engaging with parents denise yates, chief executive nagc
TRANSCRIPT
Engaging with parents
Denise Yates, Chief Executive NAGC
Objectives of the workshop
1. To introduce NAGC and the work we have been doing on parental engagement
2. To look at some of the success – and failure – factors in effective parental engagement
3. To explore practical ideas for whole school strategies for parental engagement
Questionnaire: Children’s success in schoolsQ1: Do=100% Do Not=0%Q1: Do=100% Do Not=0%
Q2 teacher salariesteacher salaries teacher curriculum teacher curriculum participationparticipation
hiring good teachershiring good teachers
pre-school educational pre-school educational experiencesexperiences family backgroundfamily background
Q3: Intensive involvement of parents in their children’s schoolingQ3: Intensive involvement of parents in their children’s schooling
Q4: Whether parents dropped outQ4: Whether parents dropped out
Q5: No time; Don’t know what to doQ5: No time; Don’t know what to do
Q6: From birthQ6: From birth
Q7: Ages 3 to 8 yearsQ7: Ages 3 to 8 years
Q8: 3/4 yearsQ8: 3/4 years
Q9: Parental participation in education
Q10: 30%
NAGC’s Perspective on Partnership with Parents
NAGC• Is a membership charity with 40 years in the G&T field• Exists to provide help, support and encouragement to @
10,000 gifted children, their parents and professionals a year• Takes an holistic perspective with concern for the intellectual,
social and emotional development of gifted children
Services provided include:Services provided include: Information and Advice Service including a HelplineInformation and Advice Service including a Helpline Parent-School Partnership (PSP) Scheme which exists to Parent-School Partnership (PSP) Scheme which exists to develop a genuine understanding of the needs of gifted children develop a genuine understanding of the needs of gifted children between schools and parentsbetween schools and parentsMagazines for families, professionals and childrenMagazines for families, professionals and children Website ( Website ( www.nagcbritain.org.uk)) Local Explorer Clubs Local Explorer Clubs Training and supportTraining and support
INVOLVEMENT OR ENGAGEMENT?INVOLVEMENT ENGAGEMENT
Often initiated by the teacher Initiated by parents
Parents see teachers as the primary educators of their children
Parents see their role as co-educators of their children
Schools/teachers provide the primary schooling experience
Parents provide significant experiences outside formal schooling
Parents are encouraged to interact with the school to improve the child’s education
Parents believe their direct interaction with their child’s education improves the school
Schools set the academic standards
Parents work with the school to set the standards
Teachers are seen as professionals who provide education
Teachers are seen as professionals who facilitate education
Why engage parents? The main Reasons
REASON 1 – PUPILS BENEFIT• Pupils with engaged parents are more likely
to: - Achieve higher grades and test scores - Attend school more regularly
- Do more homework - Have increased motivation & higher self
esteem - Have more positive attitudes and behaviour - Have better social skills and adapt well to school
- Go on to post secondary education Henderson & Mapp 2002 A New Wave of Evidence: The Impact of
School, Family and Community Connections on Student Achievement
Why engage parents?
REASON 2 – SCHOOLS BENEFIT• Schools with more parental engagement are
more likely to have:
- More confident teachers
- Higher teacher morale
- Higher pupil achievement in all ages
- Higher ratings of teachers by parents
- More support from families
- More positive teachers with higher opinions of parents
Why engage parents?
REASON 3 – PARENTS BENEFIT• Parents who are more engaged in school are
likely to have - More confidence in the school
- Higher opinions of their own children and their teachers
- Greater confidence in themselves as parents and in the help they can provide at home
- Greater likelehood that they will enrol in continuing education
Why engage parents?
REASON 4 – SOCIETY BENEFITS• Communities where there is more parental
engagement are more likely to have: - Greater experiences of academic success - A better reputation of education in the community - More cohesiveness
Henderson & Berla 1996 A New Generation of Evidence: The Family is critical to Student Achievement
The DCSF Perspective on Partnership with Parents
“Engaging and working with parents is one of the most vital parts of providing children with an excellent education”
From: www.standards.dcsf.gov.uk/parentinvolvement
NAGC ResearchObjectives of the research – to examine what is happening within schools as they engage with the parents of gifted and talented children
Research methodology
-Questionnaires to different individuals within schools – Head Teacher, G+T Coordinator, class teacher, parent.
