This is a pdf copy of a Parental Engagement presentation developed by Ginny Huckaba

1. Engaged Parents—
Who Needs „em?
Developing Teacher-Parent Partnerships
That Focus on
Positive Student Learning and
Behavioral Outcomes

2. NORMS
 Be timely, present and participatory
 Phones on silent or stun
 Minimize sidebars
 Return from break

3. Goals
At the end of this session, participants will:
1. Have knowledge of what research says about
engaged parents‟ effect on student performance and
behavior.
2. Have knowledge of a variety of ways to encourage
parents‟ engagement in their child‟s education.
3. Have engaged collaboratively with one another on
ways to plan for increasing parental engagement.
4. Be able to serve as a resource of information to
others.

4. We know you‟re a teacher, but tell us more…..
http://www.zoomerang.com/Survey/WEB22CV4M7N6ED

5. Regardless of family income or background,
students with involved parents are more likely to:
 Earn higher grades and score higher on tests
 Attend school regularly
 Pass more classes, earn more course credits
 Have better social skills, show improved behavior, and adapt well to
school
 Experience increased academic success
 Graduate and go on to postsecondary education
*Source: A New Wave of Evidence, Southwest
Educational Development Laboratory (2002)

6. A parent‟s physical presence does not
necessarily equal a parental involvement.
The involved parent provides the
following to his/her child:
1. Support
2. Insistence
3. Expectations

7. 6 Types of School-Parent Involvement
1. Parenting
2. Communicating
3. Volunteering
4. Student Learning at Home
5. School Decision-making and Advocacy
6. Collaborating with the Community
*Source: School, Family, and Community Partnerships: Your
Handbook for Action, J.L. Epstein, Corwin Press (1997)

8. No significant learning occurs
without significant relationships.
*Dr. James Comer

9. Memorable Experience
Think about your life as
a student. What
memory “stands out”
for you?
How has this affected
your approach to your
own child‟s education?

10. Going Beyond the traditional
Parent-Teacher Conference:
More than Spaghetti Suppers

11. What‟s Their View on P-T Conferences?

12. It‟s your first visit to a new dentist. What
are the things you see and hear that might
increase or decrease your confidence in
the ability of the doctor and staff?

13. You are a parent, visiting your child‟s new
school. What might you see or hear that
might increase or decrease your
confidence in the school and its staff?

14. And the Survey Says…
Inventory of my Secondary School‟s Family
Friendliness—go to:
http://www.zoomerang.com/Survey/U2KH6UXQGR6A

15. And the Survey Says…
Inventory of my Elementary School‟s Family
Friendliness—go to:
http://www.zoomerang.com/Survey/U2KH6UXNGR53

16. Engaging Parents From the Start:
 Welcoming Culture
 Invite, Invite, Invite
 Inform, Inform, Inform
 Phones: real people
 Newsletters, website, school blog
 Feed them and they will come
 Nix “Parenting Class” titles
 Each one—reach one (or more)
 Safe Schools—for parents too (emotional)

17. “I know you believe you understand what
you think I said, but I am not sure you
realize that what you heard is not what I
meant.”
*Richard M. NIxon

19. Tips for better communication
 Clarify everyone‟s needs and wants.
 Be sure you understand what each really is saying.
 Convey a willingness to learn from each other.
 Agree to disagree agreeably.
 Use objective, non-judgmental language.
 Agree what each of you will do.
 Don‟t take it personally!

20. Be Mindful of These When
Communicating w/Parents:
1. MUTUAL RESPECT
2. USE OF NON-EDUCATIONESE
3. HOW HOME DISCIPLINE IS HANDLED
4. HOW TIME IS VIEWED BY PARENT
5. ROLE OF SCHOOL AND EDUCATION IN
PARENTS’ LIVES

21. Effective Communication Skills
Involve:
Paraphrasing conveys attention and
understanding. I’m listening and I care.
Clarifying provides greater specificity for
either observer or teacher. “Help me understand . . .”
Mediating stretches thinking, considers other
possibilities. “What if . . .”

22. And now, a word from our participants:
Paraphrasing and Clarifying

23. Can‟t I please just
teach and leave parent
engagement to the
Parent Facilitator?

24. How does classroom management fit in
the parent-engagement puzzle?
Materials
Layout Instruction
Classroom
Management
Policies
Behavior and
Procedures
Time
*Source: Behavior Management is not equal to Classroom Management, D.
Ginsburg, Education Week (2011)

25. Scenario:
Mrs. Allison, a ninth-grade science teacher, has been having trouble with
Samuel Hodges misbehaving during lab time. After his second disruption,
Mrs. Allison told Samuel that she was going to contact his parent. That
evening, Mrs. Allison called Samuel‟s mother, Ms. Andrews, and told her
about Samuel‟s misbehavior.
Ms. Andrews told Mrs. Allison to hold on; Mrs. Allison could hear Ms.
Andrews talking to Samuel in the background. When Mrs. Andrews came
back on the line, she said “Samuel told me that he didn‟t do it and my son
don‟t lie. “ Mrs. Allison replied that she saw Samuel‟s misbehavior and that
she had talked to him about it after class. Mrs. Andrews shouted into the
phone, “Listen, I‟m tired; I‟ve worked hard all day and I don‟t have time for
this. My son ain‟t no liar; he said he didn‟t do it and I believe him—because
he don‟t lie to me. ”

