Guiding Questions
Creating the Profile
- What does research say about effective family and community engagement?
- Why is it important to engage all families and community in support of education?
- The National PTA has developed standards for family involvement. How is your school currently performing with families and communities in reference to these standards?
Reaching Out to Diverse Populations
www.sedl.org/pubs/family29/1.htmlGetting Parents “Ready” for Kindergarten: The Role of Early Childhood Education
www.gse.harvard.edu/hfrp/projects/fine/
resources/research/kreider.htmlThe Transition to Kindergarten: A Review of Current Research and Promising Practices to Involve Families http://www.gse.harvard.edu/hfrp/projects
/fine/resources/research/bohan.html
- What current practices of the school reflect effective collaboration among families and community?
- Do teachers, family, and community share common expectations regarding support for families? (example: building trusting relationships, linking families and community to school, developing leadership among family and community members).
Focus on Families! How to Build and Support Family-Centered Practices in After School
http://www.hfrp.org/family-involvement/fine-family-involvement-network-of-educators/fine-newsletter-archive/february-fine-newsletter-family-involvement-in-elementary-schoolConcepts and Models of Family Involvement
www.gse.harvard.edu/hfrp/projects/
fine/resources/case_study/intro.htmlSeeing is Believing: Promising Practices for How School Districts Promote Family Engagement
July 2009
Helen Westmoreland, Heidi M. Rosenberg, M. Elena Lopez, Heather Weiss
http://www.hfrp.org/publications-resources/publications-series/pta-and-harvard-family-research-project-issue-briefs-family-engagement-policy-and-practice/seeing-is-believing-promising-practices-for-how-school-districts-promote-family-engagement
Our findings point to three core components of these successful systems: creating district-wide strategies, building school capacity, and reaching out to and engaging families.Voices from the Field: How Can Elementary Teachers Collaborate More Effectively with Parents to Support Literacy Learning?
March 2011
Carol St. George, EdD
http://www.hfrp.org/publications-resources/browse-our-publications/voices-from-the-field-how-can-elementary-teachers-collaborate-more-effectively-with-parents-to-support-literacy-learning
Rather than teachers holding workshops for parents, the parents and teachers in the Collegial Circle engaged in readings and discussions together, thus creating a new paradigm for parent workshops.
- Have surveys and interviews of families, staff, and community been conducted?
- Were the survey responses representative?
- What types of services are being provided to support families?
- In school?
- In community?
- The following are some specific questions to be considered for analysis.
- What is known about your FAMILIES?
- % working
- % single parents
- % grandparents or other
- % children & families living in poverty
- % cultural, ethnic, racial, linguistic diversity
- % mobility or homeless
- What is known about your COMMUNITY(IES)?
- Economic factors (% agricultural, % professional, % industrial/technical, climate)
- Social foundation (service clubs, community organizations)
- Human services
- Leadership
- Inventory of community strengths/needs
- Demographics
- What is known about your FAMILIES?
Parent Engagement Electronic Tool Kit
www.michigan.gov/ documents/ MDE_Parent_Involvement_Part_1_12-16-04_111424_7.doc
Setting the Goals
- What are the unique strengths of the community that influence student success?
- What are the target areas for the school’s overall improvement goals and how can collaboration with families and community support those goals?
- How can you address student needs through family and community collaboration?
- What steps might be taken to prioritize the student needs?
Transforming Schools Through Community Organization: A Research Review
www.gse.harvard.edu/hfrp/projects/
fine/resources/research/lopez.html
Planning to Improve
- What types of professional development and outreach would foster collaboration among school staff, families, and community members?
- To improve communication?
- To increase families’ role in student learning (i.e., develop meaningful family-friendly, homework assignments)?
Ideas for Teacher Preparation in Family Involvement
www.hfrp.org/family-involvement/publications-resources (click on teacher preparation and professional development)
- Based on your goal, who is responsible for each strategy?
- When will it happen?
- What methods or measures will help guide your activities and track progress?
- Do you have what you need to complete your work? (human resources, materials, technology)
- How will you address the gaps in resources? (think innovatively and creatively, tap new ideas and resources)
Implementing the Plan
- Did you record baselines?
- How are progress and process toward family and community engagement documented?
- How is progress shown or measured?
- Which activities and strategies for family and community engagement worked well?
- What unexpected outcomes occurred?
- What adjustments or improvements need to be made to move forward and achieve goals?
- As a result of this information, what are the next steps to take in the plan?