GETTING PARENTS INVOLVED IN THE CLASSROOM

By Priscilla Dwyer5th Grade TeacherKennedy Middle Grade School, KSD 111Co-President, Two Rivers Reading Council

WHY GET PARENTS INVOLVED?

What are the outcomes of parent involvement? Parent involvement leads to improved educational

performance (Epstein et al., 2002; Fan & Chen, 2001; NMSA, 2003; Sheldon & Epstein, 2002; Van Voorhis, 2003).

Parent involvement fosters better student classroom behavior (Fan & Chen, 2001; NMSA, 2003).

Parents who participate in decision making experience greater feelings of ownership and are more committed to supporting the school's mission (Jackson & Davis, 2000).

WHY GET PARENTS INVOLVED?

What are the outcomes of parent involvement? Parent involvement increases support of schools (NMSA,

2003). Parent involvement improves school attendance (Epstein et

al., 2002). Parent involvement creates a better understanding of roles

and relationships between and among the parent-student-school triad (Epstein et al., 2002).

Parent involvement improves student emotional well-being (Epstein, 2005).

Types of parent involvement and quality of parent involvement affect results for students, parents, and teachers (Epstein, 1995).

TOP TEN WAYS TO CREATEA COMMUNITY CLASSROOM

NUMBER ONE: ENCOURAGE PARENTS TO VOLUNTEER

Give a volunteer packet to every parent in your classroom. Call each parent and let them know that you are looking for volunteers. Make a schedule of when you will want your volunteers to come in to your classroom and be open to parents who may not be able to come in, but would like to help with projects that can be sent home.

NUMBER TWO: WE ARE ALL PART OF THE EDUCATION PROCESS

Be sure to emphasize, when you speak to your parents, that we are all part of the education process, and their involvement is important. Make it a positive interaction and let them know that you want them here.

NUMBER THREE: DON’T WAIT FOR THEM TO ASK TO VOLUNTEER

Find out your parents’ schedules and areas of expertise. Don’t wait for them to ask to volunteer. Decide what you need done and call them to come in and volunteer, or send home projects to be done at home and returned by a specific due date.

NUMBER FOUR: POSITIVE PHONE CALLS

Call each parent with a positive comment about each student, even the worst student, and connect with the parents about something positive. This will lead to rewards, not only with getting volunteers, but when something negative happens, the parent will be more likely to listen to you and be supportive.

C:\Documents and Settings\Matt and Priscilla\My Documents\IRC-Two Rivers\Parent Contact Log Revised.doc

NUMBER FIVE: THINK BIG

Think bigger…..don’t just invite parents, invite community members, friends, grandparents, organizations.

Some ideas of people you might invite:GrandparentsThe MayorLocal Business Employees (some business require

certain amounts of community service)Local University or Community College StudentsFriendsRetired Teachers

NUMBER SIX: TAKE THE TIME TO TRAIN YOUR VOLUNTEERS

In addition to making copies, hanging up projects and filing, parents and volunteers should work with students. Set aside a time to train your parents to go over student writing, read with students, help them prepare for presentations or tutor in math. One or two plan times should suffice for training. You will know which parents/volunteers can handle these tasks. Make them regular volunteers with a once a week time. If they don’t show up, and don’t call, call them, make them accountable. Reschedule, if something comes up and communicate with them frequently.

C:\Documents and Settings\Matt and Priscilla\My Documents\IRC-Two Rivers\Volunteer Reminder.doc

NUMBER SEVEN: WORK SMARTER, NOT HARDER

Each week, when you prepare your lesson plans, prepare a list of things that you want your regular volunteers to do and have everything ready, so that it isn’t a lot of extra work for you. After you get into a routine, it won’t be hard, and you will have a lot less work to do.

NUMBER EIGHT: REMEMBER THAT YOUR WAY IS NOT THE ONLY WAY

Remember that volunteers may not do things exactly the way you would do it, but as long as it is getting done and it is a positive interaction, that is the goal.

