What Works in Schools

1
What Works in Schools

• Translating Research
• Into
• Action

2
What Works in Schools Translating Research into
Action

• Section 1 School-Level Factors
• Section 2 Teacher-Level Factors
• Section 3 Student-Level Factors

3
School Level Factors

• Guaranteed and Viable Curriculum
• Challenging Goals and Effective Feedback
• Parent and Community Involvement
• Safe and Orderly Environment
• Collegiality and Professionalism

4
Parent Involvement Research says..

• The evidence is beyond dispute.
• The family makes critical contributions to
  student achievement from preschool to high
  school.
• When parents are involved at school as well as at
  home, children do better and stay in school
  longer.
• When a critical mass of parents is involved, the
  whole school improves.
• 
  
  National Education Association

5
Benefits of Effective Parent Involvement

• Student
• Parents
• School
• 
  Anne Henderson

6
Parent Involvement Parent Benefits

• More confidence in school
• Teachers have higher opinions of parents and
  higher expectations of their children, too.
• Greater confidence in themselves and their
  ability to help their children learn at home
• Greater likelihood for own continuing education

7
Parent Involvement School Benefits

• Improved teacher morale
• Higher rating of teachers by parents
• More support from families
• Higher student achievement
• Better reputations in the community

8
Effective Parent Involvement requires

• Communication
• Participation
• Governance

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COMMUNICATION

• Definition
• Effective vehicles are in place to communicate
  to parents and community.

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COMMUNICATION

• Associated Problems
• Parents/community members consistently express
  lack of awareness or understanding of the school,
  its programs, and parent and community outreach
  efforts.
• Attendance data for parents and community events
  are below desired levels.

11
COMMUNICATION

• WHAT
• Information on the school and school programs
• Information on the child ongoing progress
  information including test results

12
COMMUNICATION

• Methods
• Newsletters/Flyers
• Folders
• Brochures
• Conferences
• Report cards
• Phone calls
• Email

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COMMUNICATION

• TYPES
• Communication TO home, i.e. newsletter, flyers,
  folder, report cards
• Conferences, phone calls, email

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COMMUNICATION

• REFLECT
• Is our school friendly to parents and
  community?
• How are new students and their families welcomed?
• How do we get information from parents about
  their child?

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COMMUNICATION

• Expanded Definition
• Communication about school programs and student
  progress is NOT only from school to home, but
  also from home to school and with the community!

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COMMUNICATION

• Methods
• Newsletters/Flyers
• Folders
• Brochures
• Conferences
• Report cards
• Phone calls
• Email

17
COMMUNICATION

• Electronic options
• Distribution lists
• Interactive discussions
• Post calendar
• Link to parent resources
• Issue ACCESS

18
COMMUNICATION

• PARENT INVOLVEMENT IS A PROCESS
• NOT AN EVENT

19
COMMUNICATION

• PROGRAMS are a tool in the process!
• Effective programs assist parents in learning
  how to create a home environment that fosters
  learning and how to provide support for their
  childrens success.

20
Research says

• Parent and community involvement that is linked
  to student learning has a greater effect on
  achievement than more general forms of
  involvement. To be effective, the form of
  involvement should be focused on improving
  achievement and be designed to engage families
  and students in developing specific knowledge and
  skills.
• 
  A New Wave of Evidence

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COMMUNICATION WHAT WORKS?

• Programs that engage parents in working DIRECTLY
  with their children on learning activities in the
  home!
• Offer a variety of ways to participate
• More active forms of engagement.

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COMMUNICATION

• CHALLENGES
• ALL communication should be two-way communication
• Family events should be responsive to needs of
  the families in your school
• Look for ways to take advantage of EVERY
  opportunity!

23
COMMUNICATION

• Results for students
• Awareness of own progress
• Knowledge of what I need to do
• Awareness of their role

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COMMUNICATION

• Results for Parents
• Higher rating of the school
• Support for childs progress
• Improved communication with school and teachers

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COMMUNICATION

• Results for Teachers and Schools
• Able to communicate clearly and in a variety of
  methods
• Ability to communicate clearly
• Development of communication network
• Increased understanding of the families

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Reflection Activity

• Review
• Enhancing Parent and Community Outreach An
  Action Planning Checklist
• Starting Points Inventory
• Consider Parent and Community Questionnaire

27
Effective Parent Involvement requires

• Communication
• Participation
• Governance

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PARTICIPATION

• Definition
• Opportunities are provided for parents and
  community to be involved in the day-to-day
  operations of the school.

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PARTICIPATION

• Associated Problems
• Few parents and community members participate in
  daily school activities and operations.
• The school has a low level of parental and
  community volunteerism
• Few if any opportunities are available for parent
  and community members to volunteer in daily
  school operations.

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PARTICIPATION

• Expanded definition
• Volunteer not only is someone who comes to
  school during the day, but ANYONE who supports
  school goals and childrens learning in any way,
  at any place, and at any time.

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PARTICIPATION

• PARENT INVOLVEMENT IS A PROCESS
• NOT AN EVENT

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Research says.

• Programs that successfully connect with families
  and community invite involvement, are welcoming,
  and address specific parent and community needs.
• 
  A New Wave of Evidence

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PARTICIATION

• Methods
• Identify one or more staff as responsible for
  managing volunteers
• Identify specific ways for parents/community to
  assist
• Recruit widely do a Volunteer profile
• Provide training
• Communicate about opportunities!
• Provide variety of opportunities
• Recognition

34
PARTICIPATION

• Results for students
• Improved communication with adults
• Learn new skills
• Awareness of skills involved with certain
  employment options

35
PARTICIPATION

• Results for Parents
• Understanding of the teachers job
• Increased self-confidence
• Feel valued and welcomed
• Specific skills of volunteer work
• Use of school activities at home
• Enrollment in programs to improve own education

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PARTICIPATION

• Results for Teachers/School
• Organization, training, and use of volunteers
• Readiness to involve families in new ways
• Awareness of parents talents and interest in
  school and children
• Individual attention to students

37
Effective Parent Involvement requires

• Communication
• Participation
• Governance

38
GOVERANCE

• Definition
• Vehicles are in place for parents and community
  to be involved in the governance of the school.

