# data[].attributes.headline
Partnering with Families of Middle School and High School Students

# data[].attributes.subject
Partnering with Families of Middle School and High School Students

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.authors[].name
FAMx_v1-Introduction to Family Engagement in Education (GSE4x)

# data[].attributes.headline
4 Steps Schools Can take to Boost Family Engagement

# data[].attributes.subject
4 Steps Schools Can take to Boost Family Engagement

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
One of the most important factors affecting children's academic success doesn't come from the classroom - it comes from the support of students' families.

The research is clear: When parents are engaged, children are more likely to succeed. Studies from the U.S. Department of Education, Harvard University, and elsewhere have catalogued the powerful effects of schools' partnerships with families. Attendance and grades shoot up, as do a child's likelihood of taking higher-level courses, graduating from high school, and enrolling in college. Dropout rates decrease and students act out less. Children say they are more excited to learn.

Not only does robust family engagement support students, but research reveals that such partnerships are an essential component of teacher success in the classroom and job satisfaction. Teachers who have strong family partnerships report that their workload decreases and they find their work more enjoyable and fulfilling. Teachers also tend to remain at their school longer.

Truly engaging with families goes far beyond asking parents to make cookies for a school bake sale or holding a twice-yearly open house. True engagement is a partnership between equals, both working to support individual children.

The new Every Student Succeeds Act has elevated the importance of parent engagement, setting aside funding and requiring states to develop strategies for effectively engaging with families.

Yet for too long, there has been minimal guidance, training, time, or support for teachers and schools in creating strong partnerships with students' families.

For the past two years, Harvard Graduate School of Education professor Karen Mapp, 20-year veteran Boston Public School teacher Ilene Carver, and I (a teacher for five years, primarily of English language learners) have been exploring and documenting the steps that teachers can take to best connect with families. We talked with teachers and other educators from across the country, learning about strategies and best practices.

This past summer, we published Powerful Partnerships: A Teacher's Guide to Engaging Families for Student Success, capturing a year of key practices that teachers can use - from home visits in August to parent-teacher conferences in November to special education meetings in February.

What can teachers and administrators do to more deeply connect with their students' families?
Examine biases
Our core beliefs affect how we interact with our students' families. Teachers and families often come from different backgrounds, and those differences can cause us unintentionally to make assumptions and judgments about the desire of families to be involved or their strength of commitment to their children's education.

We believe it is essential to recognize the assets that families bring to such partnerships. Being willing to honestly examine our assumptions and appreciating families' many strengths is a necessary foundation for creating strong working relationships.
Build trust
Powerful partnerships require trust on both sides. Unfortunately, families often have many reasons to distrust schools. From the education hierarchy to all-too-common histories of disrespect and racism toward certain demographics of students, barriers stand in the way of building trusting relationships between schools and families.

Yet we know that when trust is established, students benefit. A University of Chicago study that followed 400 schools found significant academic gains by students in schools that prioritized relationship-building between families and teachers, compared with schools that didn't.
Take the first step
Teachers' initial conversations with families set the tone for the rest of the school year. The first contact should not wait until a child acts out. Rather, schools should reach out and invite families to engage as full partners, asking some essential questions: What are the family's hopes and dreams for the child? What does the family need from the school to ensure the child succeeds? This initial conversation sends a clear message that families are the experts about their children, and we want to learn from them so we can best support their futures.

Those first contacts can take place in school, on the phone, in emails - or in students' homes. Organizations like the national Parent Teacher Home Visit Project train school staff across the country to conduct home visits at the start of the school year.

But building (or rebuilding) trust takes persistence and dedication.
Follow through
Events that schools already have - open houses, meetings to discuss students' Individualized Education Programs, parent-teacher conferences - can be great opportunities for developing and sustaining these partnerships throughout the year. But too often, they are structured in ways that don't invite families to be equal partners. We've heard of plenty of open houses where families stand in line to talk to teachers for five minutes, or IEP meetings where families are intimidated by the education jargon that is used.

We can make these events more successful by restructuring them to allow for two-way communication, rather than being one-sided opportunities for school staff to share rules, knowledge, or opinions.

Open house nights can be a place where families get to know one another, instead of just meeting the teacher. Classroom expectations and curriculum content can be easily shared in a one-page handout, so when a teacher sit downs with a family, that precious time can be spent listening. This same strategy works well for parent-teacher conferences.

At IEP meetings, school staff can make sure to speak in plain English and focus on sharing and discussing short-term and long-term goals of both the family and the teachers. Creating a one-page, easy-to-understand summary of a student's strengths and areas for growth provides a starting place for families to engage in an academic discussion about their child.

And there are texting apps, like Remind, that allows teachers to connect with families throughout the year in more than 80 languages.

These are just a few of many ideas, drawn from teachers across the country, that reshape traditional school events into opportunities for families to feel they are engaged and respected partners. Building such relationships takes time, commitment, and trust. But they are essential for our work as teachers and for our students' success.

