beyond the bake sale chapter 4. developing relationships trust is the key – “when people feel...
TRANSCRIPT
Beyond the Bake Sale
Chapter 4
Developing Relationships• Trust is the key – “when people feel liked, valued, and
respected, they collaborate more readily”
Staff may describe a high-trust school using the following statements:
People listen genuinely to one another
Teachers provide a challenging teaching environment
Administrators provide a safe, orderly building
Page 48-49
Developing RelationshipsOur school places the highest priority on children’s best interest,
and this is the highest purpose of the school.
Parents provide the basic needs for their children and support education at home.
Teachers stay after hours to meet with parents.
Teachers go the extra mile to help each other and advise a new teacher.
Teachers are willing to give students extra help.
School staff get involved in local community matters. Page 48-49
Research by Karen Mapp on how and why parents are involved in their children’s education:
• Mapp asked parents to “identify what school staff actually did to creating trusting and respectful relationships.”
• What parents told her lead to her development of the three-part joining process. “In this process, the school community:
1. Welcomes parents into the school2. Honors their participation3. Connects with parents through a focus on the children and
their learning”
And everyone feels like “members of a family”
Page 48-49
The 3-Part Joining Process1. Welcome ALL families to your school community.
The welcome mat is out when…
Friendly signs point out the entrance (in all major languages spoken by your families)
Parking spots for parents and visitors are clearly marked and are near the entrance
School staff and parents greet visitors in a friendly way and ask if they can help
Teachers, administrators, and other school staff go outside the building to greet and talk with parents
Page 50
The 3-Part Joining ProcessThe school feels warm and friendly when…
The entryway is obvious – it’s clean, attractive, wheelchair-accessible with a welcoming sign for visitors
Colorful signs – in different languages direct you where to go
Brightly colored walls – are decorated with student artwork or colorful murals the students have painted
Displays of student projects and other celebrations outnumber warning posters
Page 51
The 3-Part Joining Process
People are accessible…
All the staff greet students, families, visitors, and each other in a genuinely friendly way at the beginning and end of the day.
The front office staff look up as soon as you come in and greet you warmly.
The principal is open and available.
The school staff are available via a phone directory list and/or website
Pages 52-53
The 3-Part Joining ProcessSmaller is better…
Consider breaking down big events into smaller ones that are more inviting and less intimidating.
For example: Back to school nights can be spread out over a week with one
grade level per night. (or one night for K-2 and one night for 3-5)The school library can be open at night for families to use and take
classes or help students.One-to-one interactions, such as informal conversations on the
school grounds and home visits by parents or staff.A family resource center where small groups can meet.
Pages 53-54
The 3-Part Joining Process
2. Honor Families by Recognizing Their Strengths and Contributions
Adopt a partnership philosophy
• Share power – give a diverse group of families a voice in decisions making sure they have equal representation in all matters put to a vote
• Send out a yearly school climate survey and share results with families
Pages 56-57
The 3-Part Joining Process2. Honor Families by Recognizing Their Strengths and Contributions
Embrace Your Families
• Invite and include all families and all family members• Hold activities at times that are convenient for families, such as six to
eight in the evening, or at varying times to fit families’ different work schedules.
• Make events fun and involve the whole family. Invite a local jazz combo to play at the open house. Ask parents to be greeters.
• Provide food and child care.• Make it easy for families who speak little English to take part. Offer
translation and interpreters.
Pages 57-58
The 3-Part Joining Process
Pages 58-59
• Listen and Respond to Families…
Ask them about:
Convenient times of day and days of the week for meetings and activities
Best ways to communicate information to them – cell phone, land line, website, email
The 3-Part Joining Process
Do more• “Hello! Welcome to
our school. How may I help you?”• One-to-one small
group meetings.• Meeting and greeting
parents before and after school
Do less• “Who are you? What
do you want?”• Large meetings in the
school gym.• Hiding in the office or
classroom and assigning talking to parents to someone else.
Page 59
Map Your School’s Parent-Teacher Contacts(answer these questions)
A. Teachers, counselors, or advisors are expected to communicate with families:
1. When there is a problem2. At parent-teacher conference3. At least once a month if the student is struggling4. At least once a month with every familyOther
B. School-Family communications tend to focus on:1. Student problems and misbehavior2. General news about the class3. Progress in specific problem areas4. Overall student progressOther Pages 61-62
Map Your School’s Parent-Teacher Contacts(answer these questions)
C. When do parents and teachers have face-to-face contact (besides parent-teacher conference)?
1. Some teachers attend PTO/PTA meetings and other events for families.
2. All teachers attend at least one family-oriented activity each semester.
3. Teachers greet families before and after school.4. Teachers routinely meet one-on-one or in small groups with
familiesOther
Pages 61-62
Map Your School’s Parent-Teacher Contacts(answer these questions)
D. How often do teachers send home materials that will help parents work with their children, such as learning kits or interactive homework assignments?