26. With Your Partner/Group:
Discuss:
Is this scenario a realistic one?
Could the teacher have used a different
approach and, if so, what would you
suggest?
Why do you think Mrs. Andrews reacted as
she did?
Debrief

27. Effective Classroom Management =
Engaging Parents‟ Involvement
 Communicate, communicate, communicate—early, often and in variety of
media
 Let parents know your rules, routines, procedures; teach to kids and
practice—REGARDLESS of grade level
 Make yourself available—give advance notice of available talk/meet time
 Know how to use parent PR—be open, be inviting, be yourself
 Invite, invite, invite—into your class and into your activities
 Catch the kids doing good stuff and shout it from the rooftop to parents
(especially the ones you know you‟re going to have to call conferences for
before October arrives).
 Don‟t be afraid to “phone home” and let the kids know of your boldness!
 Document, duplicate, deliver and be determined (to follow up)

28. Parents are not
a single group 1. Career-oriented/too busy to attend
school activities
2. Very involved in school activities
3. Single parents—working two jobs
Think of parents as being
4. Immigrant parents
members of distinct
5. Parent w/overwhelming personal
sub-groups.
issues
6. Surrogate parents
7. Children who are, in reality, their
own parent

29. Some parents choose to act as friend
rather than parent to their child.
Three possible reasons for this:
1. Divorced/single
2. Schedules
3. Own parents‟ history

30. Ideas and Suggestions to Encourage More
Parent Activity in Schools

31. Engaging Specific Groups of Parents:
 Two-career parent: fliers, web page, newsletter, email updates
on class/school events, color-coded information (white-nice;
yellow-concern; red—immediate attention), if call at work only
do so to ask them to call you back when they are off work to
talk
 Non-working /uninvolved parent: volunteer phone call updates,
home contacts, coffee “klatches” at one parent‟s home with 3-4
other parents/principal/counselor
 Surrogate parent: since tends to be grandparents/foster
parents, offer support through a mentor who contacts them
monthly

32. Engaging Specific Groups of Parents:
 Immigrant parent: short videos (not commercially produced),
dubbed in their own language explaining how—school works,
talk to teacher, what grades mean, what homework is, etc.
 Single parent: activities with open time frames, food, child care,
and possibly on weekends; videos introducing the teacher at
beginning of year
 Unavailable parents (child self-parenting): teacher child how to
care for self, provide linkages for student to other school
service agencies, counselor provide lunches for kids of similar
circumstances to meet, eat, and discuss relevant issues.

33. Ideas for Engaging Parents:
 Museum format for parent meetings.
 Introductions Video
 Let children attend with parent (volunteers work with
children)
 Child-care for moms without support systems to attend
activities.
 Gift baskets or gift certificates donated by community
businesses.
 Food
 Offer classes for parents (filling out applications, computer,
English, small-business)

34. Ideas for Engaging Parents:
 Fliers: use both written AND visual information
 Send home simple, how-to activities for parent and
child
 Make connections—each one/reach one
 Make home visits—as appropriate
 Hold activities in community centers or other non-
school locations
 Use a variety of announcement media throughout
the year
 Buffet—make it easy, provide a variety of ways to be
engaged

35. Ideas for Engaging Parents:
 Invite, Invite, Invite—and Ask Personally
 Welcome Wagon
 Pair newly involved parent w/experienced parent
volunteer
 Follow-up with parents on volunteerism
surveys/responses
 Limit meeting time—less than an hour
 Make it easy--provide variety of time slots if possible

36. Ideas for Engaging Parents:
 Show your appreciation—simply say “thank you”
yields rewards
 Reach Out—all making an effort, all the time
 Get the kids to perform (science fair, band concert,
literacy/math night)
 Be at the activities; be visible yourself
 Speak to individual parents—be mindful to include all
 Listen to parents‟ suggestions; ask for input

37. Building Communities of Support:
 First-line staff trained to greet
 Diverse school-design teams identify needed support
systems and develop solutions
 First-of-year home contacts by teachers, lasting no
more than five minutes.
 Ask parents and students informally and
conversationally what the school can do to better
serve them
 Weekend activities; not athletics but other family-
oriented activities
 Donuts for Dads--Coffee Chats for Moms—
Grandparents‟ Lunch

38. Building Communities of Support:
 Picnics on Playground or Block Party (after school,
on weekends) for Parents/Children
 Information for parents such as basic money skills,
conflict resolution skills, etc.
 Student-led parent/teacher conferences
 Child-nominated parent awards
 Awards ceremony for Parent Volunteerism (using
variety and diverse definition of)

39. With Your Team
Brainstorm, discuss and map out a plan for increasing
parental engagement at your school that can be
implemented in the upcoming school year.

40. “Locate a resilient kid and you
will also find a caring adult—or
several—who has guided him.”
 Invincible Kids, U.S. News & World Report

41. Be joyful and have a great year!

42. Sources:
• Payne, R.K. (2006), Working with parents: Building relationships for
student success (2nd ed.). Highlands, TX: aha! Process, Inc.
• Payne, R.K. (2005), A framework for understanding poverty (4th revised
ed.). Highlands, TX: aha! Process, Inc.
• Creagh, M.L. (2006), Nobody wants your child. Atlanta, GA: Rock Hill
Books of Atlanta.
• Price, H.B. (2008), Mobilizing the community to help students succeed.
Alexandria,VA: ASCD.
• Other sources are cited within the document.