I see the importance of engaging with families every day. In my classroom, where I teach 150 teenagers - mostly recent immigrants and refugees - my students' families are my closest allies and best collaborators. Together, we are working to support these young people both at home and in the classroom.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Analysis: 4 Steps Schools Can Take to Boost Family Engagement and Make Parents Partners in Their Kids' Success

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
One of the most important factors affecting children's academic success doesn't come from the classroom - it comes from the support of students' families. The research is clear: When parents are engaged, children are more likely to succeed. Studies from the U.S. Department of Education, Harvard University, and elsewhere have catalogued the powerful effects of [...]

# data[].attributes.headline
The Power of the Positive Phone Call Home

# data[].attributes.subject
The Power of the Positive Phone Call Home

# data[].attributes.body
A simple strategy that can make a big difference!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Calling students' parents or guardians with good news encourages more good behavior and creates strong teacher-student bonds.

When I first started teaching and was overwhelmed by the demands and complexity of the job, my survival strategy was simply to take all the advice that came my way and implement it. So when my wise mentor suggested that after the first day of school I call all of my second graders' parents, I did.

In spite of my exhaustion, I called each family and introduced myself. I asked a few questions about their child. I said that their kid had had a good first day. I said I looked forward to working together.

Positive Phone Calls: Time-Consuming but Worthwhile

Throughout that year, and the years that followed, I continued this practice. I had a feeling that these positive phone calls home were important. After the first few days of a new school year, as soon as I'd identified the kids who might be challenging, I made it a goal to call their homes with positive news every week.

I would share this goal with my students, greeting them at the door with something like: "I'm so excited to see you this morning, Oscar! I'm going to be watching you really closely today to find some good news to share with your mom this evening. I can't wait to call her and tell her what a good day you had!"

When I taught middle school, this strategy made the difference between an unmanageable group of kids and an easy group. You'd be surprised, perhaps, how desperately an eighth-grade boy wants his mom (or dad or grandma or pastor) to get a positive call home.

On the first day of school I'd give students a survey that included this item: "Who would you like me to call when I have good news to share about how you're doing in my class? You're welcome to list up to five people, and please let them know I might call-even tonight or tomorrow!"

First I'd call parents of the kids who I knew would be challenging, those I suspected rarely got positive calls. When an adult answered the phone, I'd say, all in one long breath, "Hi-is this Mrs. _____? I'm calling from _____ middle school with great news about your child, _____. Can I share this news?"

If I didn't immediately blurt out the part about "great news," sometimes they'd hang up on me. or I'd hear a long anxious silence.

Some of these kids were difficult, extremely difficult. However, I was always able to find something sincerely positive about what they had done. As the days passed, I kept calling: "I just wanted to share that today when _____ came into my class, he said 'good morning' to me and opened his notebook right away. I knew we'd have a good day!" Sometimes I'd stop in the middle of class and, in front of all the students, I'd call a parent. The kids loved that. They started begging for me to call their parent too. It was the first choice of reward for good behavior-"Just call my mama and tell her I did good today."

I was saddened when parents would say, "I don't think anyone has ever called me from school with anything positive about my child." I occasionally heard soft sobbing during these calls.

I first used this phone call thing as a strategy for managing behavior and building partnerships, and it worked. However, after 10 years of teaching, I became a parent myself, and my feelings shifted into some other universe. As a parent, I can't think of anything I want a teacher to do more than to recognize what my boy is doing well, when he's trying, when he's learning, when his behavior is shifting, and share those observations with me.

I know how many hours teachers work. And I also know that a phone call can take three minutes. If every teacher allocated 15 minutes a day to calling parents with good news, the impact could be tremendous. In the long list of priorities for teachers, communicating good news is usually not at the top. But try it, just for a week-try calling the parents of a few kids. It doesn't have to be just the challenging ones-they all need and deserve these calls. See what happens. The ripple effects for the kid, the class, and the teacher might be transformational.

Calling students' parents or guardians with good news encourages more good behavior and creates strong teacher-student bonds.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
The Power of the Positive Phone Call Home

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Calling students' parents or guardians with good news encourages more good behavior and creates strong teacher-student bonds. When I first started teaching and was overwhelmed by the demands and complexity of the job, my survival strategy was simply to take all the advice that came my way and implement it.

# data[].attributes.headline
Instead of Muffins with Moms or Donuts with Dad

# data[].attributes.subject
Instead of Muffins with Moms or Donuts with Dad

# data[].attributes.headline
TEACHERS to TEACHERS: Advice for Family Engagement During Distance Learning

# data[].attributes.subject
TEACHERS to TEACHERS: Advice for Family Engagement During Distance Learning

# data[].attributes.headline
Parent/Guardain Information and Preference Form

# data[].attributes.subject
Parent/Guardain Information and Preference Form

# data[].attributes.body
Think about how this tool could help you make your IEP meetings a more positive experience for all!