1. Rarely2. Maybe once a month3. It varies by teacher4. Every weekOther
Page 62
Map Your School’s Parent-Teacher Contacts(answer these questions)
E. How is student work shared with parents?1. Our school displays the work of top students only.2. Parents can come to school and see work on the bulletin boards.3. Teachers send home student work about once a month.4. Student work goes home every week; parents and teachers
comment on progress.Other
Add up your score. Give yourself a point of extra credit for each “other” response that moves your school toward open communications with families. The higher the number, the more your communications with families are open and trusting. If your score is 10 or below, develop a plan to open up communications with families. Page 62
Set Ground rules for involvement. Obviously a school can’t be wide open all the time. Involve families in designing the terms for engagement. For example, the school can honor families by having an open-door policy, and this policy should set the terms for the visits. Example for classroom visit days below:
DO• Walk right into any classroom that
does not already have three visitors.• Go into the room along the side or
back.• Observe what is happening in the
room.• Talk with staff members only if
approached by them.• Leave when you want. Spend no
more than 20 minutes in one room unless otherwise arranged.
• Leave messages or questions for staff in their mailboxes or email them.
• Ask the principal any questions.
Don’t
• Go into any room that already has three other visitors.• Disrupt the students’
learning.• Take pictures without
prior permission.• Ask staff questions while
they’re engaged in teaching.
Page 63
Make Parent Teacher Conferences Family-Friendly
• Accentuate the positive• Pull together a group of families and teachers to talk about
how to make conference less intimidating• Build a resource file of tips on good parent-teacher
conferences• Consider organizing student-led conferences (Chapter 5 will
have more details about student-led conferences)• Prepare for conferences using the conference checklist that
will be shared in Chapter 11. • Don’t rely on conferences as your school’s main contact with
families. It’s not possible to build constructive working relationships in one or two meetings a year.
Page 64
The 3-Part Joining Process3. Connect with Families Through a Focus on the Children and
Their Learning
“When every family involvement activity, from school plays to open houses, has a focus on educational achievement, parents get the message: this school has high expectations for students.”
How Can We Help?
Offer workshops/events for families about what their children are learning.
Offer tips on how to help with what children are learning at home – (Ziploc bag activities)
Show parents scoring rubrics so they understand the standards/mastery point of view
Page 65
The 3-Part Joining Process
Home Visits
“If parents are reluctant to come to school, a home visit can be a critical link, and often leads to more participation at home and at school.”
Who Makes Home Visits?
Teachers, Assistants, Counselors, Principals, Family Engagement Coordinator – (always have 2+ people on the team), Trained Volunteers
Page 67
The 3-Part Joining ProcessSteps for Making a Home Visit:
Always focus on helping children to succeed in school
1. Arrange a visit at a time convenient for the family, usually evenings or weekends.
2. Begin by asking parents to talk about their children’s skills, talents, and interests.
3. Relate these abilities to skills students are learning at school. Discuss how chores and other family activities can be ways to build those skills.
4. Introduce short, simple learning activities. For example: using cooking recipes to teach reading, sequencing, and measuring; playing counting and spelling games; doing outdoor science projects.
5. Show how to work with the children, and then observe as parents practice with their children. Leave learning materials behind for families to use.
Page 67
The 3-Part Joining Process
Home Visits to Improve READING SKILLS
Parent volunteers were trained to take books to new families enrolling at O’Hearn School in Boston– a low income area school
Families felt encouraged over time to visit classrooms and participate in school activities.
Parents that spoke a second language were encouraged to read to their children in their native language and borrow easy-to-read books in English from the school library.
Home reading increased, trusting adult relationships developed, and children’s academic performance steadily increased.
Page 68
The 3-Part Joining ProcessFamily Centers
Rooms that are dedicated to being a “home environment type setting” with comfortable furniture, possible appliances, games, toys, reading materials, etc.
Possible family center activities:Food and clothing banks, lending libraries, health fairs.A father’s or mother’s luncheonYard sales to make household goods and clothing available to familiesChild care area with volunteers so that parents can meet with teachersAdult and family literacy programsTutoring , mentoring, homework clinics
Page 68
Homework• Go to http://
www.stanlycountyschools.org/cms/One.aspx?portalId=284934&pageId=16642070
• Click on Chapter 4 Information document– How Family-Friendly is Your School?
• Complete the document as a school staff and send to me at [email protected]