-In-depth face to face interviews with teachers in a number of schools
-Information from NAGC’s Helpline
Summary of Findings
•59% of parents did not know that their child was on the G+T Register
•Only 8% parents said they had meetings with the 8% parents said they had meetings with the school G&T co-ordinatorschool G&T co-ordinator
•55% of G&T co-ordinators provided IEP but only 6% of 55% of G&T co-ordinators provided IEP but only 6% of parents had seen a copyparents had seen a copy
•Only 3 % of parents had been offered additional Only 3 % of parents had been offered additional support with homeworksupport with homework
•12% of parents had been offered information about 12% of parents had been offered information about enrichment resources out of schoolenrichment resources out of school
Findings from NAGC continued:•82% of Heads surveyed parents but only 18% of G&T 82% of Heads surveyed parents but only 18% of G&T co-ordinators and 10% of teachers in co-ordinators and 10% of teachers in the same the same schoolsschools agreed that to be the case agreed that to be the case
•10% of parents had been offered courses on G&T in 10% of parents had been offered courses on G&T in their schoolstheir schools
•79% of parents were unaware of an LA Parent Support 79% of parents were unaware of an LA Parent Support Service and only 1% of parents had made use of the Service and only 1% of parents had made use of the serviceservice
•27% of Heads said they shared information about 27% of Heads said they shared information about local support groups with parents but only 6% of local support groups with parents but only 6% of parents agreed they had been given thisparents agreed they had been given this
The Barriers to Parental Engagement
Parents’ Viewpoint• “I don’t know what schools can/should do
for gifted children”
• “I’m not sure if my child is “gifted””
• “The school doesn’t understand the particular needs of my child”
• “I don’t want to be seen as a pushy parent”
• “I’ve spoken to the teacher to no effect and I don’t know what else I can do”
Parent-Viewed Barriers:* No recognised route for communication with * No recognised route for communication with schoolschool
* Teachers not available to talk with* Teachers not available to talk with
* Parents usually not available during school * Parents usually not available during school hourshours
* Parents not made to feel welcome or * Parents not made to feel welcome or opinions valued; parents lack confidenceopinions valued; parents lack confidence
* School does not identify and make * School does not identify and make opportunities for parental engagementopportunities for parental engagement
“ If the parent cannot make the effort to see the Head Teacher
during the school day it shows how much they care
about their child” School Governor
The Barriers to Parental Engagement
Schools’ Viewpoint• “We haven’t the time to deal with a small minority of
children”• “We need more resources to properly provide for G&T
pupils as with SEN”• “All children are gifted. We don’t believe in labelling
children”• “We have our G&T register but it is our policy not to tell
parents”• “If X’s behaviour was better we would feel more inclined
to help with her academic progress”• “We’re the professionals; parents should let us get on
and teach”
School-Viewed Barriers: * Parents do not read school communications* Parents do not read school communications
* Parents are not available during school * Parents are not available during school hourshours
* Parents do not attend events such as * Parents do not attend events such as parents’ eveningsparents’ evenings
* Parents do not respond to requests for * Parents do not respond to requests for engagementengagement
4 main barriers to parental engagement
1. I don’t have time
2. I don’t know what to do
3. I don’t know why it is important
4. I don’t speak the language
10 things to do
1. Help parents understand why they are important to their children’s school success
2. Give parents specific things they can do with their children
3. Work to win support for the school
4. Give parents the specific information they want
5. Know how to get parents to read what you send out
Source: The Parent Institute
10 things to do (cont)6. Train staff and provide support for parental
engagement
7. Provide training and support for parents
8. Reward good practice
9. Plan!
10. Adapt ideas used by others
And 5 things not to do!1. DON’T think of yourself as the main parental
engagement person in your school
2. DON’T think of parental engagement as something that happens only in school
3. DON’T just use mass media eg newsletters to encourage parental engagement
4. DON’T keep thinking that children from hard to reach families have no parental engagement
5. DON’T write off parents – start with mutual respect
Quality Standards for Parental Engagement
• Research led to development of set of quality standards for gifted parental engagement
• Based on 5 generic elements and 3 levels
• Now incorporated into Institutional Quality Standards
The Key Standards of Parental Engagement
• Communication • Pupil Learning – inside and out of school• Parenting • Volunteering • School Decision-Making• Community Collaboration
After Epstein J 1995 School-Family-Community Partnerships
Levels
• Entry level
• Developing level
• Exemplary
SUMMARYParental engagement is a key mechanism to Parental engagement is a key mechanism to raising standards in schoolsraising standards in schools
Parental engagement recognises the needs of Parental engagement recognises the needs of individual children leading to genuinely individual children leading to genuinely personalised educationpersonalised education
Schools and parents realise the needs of Schools and parents realise the needs of gifted children gifted children
G&T parental engagement templates lead G&T parental engagement templates lead the way for ALL pupils – inclusive not elitist!the way for ALL pupils – inclusive not elitist!
What lies in the Future?
NAGC is currently working on:
• Collating practical examples of what schools are doing to engage with parents
• Developing a training/consultancy programme to support schools in their work with parents
• Launching an “IS YOUR SCHOOL A GIFTED SCHOOL?” initiative
Thank you for taking part