Parenting
- Parent
information nights on how to support learning at home: Literacy, numeracy,
bullying, local parks and
outdoor spaces, community resources.
- Blog and newsletter in home language: Video highlights of learning with explanation of why it is important and what parents can do to expand learning opportunities (students could even translate into multiple languages, or subtitles could be adapted).
- Explanation of curriculum and assessment strategies.
Communicating
- Student
led-conferences and goal setting, including parents, students and
educators goals for students.
- Weekly classroom assessment (classroom survey including information on work that was/was not completed) filled out by student then taken home to be reviewed and signed by parents.
- Impromptu email communication or phone calls to parents regarding positive behaviors or learning experiences their child had that day.
Volunteering
- Hold
volunteer orientations school wide and individual classrooms so that
parents become familiar with routines, expectations, where to find
supplies and how to use office machinery. Have volunteer centers in each
class that has a list of things volunteers can come in and get started on
right away.
- Have some sort of a rotation set up so that all parents have opportunities to volunteer in a wide variety of ways. Have “to-go” projects set up for families who work or have young children at home.
- Have parents with occupations or hobbies come in and speak to the student’s and connect with the curriculum (ex. EMT for human body systems or a Landscaper for plant life cycles).
Learning at Home
- Friday
afternoon preview of what curriculum will be taught the following week,
allowing for extended conversations at home regarding subjects the parents
may be knowledgeable of, or curious about, therefore reinforcing student’s
learning.
- A weekly homework schedule that explains why the work is important and books or websites that contain more in depth explanations/extensions of the learning.
- A student/teacher/parent writing or literature journal that can be used as a way of sharing a child’s progress, as well as communicating the learning that is/is not occurring. Can also be used to better understand the learning environment at home and how it can be appropriately supported.
Decision Making
- Bi-annual
anonymous online survey regarding school involvement and parent
interaction. In addition, a survey box in a easy to find location that
offers parents an opportunity to voice their opinion.
- Opportunity for parents to form sub-groups who have a representative who can voice their questions/comments/concerns to the larger PTA/PTO. Student leadership in the upper grade levels to be directly involved in school decisions/improvements.
Collaborating With
Community
- Partner
with neighborhood agencies (ex. Police or firefighters) for informational
talks or to have them attend large school events.
- Have student’s work on service projects that can then be delivered to local nursing homes/food banks etc., giving back to the community in relevant ways.
- Partnership with community services/programs that families may connect with over the summer.
