Involving Parents in Involving Parents in Service LearningService Learning

Louise ChapmanLouise Chapman

District Learn and ServeDistrict Learn and Serve

VCS ESLLPVCS ESLLP

You are never too youngor too old to provide service to your community!

Developing a Strategy Developing a Strategy for Parent Involvementfor Parent Involvement

1. Make sure parents are aware of 1. Make sure parents are aware of the opportunities and benefits of the opportunities and benefits of service learning.service learning.

2. Give parents a variety of ways 2. Give parents a variety of ways they can be active in support of they can be active in support of service learning.service learning.

3. Invite parents to give feedback 3. Invite parents to give feedback and direction to the service.and direction to the service.

Parent Support for Parent Support for Service Learning at Service Learning at SchoolSchool Encourage parents to become Encourage parents to become

partners with the school.partners with the school. Give parents information about the Give parents information about the

tenets of service learning.tenets of service learning. Define clear roles for parents.Define clear roles for parents. Give parents ways to share their Give parents ways to share their

expertise and a hand to develop expertise and a hand to develop skills they might require. skills they might require.

Family Participation in Family Participation in Community ServiceCommunity ServiceFamilies fall into one of these categories:Families fall into one of these categories:1. Actively engage in service with family-1. Actively engage in service with family-

Identify these parents to become Identify these parents to become leaders at your school.leaders at your school.

2. Occasionally participate in service 2. Occasionally participate in service projects- Encourage the occasionally projects- Encourage the occasionally active parents to get the inactive ones active parents to get the inactive ones started.started.

3. Rarely participate in service projects- 3. Rarely participate in service projects- Getting these individuals involved can Getting these individuals involved can help build a sense of community using help build a sense of community using the school as the hub.the school as the hub.

Working together creates a true sense of community!

Keeping Parents Keeping Parents InformedInformedParents need to know what service Parents need to know what service

learning is:learning is: It is a teaching method that connects It is a teaching method that connects

what students learn with service that what students learn with service that benefits the community.benefits the community.

It helps children to understand their It helps children to understand their world and see how one person can world and see how one person can make a difference.make a difference.

It enables children to use and acquire It enables children to use and acquire skills while connecting them with the skills while connecting them with the community they live in.community they live in.

Service Learning Service Learning Includes:Includes: PreparationPreparation ActionAction ReflectionReflection DemonstrationDemonstration Recognition/CelebrationRecognition/Celebration Student EmpowermentStudent Empowerment

Students and parents can be empowered while sharing their talents.

The Value of Service The Value of Service Learning for StudentsLearning for StudentsService Learning:Service Learning: Increases motivationIncreases motivation Improves retentionImproves retention Helps students connect to the “real Helps students connect to the “real

world”world” Develops teamworkDevelops teamwork Teaches reflectionTeaches reflection Promotes a lifelong commitment to Promotes a lifelong commitment to

public service and learningpublic service and learning

Ways to Educate Ways to Educate ParentsParents School GovernanceSchool Governance Back-to-School NightBack-to-School Night NewslettersNewsletters DisplaysDisplays A Service-Learning EventA Service-Learning Event Participation-(Design ways for parents to Participation-(Design ways for parents to

experience this first hand.)experience this first hand.) Family Service- highlight at every chanceFamily Service- highlight at every chance

Involvement with Involvement with School Service School Service LearningLearning

The best way to learn about The best way to learn about Service Learning for parents is for Service Learning for parents is for them to be personally involved in them to be personally involved in it. Every parent, just like every it. Every parent, just like every student, has something special to student, has something special to offer and share. offer and share.

A Role for Every A Role for Every ParentParent

There are a million different ways There are a million different ways parents can assist teachers with parents can assist teachers with service learning.service learning.

Find out what parents have to offer for Find out what parents have to offer for skills.skills.

Find out things like hobbies.Find out things like hobbies. Find out ways that parents already Find out ways that parents already

help in the community and build on help in the community and build on these.these.

How can Parents Help?How can Parents Help?

Become parent liaisons. Help a team of Become parent liaisons. Help a team of parents who coordinate teacher requests.parents who coordinate teacher requests.

Organize a phone tree.Organize a phone tree. Brainstorm with teachers.Brainstorm with teachers. Group work with students.Group work with students. Contact community organizations.Contact community organizations. Chaperone.Chaperone. Collect supplies.Collect supplies. Prepare supplies. (Pre-make materials)Prepare supplies. (Pre-make materials) Document activities.Document activities.

More ways Parent can More ways Parent can help!help! Assist in the classroom.Assist in the classroom. Assist in service.Assist in service. Attend student exhibitions.Attend student exhibitions. Help with writing grants.Help with writing grants. Attend conferences as school Attend conferences as school

representatives.representatives. Coordinate family service opportunities.Coordinate family service opportunities. Network with other schools. Network with other schools.

Families Serving Families Serving TogetherTogether Children learn best by models. Children learn best by models. Be sure to realize the difference between Be sure to realize the difference between

school-based service learning and family school-based service learning and family service. Do not expect that the parent service. Do not expect that the parent will take the role of a teacher.will take the role of a teacher.

Encourage parents to discuss special Encourage parents to discuss special community needs and concerns with community needs and concerns with their children. This will encourage their children. This will encourage student participation in all service areas.student participation in all service areas.

RememberRemember

Everyone can give back in some way to Everyone can give back in some way to the community. the community.

Service learning does not require money, Service learning does not require money, degrees, or a large amount of time.degrees, or a large amount of time.

Students gain self-esteem when Students gain self-esteem when engaged in valued tasks.engaged in valued tasks.

Parents gain a sense of pride when Parents gain a sense of pride when engaged in truly important and valued engaged in truly important and valued service.service.

Establishing Resources Establishing Resources for Familiesfor Families Convene a parent information meeting Convene a parent information meeting

regarding service learning and family regarding service learning and family service; have materials to hand out about service; have materials to hand out about ideas and information.ideas and information.

Encourage family-to-family Encourage family-to-family communication of successful activities. communication of successful activities. You might have a display or a designated You might have a display or a designated bulletin board at the school. bulletin board at the school.

Contact local volunteer centers and other Contact local volunteer centers and other organizations for opportunities and organizations for opportunities and needs.needs.

More ResourcesMore Resources

Use e-mail to post family volunteer Use e-mail to post family volunteer activities.activities.

Suggest and support families from the Suggest and support families from the school. Create a Parent Service Club that school. Create a Parent Service Club that gets together monthly to join in a gets together monthly to join in a service.service.

Create opportunities for families to help Create opportunities for families to help at school with twice-a-year clean-up and at school with twice-a-year clean-up and beautification projects. Join the district or beautification projects. Join the district or other schools in their service learning other schools in their service learning efforts. efforts.

ReferencesReferences

Parent Involvement In Service Parent Involvement In Service LearningLearning

by Cathryn Berger Kaye Available by Cathryn Berger Kaye Available from the Learn and Serve from the Learn and Serve America Program, Department of America Program, Department of Service-Learning Service-Learning http:/www.nationalservice.orghttp:/www.nationalservice.org

For more information:For more information:

Louise Chapman Louise Chapman lchapman@volusia.k12.fllchapman@volusia.k12.fl.us.us

Florida Learn and ServeFlorida Learn and Servehttp://www.fsu.edu/~flserve/http://www.fsu.edu/~flserve/