the essential conversation

The Essential Conversation

What Parents and Teachers can Learn from Each Other

2014 Statewide conference

AGENDA8:00 - 8:45 Let’s get started!8:45 -10:00 Foundations of Family

Engagement10:00 -10:15 Break10:15 -11:15 Core Beliefs of Family

Engagement11:15- 12:00 Building a Successful School

Partnership12:00 - 1:00 Lunch and Gallery Walk1:00 - 2:00 School- Home Communication2:00 - 2:45 Linking to Learning2:45 - 3:00 Bringing it Home

Learning ObjectivesParticipants will…1. Read/discuss research related to family

engagement and how it supports student achievement and success.

2. Understand the four core beliefs and why they are important to home/school relationships

3. Practice effective communication skills4. Learn to develop partnerships focused

on student learning

Ground RulesListen and EngageConfidentialityBe Respectful Cell PhonesTake Care of Yourself

SUMMER

FUN

Getting AcquaintedSHARE:NameWhere you live/what you do

ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS:Favorite holiday – why?If there was a movie of your life –

what actor would you want to play you?

Reflection

Discuss your response to the paper heart skit

Share with large group

THE FOUNDATIONS OF FAMILY

ENGAGEMENT

What is Family Engagement?Belief that families play a critical

role in the success of their child.

Interaction between schools and families and the degree to which families are involved in the educational lives of their children.

“Organizing Schools for Improvement: Lesson from Chicago”

Five Essential SupportsLEADERSHIP that drives

changeProfessional CapacityStudent Centered Learning

ClimateInstructional GuidanceStrong Parent-Community Ties

Essential SupportsAll of the systems affect each

other. Family engagement interacts with

other systems.

Schools that have all FIVE components have 10 times the chance of increasing reading and math scores!

Handout on Family EngagementRead handout on Family Engagement

Highlight 2-3 statements

Share with your car

Beyond the Bake Sale

The Essential Guide to Family-School Partnerships

Anne T. Henderson, Karen L. Mapp, Vivian R. Johnson and Don Davies

The New Press, 2007 14

Karen Mapp speaks………

What’s YOUR move

CORE BELIEFS OF FAMILY ENGAGEMENT

What are your beliefs about

family engagement?

Core Beliefs of Family Engagement

Core Belief 4:The responsibility for building

partnerships between school and home rests primarily with school staff, especially school leaders.

Chapter 3 Beyond the Bake Sale

Looking out the window

Looking in the mirror

Core Beliefs of Family Engagement

Core Belief 3:Parents and school staff should

be equal partners.

Core Belief 2:All parents have the capacity to support their children’s learning.

Chapter 3 Beyond the Bake Sale

Core Beliefs of Family Engagement

Core Belief 1:All parents have dreams for their children and want the best for them.

Chapter 3 Beyond the Bake Sale

DreamsTalk about your

dreams and expectations for your child’s future

Identify what needs to be in place for these dreams to come true

What do schools need to do?What role do families play?

DREAMS

Schools Families

Animal School

BUILDING A SUCCESSFUL

SCHOOL-FAMILY PARTNERSHIP

WHY are Partnerships important?

Partnership and student achievement

are closely linked.

Types of Partnership Schools

Chapter 2 of Beyond the Bake Sale

Types of Partnership SchoolsFocus on academic achievement

School climateCommunication and Information

School-wide practices and policies to engage families

The Joining ProcessInvite and WELCOME parents to participate

Honor Parents as the EXPERT on their child

Connect with parents with a focus on LEARNING

Chapter 4 Beyond the Bake Sale

Your Gold NuggetsWhat do you do to

build effective school-family partnerships?

Write and post on wall

LUNCH

Explorethe gallery of ideas!

SCHOOL-HOME COMMUNICATION

Reflexión

En mi escuela…Con qué frecuencia se espera que

los profesores se comuniquen con las familias?

Cual es el enfoque de la communicación entre la familia y la escuela?

Cuando tiene comunicación cara a cara los padres y maestros? (ademas de las conferencias).

DISCUSSION

At my school….How often are teachers expected to

communicate with families?

School-family communications focus on?

When do parents and teachers have face-to-face communication (besides conferences)?

“When teachers reach out with the goal of building partnerships based on mutual respect and common purpose, families will respond.”

Teacher Outreach to Parents Pays Off!

1. Meet face/face with families at the beginning of the school year.

2. Sent home materials weekly on ways to help children at home.

3. Telephoned routinely with news!

RESULTS: Student performance improved at a 40-50% higher

rate!

BARGNA

CommunicationThe Right Attitude

Ongoing contact

Two-way

CommunicationELL families

Watch the jargon

Maximize face/face opportunities

We are continually faced by GREAT opportunities, brilliantly disguised as insolvable problems.

….Andrew Matthews

Why did you become a teacher?

Sharing Perspectives

Teachers Families

Reframing the DiscussionParent-Teacher ConferencesDon’t let conference be your

FIRST conversation with parentsGive parents the opportunity to

be the ‘expert’The ‘sandwich’ approachIf you want their help – be

preparedEmphasize their roles

Your Gold NuggetsWhat are your tips

for Parent-Teacher Conferences?

Write and post on wall

HAPPY

HAPPY

Happy!!!

HAPPY!

HAPPY!!!!!!

Happy happy happy…..HAPPY!!!

happy

HAPPY

LINKING TO LEARNING

Beyond the Bake SaleChapter 5

Section 1 – pages 1 to 6 Section 2 – pages 6 & 12Section 3 – pages 13 to end

Steps:Individually read your section – a couple of you

might need to read the same sectionWhen each member completed – explain your

assigned section to the others until entire reading has been covered

Each table identify 1-2 ‘take away’ thoughts to share with large group

An Enterprising Turkey gathered the flock together, and with demonstration and instructions, taught the group to fly.

All afternoon, they enjoyed soaring and flying and seeing new vistas.

After the meeting all the turkeys walked home.

BRINGING IT HOME

Reflect – What will you do differently next year?

Lori Laughlinllaughlin@bhssc.tie.net605-347-4467 0r 800-219-6247

Connie Hermannchermann@tie.net605-374-3918

HAPPY

HAPPY

Happy!!!

HAPPY!

HAPPY!!!!!!

Happy happy happy…..HAPPY!!!

happy

HAPPY