Family Engagement
"A rising tide lifts all boats" is an idiom made famous by President John F. Kennedy. When schools and families work together to support student learning, all students benefit and the entire school community grows stronger!
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Meaningful Parental engagement in a child’s education can lead to increased academic & financial outcomes!
It takes a village! The Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child (WSCC) model (which was developed with the CDC) emphasizes the interconnectedness of health, education, and community in supporting the whole child.
What is the sound of one hand clapping? It's a metaphor for families and schools working best when they act like two hands, because a child’s learning and well-being depend on both sides being engaged:
One side alone cannot create the full result. In education, schools can teach and support, but families bring context, consistency, and trust.
Together, the partnership has more impact than either side acting alone. For example, if a student is struggling, a school can adjust instruction while the family reinforces routines and communication at home. That kind of shared effort turns a one-sided response into a coordinated support system.
Emotions are contagious (meaning people often unconsciously mirror the feelings of those around them), for better or worse. In military families, that matters because stress, anger, relief, or calm can spread quickly within the home and shape how parents, children, and caregivers interact during deployment and reintegration periods.
Children have diverse needs; no single approach is right for all children. Parents and teachers are among the most important people in the lives of children. From birth, children rely on parents to provide them with the care they need to be happy and healthy, and to grow and develop well.
Parents need support from intervention programs and services that are based on approaches that have been rigorously tested and shown to work. Parents have diverse needs; no single approach is right for all parents. Schools should treat parents as equal partners when figuring out which services most benefit them and their children, such as supporting health and safety, along with using appropriate discipline without harshness.
The more parental engagement, the more students are likely to excel in academics, especially in math. An involved parent takes part in the activities already determined by the school, while an engaged parent takes a step further, often becoming part of the school's decision-making process. Both types of parents can produce better outcomes for students.
Parents and teachers can help students become more financially literate. The link between financial capability and math skills is common sense. It's never too early to start teaching students the basics of money management. Exposure to financial education at an early age can lay the foundation for a more successful financial future. Greater financial knowledge can empower students of all ages to better manage their money and improve their quality of life!
Middle school is defined by student-centeredness, development of the whole child, responsiveness to the unique needs of individual students, student empowerment, and democratic structure. There is no higher priority than the intellectual, socio-emotional, and physical health of our students.
A positive mindset improves performance, productivity, resilience, creativity, and problem-solving. When people are happy, their brains perform better than when they are stressed or neutral. This is based on Shawn Achor’s book, The Happiness Advantage, which argues that happiness fuels success. Achor recommends several habits, such as Writing down three things you’re grateful for each day; Journaling about one positive experience; Exercising regularly; Practicing meditation or mindfulness; Performing random acts of kindness; and Strengthening social connections.
mic3_parent_guide---final (1).pdfparent_engagement_strategies.pdf
Military children need more mental health support due to stressors tied to military life.
Parent/sibling deployment (lead to 34% higher depressive thoughts per deployment; 40% more likely to feel sad/hopeless), while Multiple deployments (lead to 56% more sadness, 34% depressive thoughts, 41% depressive symptoms/actions such as fatigue, sleep issues, unmotivated, withdrawal, etc).
For military children (who already face elevated depression risks), healthy lunches provide essential nutrients that support brain function and emotional stability to reduce anxiety and depression, improve concentration and mood. Research and military health programs explicitly link nutritious meals and fitness to emotional well-being, stress reduction, and resilience—critical factors for children facing the unique challenges of military life.
A positive school culture is where students, teachers, and parents feel safe, supported, and engaged.
Success, joy, and accomplishment are all main features of a positive school culture! Having a positive school culture has an impact, not just on the attitudes of students and teachers, but on the entire learning experience! School administrators, teachers, and parents play a vital role in creating a positive school culture.
Redefine what counts as engagement = Expand your definition beyond attendance at events. Recognize home-based support, a variety of ways of communicating (text, social media) with school, and everyday efforts families make as meaningful engagement. Make this shift clear to your staff.
