Six Principles for Effective Parental Involvement
1. Invite families to participate in goal setting and decision making for their child
Family survey at beg./end of year
Parent information night
Educational information regarding developmental levels in newsletter
Post in center areas the developmental skills learned
Developmental screening
Observation room
Post pictures of family and child
Parent Education nights
2. Develop multiple channels of ongoing, two-way communication with families.
Face-to-face informal conversation
Create a family area
Review of the day posted (whiteboard)
Display children’s work
Print and display children in action
Written notes (VIMM, Special Book)
Parent contact preference (email, phone, written)
about special events
Formal conference
Parent –to-parent board
Ouch reports
Monthly calendar
Parent Handbook
Menus posted
Teachers greetings/welcome into the classroom
3. Engage families in reciprocal ways
Open house
Social events
Literacy night
Field trips
Potluck – information night
Book from home – read to class
Publish family directory/email list
Play dates with classmates/birthdays
Class needs/wish list
Read to children
Encourage parents to talk to each other
Keep teacher “radar” open for connections
Volunteer skills list – schedule guest speakers
Ice Cream social
Center tours by children
Common language used /listed
grandparents’ day
share recipes from home
Networking
End of the year performance/celebration
Invite to eat at meals/special events
welcome into classroom to participate
Scrapbooks
4. Provide learning activities for home to extend program teachings and connect home and
school environments.
Home visits
Flat Stanley project
Activity in backpack to take home/return
Families.NAEYC.org
newsletter requests
Topical websites
Alphabet show and tell / parents help in finding items
Friendship bread
Parent university courses
Family lending libraries
VIMM/Student of the week
5. Invite parental participation in program-level decisions and advocacy efforts.
Parent Committee
Advisory Board
Liason position
Connect with parent employers for Grants
Grant writing
Monitor public policy – political
Legislature action voice
Attend school board meetings and report to others
6. Implement a program-level system for family engagement.
Check to see if there is a policy that the center should actively promote parent engagement
Staff diversity
Curriculum specifics/anti bias
Staff meeting – shared vision