# data[].attributes.headline
Questions for that First Phone Call Home

# data[].attributes.subject
Questions for that First Phone Call Home

# data[].attributes.headline
STRENGTHS-BASED PRACTICE IN TROUBLED TIMES

# data[].attributes.subject
STRENGTHS-BASED PRACTICE IN TROUBLED TIMES

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
A veteran teacher shares what she’s learned in the course of 26 years. Big picture: A little empathy goes a long way.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
September 2017 | Volume 75 | Number 1
In Sync with Families Pages 84-85

Catlin Tucker

Here are three easy ways to keep parents engaged and informed.

Each school year brings a tidal wave of changes for families: new teachers, new expectations, and new procedures. Teachers can leverage technology to help families-both students and their parents-transition more smoothly into the new school year. Here are three ways to do that.

1. Flip Your Back-to-School Night

Most of my students' parents "meet" me for the first time online. I record a short video introduction so they can learn about my experience and teaching philosophy, then I record a screencast taking them on a virtual tour of our class website. I highlight the resources available on our website, such as the daily agenda, a list of frequently used online resources, and a link to my YouTube playlists, where all my vocabulary, writing, and grammar videos live.

At the end of the video, I share a shortened, customized bit.ly link that directs parents to a Google survey that asks them questions like, Which is your preferred mode of communication? Does your student have access to a computer and the internet at home? Is there anything I should know about your student to better support him or her?

Creating this flipped video is a relatively quick process. I record the introduction and screencast using QuickTime, a free program on my Mac. Then I pull those two recordings together in iMovie, another Mac program, and export the finished video to YouTube. Teachers using a PC can explore video recording tools like Screencast-O-matic or Camtasia. For those using Chromebooks, I'd suggest Screencastify, a Chrome extension.

I send my new parents an email one week before back-to-school night, reminding them of the date and time of the event, and share the link to the video. This is beneficial for a few reasons. One, many of my students' parents cannot attend back-to-school night because of work or scheduling conflicts, so this gives them a chance to feel included. Two, back-to-school night is often a blur even for those who do attend, so having a video recording of the most salient points is a helpful resource for families who may need to revisit the information later. Third, it introduces my students' parents to a strategy I'll be using with their children.

Parents who watch my video experience the value of the flipped classroom model. They can control the time, place, and pace of their virtual back-to-school night experience. Parents who watch the video and attend the event come prepared with questions that make the evening more valuable.

2. Get Resourceful about Texting

I use Remind, a real-time messaging service for schools, to send class announcements, start group conversations, and plan field trips. Remind provides an easy avenue for communication outside of class. I can text students with quick updates and reminders, and they can ask questions as they work at home.

I've found that Remind is also a great tool for communicating with parents, so I decided to create a parent group on Remind to make communicating with them easier, too. I send parents text messages to remind them of important due dates for large-scale assignments and projects, request chaperones for field trips, and alert them to important events like SAT testing dates. I prefer using this quick and convenient avenue to contact parents as opposed to crafting an email or calling home. Text messages are easier for me, and I find that my parents respond more readily via text, probably because it is more convenient for them too.

3. Host Student-Led Technology Nights for Parents

I've had several parents tell me how much they appreciate the technology we use in class. But many of them also feel powerless to support their children because they are not well versed in tools such as Google Docs, website creators, or video production tools.

In an effort to bridge the tech gap between parent and student, I began organizing student-led technology trainings for parents. Students work collaboratively-both in class and online outside of class-to create the topics and content for each training. The trainings are held two evenings each semester.

For the first training, called "Get to Know Google Drive & Docs," pairs of students with Chromebooks were stationed all over the room. As parents arrived, students would work with them to explain Google Drive and create a Gmail account for them. They then introduced a Google Doc scavenger hunt that required parents to make a copy of the original document, then use the various tools inside the Google Doc to complete an activity. It was designed to be an engaging way to learn about Docs.

I loved seeing my students in the role of the teacher. They were patient and attentive as they worked with parents. I made the mistake of approaching a group to make a suggestion and was respectfully informed by a student, "It's OK. We've got this, Tucker."

After the event, I received text messages from parents thanking me for organizing the technology training. One parent said, "Tonight was great! So impressed by the students. Thrilled to finally understand how to use my Google Drive."

The more I use technology to communicate with and include parents, the more supportive they are of the work we are doing. Just as we teach our students, teachers also have to help parents see the value of using technology to learn.

Catlin Tucker is a teacher, international trainer, speaker, and bestselling author. Her most recent books are Blended Learning in Action (Corwin, 2016) and Creatively Teach the Common Core Literacy Standards with Technology (Corwin, 2015). She blogs at Catlintucker.com. Follow her on Twitter.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
3 Tech Strategies to Keep Parents in Sync with School - Educational Leadership

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
September 2017 | Volume 75 | Number 1 In Sync with Families Pages 84-85 Catlin Tucker Here are three easy ways to keep parents engaged and informed. Each school year brings a tidal wave of changes for families: new teachers, new expectations, and new procedures.

# data[].attributes.body
Check out this video about Home Visits from a DC Elementary School!