Working with Parents

Working with Parents

An essential element to effective teaching

Dr. Dave Kommer

An essential element to effective teaching

Dr. Dave Kommer

What can parents do for us?

• Parents can positively impact the following:

• student achievement

• attendance

• self-esteem

• graduation

• emotional well-being

• Benefits do not depend on income or education level. (It works for all students!)

What might parent involvement look like?

• Parents can help if they...

• create a positive home learning environment

• communicate high (but realistic) expectations to learners

• become involved in children’s schooling

What gets in the way of parent involvement?

• Parents face obstacles, such as...

• parents and teachers having different philosophies of what constitutes parent involvement

• schools are not welcoming to parents

• fewer opportunities to be involved

• poor communication from schools

• lack of parent education and parenting skills

• Parents inadequacy with content

• Time, job and family pressures

• Kids tell parents not to come to school

• Add to this list the following...

• cultural differences

• language barriers

• fear of authority-based institutions

• parent illiteracy

• family problems

• negative education experiences

• lack of resources

Models of Parent Involvement

Parenting:help parents understand adolescent

development

Communicating:

Communicate with families about

school programs and student

progress

Volunteering:Involve families in school activities. Train parents in

volunteer activities

Learning at Home:

Involve parents in academics including

homework, goal setting, projects.

Decision-Making:

Involve families as participants in

school governance through advisory

groups

Communities:Connect families

by providing resource

information and coordinating

community efforts

Jigsaw ActivityJigsaw Activity

• Collaborative Learning Approach

• Depends on each student following through

• Covers a lot of material in short time

• Steps:

• number off

• move to Expert Group

• Discuss ways to effectively implement this aspect of Parent Involvement. Feel free to do a quick online search of programs.

• Return to Home Group, discuss pieces and add to note sheets.

• Collaborative Learning Approach

• Depends on each student following through

• Covers a lot of material in short time

• Steps:

• number off

• move to Expert Group

• Discuss ways to effectively implement this aspect of Parent Involvement. Feel free to do a quick online search of programs.

• Return to Home Group, discuss pieces and add to note sheets.