Go where families already are = If families are showing up to athletic events or community spaces, meet them there. Set up engagement opportunities at games or local gatherings. Consider hosting events in the neighborhoods where families live, not just at the school. When schools step into the community, barriers like transportation begin to shrink.
Design for their access, not your convenience = Offer flexible meeting options, including virtual opportunities and varied times of day. Consider surveying families to learn what works best instead of taking a one-size-fits-all approach.
Build capacity, not just compliance = Some families want to help but don’t always know how. Create opportunities to share strategies and decision-making, model support, and even learn together. Position families as partners in the process.
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WHAT CAN PARENTS DO TO HELP THEIR CHILD?
Just like nobody ever learned to speak a language just by learning the rules of grammar, nobody learns math by memorizing the rules of how to arrange numbers and symbols in order to find the right answer to a problem. So, parents can help their child learn math through real-life experiences, such as paying bills, shopping for the best price, baking, understanding sports (being a player and team statistics), playing music, and figuring out distance, time, and cost for travel.
First of all, parents can ask their child what they are learning in class. When assisting with work, parents can further support their child’s learning by asking questions about their schoolwork they do. Here are some helpful questions to ask:
How does this problem look like something you did in class?
Can you show me the strategy you used to solve this problem? Do you know another way to solve it?
Does your answer make sense? Why?
Parents can discuss with their children about money when paying bills, because calculating money while paying bills can help increase a child's understanding of and confidence in the calculation of decimals (Resource: https://www.practicalmoneyskills.com/en.html; https://www.uscurrency.gov/educational-materials)
Children can learn different mathematical concepts in the kitchen or while doing routine shopping with their parents. When mathematics is learned in daily life, it helps to reinforce computation, problem-solving, and critical thinking skills. (Resource: https://guam.pbslearningmedia.org/collection/mathcore/)
Parents can have their children weigh items using a kitchen scale, because it will sharpen the child's skills, such as estimating weights, fluid measurements, and even cooking time.
Parents can have their children calculating the proportions of ingredients in recipes, which can help children become familiar with the concept of ratios, proportions, and mixed numbers.
Parents can remind their children to check the nutrition label of the foods they have at home and/or buy at the store, because calculating calories in their food will reinforce math skills as well as the importance of a balanced diet to avoid junk foods.
'Junk food' is food that contains high levels of fats, salt or sugar, and lacks nutrients such as fibre, vitamins and minerals. In the short-term, junk foods can make you feel tired, bloated, and unable to concentrate. Long-term, junk foods may lead to tooth decay, poor bowel habits, unhealthy weight, and diabetes.
Estimation is an important skill in mathematics. Parents can have their children practice quick and approximate calculations without the help of a calculator. Children learn better when involved in real-life activities, rather than just solving problems from a textbook.
Integrating Nutrition Education into School Curricula.pdf
RPReplay_Final1706337049.mp4
portion_size_pitfalls 1.pdfLEARNING IS A PROCESS (NOT A RACE) FOR MASTERY: Normalize Mistakes (Emphasize that mistakes are part of learning, which reduces fear of failure and builds resilience); Use Growth Mindset Language (Encourage students to believe they can improve with effort and practice); Make Math Relevant (Connect math concepts to real-world applications to increase interest and engagement); Celebrate Small Wins (Acknowledge progress and effort to boost student confidence); Incorporate Play and Creativity (Use math games and creative problem-solving to make math more enjoyable).
WHOLE-CHILD EDUCATION: Healthy students are better learners! Start children off on the way they should go as anything good takes time to take root. There is no higher priority than the intellectual, socio-emotional, and physical wellness of our students, because everything is connected!
EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH CAN HELP TO CREATE A POSITIVE SCHOOL CULTURE!