NUMBER NINE: SAY THANK YOU

Give small tokens of appreciation every once in a while, a thank you note, a small inexpensive gift, notes from the students, etc. This will keep your volunteers motivated and coming back.

NUMBER TEN: BE OPEN-MINDED

Be open-minded and prepared. In the end, having volunteers in your classroom, will make your job easier and will give parents and community members some knowledge of what it is like to teach/learn in our district. It is important for everyone to be knowledgeable and involved in the education of the future citizens of our community.

DISCUSSION

Turn to someone near you and discuss how you incorporate volunteers into your classroom or school.

What things could you do differently? What is going well? How could you motivate parents to

volunteer?

WANT TO KNOW MORE?RESOURCES AND RESEARCH YOU MIGHT WANT TO CHECK OUT! Baumrind, D. (1991). Parenting styles and adolescent

development. In J. Brooks-Gunn, R. Lerner & A. C. Peterson (Eds.), The encyclopedia of adolescence (pp. 746–758). New York: Garland.

Comprehensive School Reform Quality Center. (2005). Works in progress: A report on middle and high school improvement programs. Washington, DC: Author.

Epstein, J. L. (1995). School/family/community partnerships: Caring for the children we share. Phi Delta Kappan, 76, 701–712.

Epstein, J. L. (2005). School-initiated family and community partnerships. In T. Erb (Ed.), This we believe in action: Implementing successful middle level schools (pp. 77–96). Westerville, OH: National Middle School Association.

MORE RESOURCES

Epstein, J. L., Sanders, M. G., Simon, B. S., Salinas, K. C., Jansorn, N. R., & Van Voorhis, F. L. (2002). School, community, and community partnerships: Your handbook for action (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.

Epstein, J. L., Simon, B. S., & Salinas, K. C. (1997). Involving parents in homework in the middle grades (Rep. No. 18). Bloomington, IN: Phi Delta Kappa Center for Evaluation, Development, and Research.

Fan, X. T., & Chen, M. (2001). Parental involvement and students' academic achievement: A meta-analysis. Educational Psychology Review, 13, 1–22.

Jackson, A.W. & Andrews, P. G. (with Holland, H., & Pardini, P.). (2004). Making the most of middle school: A field guide for parents and others. New York: Teachers College Press.

MORE RESOURCES

Jackson, A., & Davis., P. G. (2000). Turning points 2000: Educating adolescents in the 21st century. New York: Teachers College Press.

Marzano, R. J. (2003). What works in schools: Translating research into action. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

McEwin, C. K., & Smith, T. W. (2005). Accreditation and middle level teacher preparation programs. In V. A. Anfara, Jr., G. Andrews, & S. B. Mertens (Eds.), The encyclopedia of middle grades education (pp. 92–95). Greenwich, CT: Information Age Publishing.

National Middle School Association. (2003). This we believe: Successful schools for young adolescents. Westerville, OH: Author.

Nesin, G., & Brazee, E. N. (2005). Creating developmentally responsive middle level schools. In V. A. Anfara, Jr., G. Andrews, & S. B. Mertens (Eds.), The encyclopedia of middle grades education (pp. 35–44). Greenwich, CT: Information Age Publishing.

Rosenau, J. S. (1998). Familial influences on academic risk in high school: A multi-ethnic study. (Doctoral dissertation, Temple University, 1998). (UMI No. 9911056).

Ruebel, K. (2001). Coming together to raise our children: Community and the reinvented middle school. In T. S. Dickinson (Ed.), Reinventing the middle school (pp. 269–287). New York: Routledge Palmer.

Van Voorhis, F. L. (2003). Interactive homework in middle school: Effects on family involvement and science achievement. The Journal of Education Research, 96, 323–338.

Kurzejka, Ron, M.D. (2010). The Total Parent: The Complete Guide to childhood illness & injury, parenting, educational success, teaching values and character. Bradley, Illinois: Arbor Ridge Publishing.