39
GOVERANCE

• Associated Problems
• Parental and community awareness of governance
  processes and procedures in the school appear to
  be minimal.
• Parent and community members express a lack of
  ownership and understanding of the schools
  governance structures and processes.

40
GOVERNANCE

• Expanded Definition
• Partnership
• A parent leader means a representative who
  shares information with and obtains ideas from
  other families and community members

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Research says..

• The more parents participate in schooling, in a
  sustained way, at every level in advocacy,
  decision-making and oversight roles, as
  fundraisers and boosters, as volunteers and
  paraprofessionals, and as home teachers the
  better for student achievement.
• ASCD Conference paper by I. Gordon

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GOVERNANCE

• PARENT INVOLVEMENT IS A PROCESS
• NOT AN EVENT

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GOVERNANCE

• Methods of Involvement
• DELIBERATE/MEANINGFUL
• Adequate representation on committees and boards?
• Feedback methods in place and varied
• Feedback welcomed?

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GOVERNANCE

• Results for Students
• Awareness of families participating in making
  decisions
• Understanding that student rights and interests
  are protected
• Specific benefits linked to policies

45
GOVERNANCE

• Results for Parents
• Awareness of policies
• Input on policies affecting childrens education
• Awareness of parents voices in school decisions
• Shared experiences and connections with other
  families

46
GOVERNANCE

• Results for Teachers/Schools
• Awareness of perspectives of families in policy
  development and school decisions
• Acceptance of equality of family representatives
  on school committees and in leadership roles

47
Elements of a Successful Parent Involvement
Programs

• A formal, written policy
• Administrative support (funding, materials,
  meeting space, equipment, staff)
• Training for staff, parents, and community
  members
• A Partnership approach
• Two-way communication
• Networking
• Evaluation

48
What Works in Schools Translating Research into
Action

• Section 1 School-Level Factors
• Section 2 Teacher-Level Factors
• Section 3 Student-Level Factors

49
STUDENT FACTORS

• Learned Intelligence and Background Knowledge
• Student Motivation
• Home Environment

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Learned Intelligence and Background Knowledge

• Involve students in programs that directly
  increase the number and quality of life
  experiences students have.
• Involve students in a program of wide reading
  that emphasizes vocabulary development.
• Provide direct instruction in vocabulary terms
  and phrases that are important to specific
  subject matter content.

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STUDENT MOTIVATION

• Provide students with feedback on their knowledge
  gain.
• Provide students with tasks and activities that
  are inherently engaging.
• Provide opportunities for students to construct
  and work on long-term projects of their own
  design.
• Teach students about the dynamics of motivation
  and how those dynamics affect them.

52
STUDENT FACTORS

• Learned Intelligence and Background Knowledge
• Student Motivation
• Home Environment

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HOME ENVIRONMENT

• Associated Problems
• Minimal evidence of parental supervision of
  students homework/school assignments
• Evidence of poor parent-student communication
  about the value and importance of school
  (Attendance)
• Lack of parent participation in school events
• Lack of supervision
• Lack of motivation among students

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Research says.

• The most accurate predictor of a students
  achievement in school is not income or social
  status, but the extent to which that students
  family is able to
• Create a home environment that encourages
  learning.
• Express high expectations for their childrens
  achievement and future careers.
• Become involved in their childrens education at
  school and in the community.
• 
  
• 
  
  
  National Education Association

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HOME ENVIRONMENT

• Communication about School
• Supervision
• Parental expectations and parenting styles

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HOME ENVIRONMENT

• Communication about School
• Discussions about schoolwork
• Encouraging child with their schoolwork
• Providing resources

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HOME ENVIRONMENT

• Supervision
• Monitoring Homework
• Monitor Activities
• Monitor TV

58
HOME ENVIRONMENT

• Parental Expectations
• High expectations communicated to their children
  are associated with higher achievement!!!

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Research says..

• Recognize that all parents, regardless of
  income, education level, or cultural background,
  are involved in their childrens learning and
  want their children to do well in school.
• 
  A New Wave of Evidence

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RESOURCES PRN Print Materials

• K-5 Math Standards
• K-5 Reading Standards
• No Child Left Behind Act- A Parents Guide
  Content Standards School Choice Supplemental
  Educational Services
• Be the Power
• A Parents Guide to Test Taking
• Building Blocks to Reading Readiness

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RESOURCESPRN TRAINING RESOURCES

• For Educators
• School, Family, Community Partnership Training
• Building Capacity for Parent Involvement
• Teachers Involving Parents in Schoolwork

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RESOURCESPRN TRAINING RESOURCES

• For Parents/Community
• Family Leadership Institute
• School, Family, Community Partnership
• Be the POWER in Your Childs Education
• A Parents Guide to Content Standards

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RESOURCESPRN TRAINING RESOURCES

• For Parents/Community
• A Parents Guide to No Child Left Behind
• Choosing a Supplemental Educational Service
  Provider
• Middle School The Wonderful Years
• Growing up Safe

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South Dakota Parent Resource Network

• www.sdprn.org
• 1-800-219-6287
• 1-605-347-6260
• Lori Laughlin
• llaughlin_at_bhssc.tie.net
• PO Box 218 Sturgis, SD 57783