WHAT'S NEW - SEPTEMBER 2003

HOW TO WORK WITH PARENTS

Welcome to the website for the Council on Alberta Teaching Standards (COATS). This area of the website changes monthly. The theme for this month will be of interest to teachers, administrators, and parents who are exploring the subject of working with parents. The first section below identifies several weblinks related to the topic. Also listed below please notice practical advice, an online article, and a book relating to this topic. We hope that you find this website to be a valuable resource. For quick reference bookmark http://www.teachingquality.ab.ca today!

WEBSITES AND ARTICLES RELATED TO WORKING WITH PARENTS

12 Tips for Communicating with Parents. 2003.
Montpelier, VT
Vermont-NEA.
http://www.vtnea.org/ti-3.htm

This web page offers a succinct list of 12 points to check regarding teachers' communication with parents. The overarching theme of the associated website (sponsored by the Vermont chapter of the NEA [National Education Association]) is to promote sound relationships between teachers and parents. The suggestions presented here are aimed at making teachers' communication plans more effective. Particular emphasis is placed on keeping a communications log. The information is intended to be of use particularly to beginning teachers. See also the related link that collects a number of tips for conducting successful parent-teacher conferences: http://www.vtnea.org/ti-10.htm

Calgary Board of Education. 2003.
Calgary, AB
http://schools.cbe.ab.ca/b823/minutes%20Mar03.htm

These minutes from Central Memorial High School furnish a current example of parent-teacher communication that makes use of both traditional and newer forms of communication. The communication is noteworthy in that it combines print and Internet media, a clear indication that parents in this particular school community are familiar with computer technology. These minutes inform parents regarding such matters as preparations for graduation, the school's policy regarding smoking, upcoming school band events, and a cancelled school trip. A special portion of the minutes is dedicated to messages from the school administration. Mention is made in passing of parent-teacher interviews, the activities of parent volunteers, and of a parent discussion group. The minutes also mention a parent e-mail list. Finally, the minutes refer parents to further websites of interest.

Communicating with School Staff.
Washington, DC
Copyright © 2001 American Federation of Teachers
http://www.aft.org/parentpage/communicating/parent_teacher.html

The objective of this webpage is to promote positive communication between parents and school staff. The webpage pulls together a number of constructive tips for parents to think about as they speak with their children's teachers. The suggestions touch on such matters as parent-teacher conferences, overcoming disagreements, and sharing information about the child outside of school and the classroom. The ideas advanced indicate that parents are to take an active role in conversation with school staff. This webpage counts as practical advice for consideration. The webpage is part of a larger website posted by the American Federation of Teachers.

Effective Parent-Teacher Partnerships.
Copyright © 2001 Learning Disabilities Association of Canada
http://www.ldac-taac.ca/english/indepth/partners/parentch.htm

This article, originating with the National Centre for Learning Disabilities in New York and posted by the Learning Disabilities Association of Canada, deals with the formation of positive relationships between parents of students with disabilities and their teachers. A healthy relationship will tend to ensure that special needs students receive the best possible learning opportunities. The article mentions 10 specific points to consider. An effective parent-teacher relationship includes such factors as mutual respect, regular communication, and familiarity with the services provided by the school. Parents are encouraged to become active partners in their children's education and to share information with the teacher about their children's behavior at home.

Engaging the Community to Support Student Achievement. 2002.
Cunningham, C.
http://www.ericfacility.net/databases/ERIC_Digests/ed464395.html

Teachers can take some of their cues for working with parents from the policies set in motion by their school and school system as a whole. This ERIC Digest (ED464395) is concerned with establishing a supportive social context for student learning. The article explains how community and stakeholder involvement can lead to higher levels of student achievement. Superintendents and board members can take particular steps to encourage appropriate community involvement in school activities. Principals as well can play a key role in developing good relationships with parents. In turn, involved parents can serve as ambassadors for the school within the community. Five specific methods of encouraging involvement are identified. The digest also incorporates references for further study.

Parent-Teacher Communication. 2001.
The Children's School (TCS)
La Jolla, CA
http://www.tcslj.org/admin/comm.html

This school website from California illustrates a wide range of possibilities for communicating with parents. Many opportunities for communication are included in the school calendar and annual schedule. Newsletters and a website are also readily available. A protocol is mentioned whereby parents can address any misunderstandings regarding classroom events. Other regular channels of communication available to teachers include parent-teacher conferences, various written communications, and progress reports. Although teachers do not want to be disturbed in their classrooms, they clearly do want to be contacted. Because of its multiple points of accessibility, the Children's School gives the general impression of being open to parents and the community, and of welcoming their involvement.

