This module provides information on the importance of trusting, respectful, and reciprocal partnerships between educators and students' families. It gives opportunities to reflect on why it is critical for educators to have the awareness, knowledge, and skills around culturally sustaining family outreach to support student success and exercises geared to strengthen your capacity for quality family engagement.
Why family engagement is critical:
This article on Redefining Family Engagement for Student Success (2014), is from Harvard's Family Research Project and presents research on the importance of strong partnerships between educators and students' families in supporting student success.
Redefining-Family-Engagement_Harvard 2014.pdfThis video, called Link it to Learning, features Harvard Family Research Project scholar Dr. Karen Mapp, reinforces how critical it is for every educator to understand the impact of 2-way, respectful relationships with families to support student success.
Families & Educators Together (2019) is a recently published resource from the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) on how to create effective partnerships between educators and families of young children.
Family Engagement for High School.pdfThe booklet, Family Engagement for High School Success Toolkit, addresses how middle and high school teachers can connect with families in ways that are appropriate as outreach strategies evolve to meet student needs and those of families.
Back-to-school night or open house is an opportunity for teachers start to build strong partnerships with families. Teachers can go beyond the standard "rules and expectations" speech and connect with families more authentically. That first impression can go a long way toward establishing trust with families.
The author of this article shares how she used a Powerpoint presentation to introduce herself on back-to-school night setting the tone for more meaningful collaborations with family members.
Back-to School Night.pdfAfter you have read the article above, try creating your own slideshow to introduce yourself to families on back-to-school night just as the author of the article did. Be sure to add lots of photos! Submit your presentation on Canvas.
Additional resource for open house: Below the Powerpoint template is a fun game/icebreaker format called "Who Are Your People?" to get family members interacting and connecting with other families. Having families see one another as partners and resources is a powerful way to build networks of support.
An informal survey is a useful tool to learn who the families of your students are, how they see their child, and what matters to them as a family,
The sample questionnaire here provides sample prompts to access the information you will need to become an ally for your students and their families.
It can be helpful to compile information gathered through visits or surveys on a class spreadsheet. Some categories might include
Home Visit Interview or Survey Prompts.docxParentTeacherConferenceTipSheet_GFRP 2018.pdfThis tip sheet provides suggestions for making parent-teacher conferences more family friendly. There are ideas for both teachers and administrators.
For more ideas and guidance, view this video, Successful Parent Teacher Conferences from the TeachingChannel about tips for successful parent-teacher conferences.
Family Engagement Philosophy and Outreach Plan
This is an intentional way to express your beliefs about the importance of partnering with families for student success and articulate specific strategies you will implement. If you are near the end of a school year, think about preparing this to start your next school year.
The ultimate goal of the Plan is to empower your students' families as partners in their child's schooling.
Tips for creating the Plan:
For the philosophy statement, seek to articulate your basic beliefs about the importance of creating positive partnerships with families of your students. (Try to articulate it in just a few sentences.)
For the implementation strategies, keep it simple. Think of small but meaningful ways you can meet your goals to empower families and keep them informed and connected.
Make it your own. For example, if home visits aren't used in your district or you don't see that as a strategy that interests you, don't list it as a potential strategy. (Although your plan may evolve as you learn more about ways to build strong relationships with families.)
A template can be found below to help you think it through.
Family Engagement Plan articulated Summer 19.docxShare your Family Engagement and Outreach Plan with a colleague to get feedback and more ideas for implementing effective outreach to family members.
Post the Plan in your classroom as a reminder of your commitment to quality partnerships with families. Your Plan will evolve as you learn more about what works!
On Canvas, submit your completed Family Engagement and Outreach Plan.
