Parents as partners
They can be our best ally
Educators know what an important difference parent involvement
can make in a child's education. But, what can you do to show parents
the role they can play and make them a strong and lasting school
ally?
The National Foundation for the Improvement of Education (NFIE)
asked educators involved in successful dropout prevention programs
nationwide how they enlist and energize parents as partners. Here's
what they had to say:
- Take the initiative to involve parents. They want to
be active in their child's education.
- Schedule one-on-one conferences and ask parents what
they want to know. Then share your knowledge, guidance and support.
- Schedule home visits. Parents are apt to be more open
and at ease in their own homes.
- Encourage parents to spend time at school. Add a "parent
section" to the school library and provide office or lounge
space where parents will feel comfortable.
- Give parents a chance to share their talents and experiences
in the classroom, on field trips and before school-wide audiences.
- Remember to say "thank you" to parents for
their efforts with a call or a note.
- When parents are not available, reach out to grandparents,
foster parents or community volunteers who are serving as mentors
or "big brothers" and "big sisters" to your
students.
- Turn "back-to-school-night" into "family night"
and invite students and parents to come together to discuss what
they can anticipate from the school year and what will be expected
of students, parents and teachers.
- Encourage parents to provide their children with a quiet
study area, a good breakfast, a time to read together and guidance
and supervision over television viewing.
- Don't jump to conclusions. Invite parents in a non-threatening
way to talk with you about behaviors that concern you, and work
together to develop solutions to problems.
- Publish a newsletter or organize a discussion group to
give parents a forum to seek support, share ideas or brainstorm
solutions to concerns they have.
- Give parents a hands-on role in their child's work and
experiences in school. Require parents to sign homework and permission
slips for activities.
- Open communication through phone calls and personal notes.
Share positive as well as negative feedback.
- Write to parents. A sample letter to parents was drafted
by a fifth grade teacher and sent to her students at the beginning
of each year. Her colleagues found it useful and "stole"
from it in drafting their own letters to the parents of their
students. You may, too. It will not match your situation to every
detail, but it may help you get started. You may also want to
ask the more experienced colleagues in your building if they have
parent letters they use.
- One word of caution: Most building principals will appreciate
seeing a copy of any parent letter you write before you send it
home with students.
Taken from the NFIE publication" A Blueprint for Success,"
a part of NFlE's dropout prevention initiative sponsored by Sears
Roebuck Foundation and the National Education Association (NEA).
NFIE is a nonprofit tax-exempt foundation created by the National Education
Association. For more information, contact NFIE at 202-822-7840.
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