Parents: Our Partners in the Classroom
Helena Sibyl King
Public Schools of Robeson County
Presentation Goals
• Supporting 21st century professionals to create a
culture of high expectations.
• Supporting academic growth and graduation for
all students.
• Engaging community stakeholders in
transforming education in North Carolina to
prepare globally competitive students for the 21st
century.
http://www.polleverywhere.com/free_text_polls/LTE0MzA3MjY0NjU
Standard II: Teachers Establish a
Respectful Environment for a Diverse
Population of Students
• Teachers work collaboratively with the families
and significant adults in the lives of their
students.
• Teachers recognize that educating children is a
shared responsibility involving the school,
parents or guardians, and the community.
Standard IV: Teachers Facilitate
Learning for Their Students
• Teachers interact with people from different
cultures and backgrounds
M
r
s
T
y
s
o
n
2000 Days
The number of days
between the time a baby is
born and when that child
shows up for the first day of
Kindergarten.
www.first 2000days.org
“Parents are teachers,
both by example and by
conversation.”
-quote unknown
One-Way Communication
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Newsletters
Marquee Information about school
Handbooks
Letters
Notes giving information
Two-Way Communication
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Calls or Text
Email
Home visits
Parent-teacher conferences
PTA/O Parent Nights
ROLES THAT CAN BLOCK
COMMUNICATION
TEACHER
Authority-figure role
Sympathetic-counselor role
Pass the buck role
Protect the empire role
Busy teacher role
PARENT
Protector role
Inadequate-me role
Avoidance role
Indifferent role
Don’t make waves role
As a principal, or lead learner, I see myself as the family
engagement “deal breaker” at my school.
Unless I’m the one that’s expecting it, modeling it, creating
opportunities for families to engage, providing time and
training for my staff, and trying to be the bridge between
home and school, family engagement just isn’t going to get
done because it’s not yet at the priority level of something
like standardized tests—that is, something that “has to
happen.”
-Joe Mazza, Knapp ES (PA)
Research Shows…
…that when parents are involved students tend to achieve more, regardless of
socio-economic status, ethnic/racial background or parent’s educational level.
…that schools would need to increase their spending by $1,000 per child in
order to get the same results that are gained through parental involvement.
Dr. Judith Martinez of the University of New Hampshire, 2008
Research Shows…
According to the U.S. Department of Education, family involvement could
double the public investment in student learning by reading with or working on
homework with children aged 1 to 9 years.
For example, if every parent would spend at least one hour reading or
working on schoolwork with their children five days a week that would be
8.7 billion hours.
Getting To Know Your
Students and Their Families
– Learn their name and use it
– Student interest survey
– Parent expectation surveys
– Make time to talk to them
– Attend activities away from school
– Contact parent(s) BEFORE issue arise
New Ways to Communicate
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ZippSlip www.zippslip.com
Anymeeting www.anymeeting.com
Remind101 www.remind101.com
Polls www.polleverywhere.com
Twitter https://twitter.com
Strategies
Relationship Builders
Relationship Killers
Role Playing…
http://wallwisher.com/wall/Sibylk
http://www.polleverywhere.com/multiple_choice_polls/LTE2NDE4NTIwNzc/
Thank You
Helena Sibyl King
helena.king@robeson.k12.nc.us