Parent Teacher Conferences: Some Suggestions for Parents. 1999.
Clark, A. M.
http://www.ericfacility.net/ericdigests/ed433965.html

Collaboration between teachers and parents requires that parents have clear expectations for their participation. As its title indicates, this ERIC Digest (ED433965) gathers some ideas for parents who take part in teacher-parent conferences. An environment of trust is important. Teacher and parents should be able to discuss children's learning and their behavior. Clark presents specific approaches and conversation starters to assist parents in their dialogues with their children's teachers. The article exhibits special concern for the needs of newer teachers. Basically, the article highlights the improvement of communication between teachers and parents. References for further study are included in this digest.

Preparing Teachers to Work with Parents. 2001.
Hiatt-Michael, D.
http://www.ericfacility.net/ericdigests/ed460123.html

This ERIC Digest (ED460123) discusses the need for preparation of preservice teachers to work with parents. Research indicates that parental involvement is linked to student achievement, and that consequently, home-school communication is an important factor in the success of students. This literature review emphasizes identifying the knowledge and skills that teachers require to foster parental involvement in their children's education. Parent conferences and report cards remain two important means of communication with parents. The surveys cited suggest that there is considerable need for adequate preparation of preservice teachers with regard to working with parents. Accordingly, the digest encourages school districts to undertake suitable initiatives. References for further study are available.

Survival Guide for New Teachers. 2000.
U. S. Department of Education
http://www.ed.gov/pubs/survivalguide/parent.html

This website underlines the importance of parental involvement to ensure students' success at school. The concise collection of materials gathers numerous suggestions for the beginning teacher to consider. The teacher's method for dealing with parents should include a conscious approach to communication with the parents. For various reasons, some parents tend to remain aloof from school involvement. Nevertheless, it is important for teachers to develop clear expectations regarding parents' participation in school activities. The practical advice offered here aims at encouraging teachers to make parents their allies and partners, and so obtain support for student learning.

Tips for Using Parent Volunteers.
Copyright © 2002 Inspiring Teachers Publishing Inc.
http://www.inspiringteachers.com/tips/parent_volunteers/index.html

This short list of practical tips is intended to help teachers develop a good working relationship with parent volunteers. Some of the suggestions involve simply keeping a suitable folder of tasks that parent volunteers can readily perform. Other tips involve tactfully coaching parent volunteers and ensuring that they feel comfortable with the assigned tasks. In addition, this webpage provides informative teacher comments regarding the benefits of using parent volunteers to support learning in the classroom. For even more creative ideas, see the related link "Using Parent Volunteers in the Classroom" prepared by H. S. Craven: http://www.inspiringteachers.com/articles/parent_volunteers/index.html.

JOURNAL ARTICLES

Title:		Increasing Parent/School Communication.
Source:		Copyright © 2002 by Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development http://www.ascd.org/readingroom/classlead/0209/simmons.html.
Author(s):		Simmons, D.
Abstract:		This online article describes the experiences of a particular team of Grade 2 teachers in their communicating with parents. While regular communication between home and school may have been taken for granted in the past, this is no longer the case. Teachers today must make particular efforts to let parents know what is happening at school. For a variety of reasons, some parents can be hard to reach. The teachers' communication efforts described here feature a "Friday letter," in which students take a share in composition. Good communication leads to success in the form of high participation rates in teacher-parent conferences.
ISSN:		N/A
BOOKS
Title:		Parents and Schools: Creating a Successful Partnership for Students with Special Needs.
Source:		Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc. (2003). Pages: xiv plus 221.
Author(s):		Bauer, A. M. & Shea, T. M.
Abstract:		Working with the families of special needs students can be particularly demanding. This promising book adopts a social systems perspective toward parental engagement in education. To educate the child, it is necessary to know the family. Chapter 5, entitled "A Model for Engaging Parents," presents a key contribution of the book. The book is enriched throughout with actual comments of parents involved in the education of their children. With regard to format, the contents of the book are divided into 12 chapters. Each chapter includes a clear set of learning objectives, a summary, and a set of references for further study. This book will be of interest to classroom and special needs teachers who wish to improve the involvement of parents of students with disabilities in the education of their children.
ISBN:		013018540X (Paperback)