Family Involvement Communication

andParent-Teacher Conferences

The Department of Federal and State Programs

Presenter: Margaret Shandorf

Parents that are not informed can not fully participate in schools.

Parents who know their children best, are in the best position to inform schools about their children’s needs and capabilities, and are deeply invested in their children’s success.

Parents can support schools by knowing what changes are occurring in school practices and instruction.

What the research says:

Communication: is a message sent and a message

received. considers the audience being addressed. is a two-way conversation. considers what message to convey.

Overview of Communication

Increases trust between schools and families. Encourages higher and realistic parental

expectations. Serves as the first step to other types of

parental involvement. Leads to a higher degree of parents’

commitment to helping their children improve. Puts everyone on the “same page.”

Reasons Why Home-School Connection is Beneficial

Family-school communication and involvement: yields student achievement. Parent involvement is increased when: parents believe that teachers keep them

informed, value their contributions and offer specific suggestions.

Parents feel satisfied with the quality of student learning when:

they believe schools welcome their involvement, empower them to participate and offer strategies for student learning.

Benefits of Effective Family- School Communication

Teachers who practice effective communication with families yield:

improved parent-teacher relationships. stronger parental support. stronger teaching abilities.

Teacher and Family Communication Benefits

Communicating: communication between home and school is regular, two-way and meaningful.

Parenting: parenting skills are promoted and supported.

Student Learning: parents play an integral role in assisting student learning.

Six Levels of Family Involvement

Volunteering: parents are welcome in the school and their support and assistance are sought.

School Decision Making and Advocacy: parents are full partners in the decisions that affect children and families.

Collaborating with Community: community resources are used to strengthen schools, families and student learning.

Six Levels of Family Involvement

Transportation Childcare Inflexible work schedule Unpleasant personal school history Memories of poor achievement or treatment

at school Cultural barriers Language barriers

Barriers Associated with Effective Communication

Offer a broad range of school and home learning experiences for parents.

Personally invite parents through invitation, as well as call out system.

Tell parents that their involvement with their child impacts student achievement.

Offer specific strategies such as: read to your child for 20 minutes a day and assist them with their homework.

Practices to Improve Family School-Communication

Have a routine time for the child to complete homework.

Set up a study area to complete homework. Know your child’s schedule and teachers. Communicate with school on a regular basis. Model respect for family culture and

language. Engage students in inviting their parents to

school events. Students can have a strong influence.

Best Practices

Build on the many family involvement events that you have in place.

Expand the Parent University. Build a Resource Room with multi-level

materials. Advertize your events clearly, attractively

and repeatedly. Make use of after school programs to

enhance student achievement.

Best Practices

Work with the ESOL coordinator, facilitator, parent liaison. Involve community and agency support. Plan parent-teacher conferences throughout

the year. Use part time in system funds to pay

substitutes for parent-teacher conferences. Use your SAC to review best practices and

strategies of school Policy/Plan.

Best Practices

Name some barriers of family involvement.Name some best practices.Give some examples of the research.Give some benefits of family-school connection.Name the six levels of family involvement.

Strategy BuilderWhat have you learned?

How?Who? What?

Where? When?

Why?

Parent-Teacher Conferences

Hold conferences in an appropriate settings.

Provide comfortable adult chairs. Post welcome signs to the classroom. Teachers should refrain from sitting behind their desk. Teachers should be dressed professionally.

Setting the Stage

Teachers vocalize the positives and also the concerns about the student.

Use understandable familiar terms, not educational jargon.

Allow the parent to talk and be an active listener.

Remember the conference is a two-way communication.

Focus on one main concern/conditions that you will address.

Conference Do’s

Avoid emotionally loaded statements. Start with the positives. Make the parent feel comfortable. Offer strategies and materials to parent to

help their child at home.

Conference Do’s

Make sure to outline a plan of action for the student to improve academics or behavior.

Give parents the opportunity to ask questions.

Make sure that the plan is one that all are in agreement with.

End the conference on a positive note. Follow up with parents after a reasonable

amount of time.

Conference Do’s

Next time you prepare for a parent-teacher conference use these TIPS. Put a little BUG in your ear and you will be PERFECT PESTS.

P- Person that prepares for conference. E- Engage parents and present information. S- Speak to the issues that impact student achievement and behavior. T- Teach and track student improvement. S- Share results with parents.

Checkpoint

Contact:

Margaret Shandorf, Resource Teacher

Federal and State Programs Phone: (561) 963-3843 (PX) 43843

For Further Information