Draft #2 Recommendations for Anticipating and Addressing Potential Parent
Concerns Regarding Core Texts
1.
List all core titles for the semester/year in the syllabus along with the caveat that
some items may be subject to change pending student need and availability.
Invite parents to be in touch if there are questions. Syllabi are not legal
documents but should be considered a type of contract.
See the following for more input on developing a syllabus:
http://provost.hamptonu.edu/cte/legally_sound_syllabi.cfm
2.
Post the syllabus on either the department or the individual teacher webpage
and send home a hard copy with students.
3.
Identify an alternate text where needed, working with students and their families
on a case-by-case basis. Considerations that may impact the need for an
alternative text: maturity level, reading level, cultural sensitivities, potential prior
trauma related to content in the whole class novel.
4.
Be prepared to explain to families with concerns about a core text that if their
child is the only one not reading the text that they will be doing an ‘independent
study. If multiple alternative texts are needed and the selected texts limit to
access the Parkway curriculum, teachers may need to consult with care teams
about the appropriateness of offering a modified grade.
5.
Be prepared to collaborate with parents on a case by case basis at the start of the
semester to head off any issues. Solicit information on how best to help their
child acquire and make meaning of the big ideas in the curriculum that a given
text is intended to support. Discuss ways that parents can help students and
ways that teachers can work with their child to engage productively with the
curriculum.
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6.
Provide a summer workshop for teachers interested in working on resources for
alternative texts.
7.
Becky will work with Parkway’s parent organizations (PTO, PACCD, PAMEE), to
develop a similar set of recommendations for parents that include looking for a
syllabus during the first two weeks of school, contacting teachers early if there
are concerns, and partnering with teachers to support students who need
alternate texts. See page 3 for an initial draft.
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Draft #3: Protocol for Anticipating Parent Concerns re: Lit Circle Texts
1. Teachers should be aware of BOE policies regarding the selection of instructional materials,
parent concerns, teaching controversial issues, academic freedom, and copyright law.
https://drive.google.com/a/pkwy.k12.mo.us/file/d/0B23cC5nZMHwNVDJnZ3lscnpFWmM/view?
usp=sharing
2. Going forward, unless they are canonical, all books must be approved before purchase.
3. Syllabi should contain the titles of all books that teachers intend to teach each semester to the
extent possible, and be sent home at the start of the year/semester, so that interested parents
have time to read them and get back to teachers in a timely manner if there are concerns.
4. In addition to the contribution each work makes to course themes and goals, teachers should
consider the overall impact of the literature selected for a course, taking into consideration
students’ social-emotional development.
5. It is strongly recommended that teachers send a letter home outlining the literature circle texts
for Grades 9 – 10 and inviting parents to discuss the options with their son or daughter. Lit
circle options should accommodate a range of complexity and maturity levels. Parents should
be invited to help their student select their first, second, and third choices and offer teachers
information on what would help their child, particularly in the case of those with disabilities, to
make sense of the selected texts.
6. When sensitive content that would benefit from adult guidance is discussed in a given lit circle
during class, teachers should plan to be present. If a lit circle is self- managed, it should share its
calendar with the teacher to help with this timing.
7. If teachers other than an applicant would like to include a text in a literature circle selection,
they should review the book approval form. Forms will be posted on the OCG? to acquaint
teachers with the information originally gathered.
8. To help teachers anticipate parent concerns especially regarding students with special needs,
parents from groups like PACCD (Parent Advocates Council for Children with Disabilities) should
be invited to provide feedback on texts ahead of time and the feedback added to existing or
new book approval forms to give teachers an opportunity to anticipate and address concerns.
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Draft #1 Text Selections in English Classes: Suggestions for Parents
1. Think of yourself as a partner with the teacher.
2. Be proactive and advocate for your student’s needs early in the year.
3. Look for a syllabus within the first two weeks of the year or semester.
4. Preview the texts that are listed and read any that are unfamiliar, so that you can
discuss them with your son or daughter and ask questions, if needed.
5. If you see anything that concerns you, let the teacher know well in advance of the text
being taught, so that s/he can plan for an alternate text.
6. If the concern is with it a whole class novel (“anchor text”) that only involves your
student and s/he receives special education services during the class, arrangements will
be need to be made to ensure your student continues to receive the appropriate
number of minutes.
7. If there are multiple alternate texts that need to substituted for anchor texts that
impact a student’s ability to meet course objectives, it may be necessary to designate
the course as a *modified.
8. For choice book (“literature circle”) texts, become involved in selecting the text with
your son or daughter.
9. Feel free to give the teacher suggestions on how best to approach any sensitive content
with your son or daughter and discuss ways special education personnel might be able
to help.
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