"The traditional grading system is not aligned to learning outcomes, or what a student is learning. There's no explanation for what got a student to the grade they achieved. Some may be learning more than others, but not able to apply their knowledge well to the task at hand. A better grading system allows for multiple attempts of content mastery."" -- Rick Wormeli
"It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men." -- Frederick Douglass
"Adapt what is useful, reject what is useless, and add what is specifically your own." --Bruce Lee
Life skills are essential abilities that help individuals navigate day-to-day challenges, make informed decisions, and lead fulfilling and productive lives. These skills are important for personal development, social interactions, career success, and overall well-being. Here are some key life skills:
1. Communication Skills
- Verbal Communication: Expressing ideas clearly and confidently in spoken words.
- Non-verbal Communication: Understanding and using body language, tone of voice, and facial expressions.
- Listening Skills: Actively listening to others and understanding their perspective.
- Written Communication: Conveying messages clearly through writing, such as emails or reports.
2. Emotional Intelligence (EQ)
- Self-awareness: Recognizing and understanding your own emotions and how they affect your behavior.
- Self-regulation: Managing your emotions, impulses, and reactions in various situations.
- Empathy: Understanding and considering the emotions and feelings of others.
- Social skills: Building healthy relationships, conflict resolution, and collaboration.
3. Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving
- Analyzing information**: Evaluating facts and evidence to make informed decisions.
- Creative thinking: Coming up with innovative solutions to challenges.
- Decision-making: Identifying options, weighing pros and cons, and making the best choice.
4. Time Management
- Prioritization: Organizing tasks by importance and urgency.
- Goal setting: Defining short- and long-term goals and planning steps to achieve them.
- Focus and discipline: Avoiding procrastination and managing distractions to stay productive.
5. Self-care and Stress Management
- Healthy habits: Maintaining physical health through good nutrition, exercise, and sleep.
- Mental health: Practicing mindfulness, meditation, or relaxation techniques to reduce stress and anxiety.
- Work-life balance: Managing time and energy between work and personal life.
6. Financial Literacy
- Budgeting: Planning and tracking income, expenses, and savings.
- Saving and investing: Understanding the importance of saving for the future and how to invest wisely.
- Debt management: Managing loans, credit, and avoiding unnecessary debt.
7. Adaptability and Resilience
-Flexibility: Being open to change and adjusting to new situations.
- Coping with challenges: Developing strategies to bounce back from setbacks or failures.
- Growth mindset: Viewing challenges as opportunities for learning and improvement.
8. Conflict Resolution and Negotiation
- Mediation: Finding solutions that work for all parties in a disagreement.
- Compromise: Understanding when and how to find a middle ground.
- Assertiveness: Standing up for yourself respectfully while considering others' perspectives.
9. Teamwork and Collaboration
- Working in groups: Effectively collaborating with others to achieve common goals.
- Leadership: Inspiring and guiding a group towards success, even when not in an official leadership role.
- Delegation: Knowing when and how to assign tasks to others based on their strengths.
10. Self-Discipline and Motivation
- Goal achievement: Setting clear objectives and staying motivated to accomplish them.
- Persistence: Sticking with tasks or challenges, even when faced with difficulties.
-Habit-building: Developing and maintaining positive habits that lead to success.
11. Basic Home and Practical Skills
- Cooking: Preparing healthy meals and understanding basic nutrition.
- Cleaning and organization: Maintaining a clean and orderly living space.
- Basic repairs: Knowing how to fix simple issues around the house (e.g., changing a lightbulb, unclogging drains).
12. Digital Literacy
- Basic technology skills: Understanding how to use computers, smartphones, and common software applications.
- Online safety: Protecting your digital privacy, understanding cybersecurity, and identifying scams.
- Social media etiquette: Using social media responsibly and thoughtfully.
13. Cultural Awareness and Tolerance
- Understanding diversity: Respecting people from different cultures, religions, and backgrounds.
- Global awareness: Staying informed about global issues and being open to different perspectives.
- Tolerance: Practicing acceptance and respect for others' views and beliefs.
14. Negotiation and Persuasion
- Influencing others: Effectively persuading others by presenting logical arguments or emotional appeals.
- Finding win-win solutions: Negotiating outcomes that benefit all parties involved.
Developing these life skills enables individuals to be more self-sufficient, handle challenges effectively, and build strong relationships both personally and professionally.
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