will be followed by another one specifically focused on engaging familes of English Language Learners) (This is the last post in a two-part series.
