Significant Types of Involvement For A Successful SFCP
By Piyapong Eg Sumettikoon, Ed.D.
Six-nificant Types of Involvement
Parenting
Communicating
Communicating
Learning At Home
Decision Making
Collaborating with the Community
Type 1: Parenting
Basic responsibilities of families
Housing, health, nutrition, clothing, safety
Parenting skills for all age levels
Home conditions that support children as students at all grade levels
Information and activities to help schools understand children and their families
Common Practices
Workshops on child-development
Parent education- GED, family literacy, adult education, career training
Family support programs- clothing swap shops, food co-ops, parent-to-parent group
Home visiting programs or neighborhood meetings
Annual parent survey
Challenges
How to communicate information to reach as many parents as possible?
How to get parents to participate?
Inability to enable families to share personal and private information with schools
Benefits to Students
Balance time spent on chores, homework, and other activities
Regular attendance
Awareness of importance of school
Benefits to Parents
Self-confidence about parenting as children proceed through school
Knowledge of child and adolescent development
Benefits for Teachers and Schools
Understanding of families’ goals and concerns for children
Respect for families’ strengths and efforts
Type 2: Communicating
School-to-Home Communications
Memos, notices, report cards, conferences, newsletters, phone calls, etc.
Information on school programs, tests, and children’s progress
Information to choose or change schools, courses, programs, or activities
Information on school related functions
Two-way channels of communication and interactions
Common Practices
Conferences with parents at least once a year
Folders of student work sent home regularly
Parent and student pickup of report cards
Regular schedule of notices, memos, phone calls, and other communications
Effective newsletters
Clear information on all school policies, programs, reforms, assessments, and transitions
Annual survey of families on needs and suggestion
Challenges
Make all memos, notices, and other print and non-print communications clear and understandable for all families
Obtain ideas from families to improve the design and content of communications such as newsletters, report cards, and conference schedules
Benefits to Students
Awareness of own progress in subjects and skills
Knowledge of actions needed to maintain and improve grades
Awareness of own role as communicator in partnerships
Benefits to Parents
High rating of quality of the school
Support for child’s progress and responses to correct problems
Ease of interactions and communications with school and teachers
Benefits to Teachers and Schools
Ability to communicate clearly
Use of network of parents to communicate with all families
Type 3: Volunteering
Involvement At and For the School
In schools or classrooms: Assist administrators, teachers, students, or other parents as tutors, coaches, lecturers, chaperones, etc.
For schools or classrooms: Assist school programs and children’s progress from any location at any time
As audiences: Attend meetings, performances, sport events, award ceremonies, celebrations, and other events
Common Practices
Annual survey to identify interests, talents, and availability of volunteers
Parent room or family center for volunteer work, meetings, and resources for families
Annual review of schedules for students’ performances, games, and assemblies to encourage all families to attend as daytime and evening audiences
Challenges
Recruit widely, provide training, and create flexible schedules for volunteers so that all families know that their time and talents are welcomed and valued
Benefits to Students
Skills that are taught by volunteers
Skills in communicating with adults
Benefits to Parents
Understanding of the teacher’s job
Self-confidence about ability to work in school and with children
Enrollment in programs to improve own education
Benefits to Teachers and Schools
Readiness to involve all families in new ways, not only as volunteers
More individual attention to students because of help from volunteers
Type 4: Learning At Home
Information for Families on
How to help at home with homework
Required skills to pass each subject
Curriculum-related decisions
Other skills and talents
Common Practices
Information for families on required skills in subject at each grade
Information on homework policies and how to monitor and discuss school work at home
Information on how to assist students with skills that they need to improve
Summer learning activities or camp
Family participation in helping students set academic goals each year and plan for college or work
Benefits to Students
Skills, abilities, and test scores linked to classwork and homework completion
View of parents as more similar to teacher, and home in-sync with school
Self-confidence in ability as learner and positive attitude about school
Benefits to Parents
Discussions with child about school, classwork, homework, and future plans
Understanding curriculum, what child is learning and how to help each year
Benefits to Teachers and Schools
Respect of family time
Satisfaction with family involvement and support
Recognition that single-parent, dual-income, and low-incoming families can encourage and assist student learning
Type 5: Decision Making
Participation and Leadership
PTA membership, participation, leadership, representation
Advisory councils, school improvement team, action team
School-based management team and other committees
Independent school-advisory groups
Common Practices
Active PTA or other parent organizations, advisory councils, or committees for parent leadership and participation
Action Team for school, family, and Community Partnerships to oversee the development of schools programs
District level advisory councils and committees
Information on school or local elections for school representatives
Networks to link all families with parent representatives
Independent advocacy groups to lobby for school reform and improvements
Challenges
Include parent leaders from all demographics, socioeconomic, and other groups in the school
Offer training for parent leaders to develop leadership skills
Include student representatives along with parents in decision making
Benefits to Students
Awareness that families’ views are represented in school decision
Specific benefits linked to policies enacted by parent organizations
Benefits to Parents
Awareness of and input to policies that affect children’s education
Shared experiences and connection with other families
Benefits to Teachers and Schools
Awareness of families’ perspectives in policies and school decisions
Acceptance of equality of family representatives on school committes
Type 6: Collaborating With the Community
Community Contributes to Schools Students and Families
Business partners, agencies, cultural groups, health services, recreation, and other groups and programs
Schools Students and Families Contributes to Community
Service learning, special projects to share talents and solve local problems
Common Practices
Information for students and families on community health, cultural, recreational, social support and other programs and services
Information on community activities that link to learning skills and talents, including summer programs for students
“One-Stop-Shop” for family services through partnerships of school, counseling, health, recreation, job training, and other agencies
Common Practices (Continued)
Service to the community by students, families, and schools such as recycling projects, care for senior citizens, tutoring programs, etc.
Participation of alumni in school programs for students
School-Business Partnerships
Challenges
Solve problems of turf, responsibilities, funds, and goals
Inform all families and students about community programs and services, and ensure equal opportunities for services and participation
Benefits to Students
Knowledge skills and talents from enriched curricular and extracurricular experiences and explorations of careers
Self-confidence and feeling valued by and belonging to the community
Benefits to Parents
Knowledge and use of local resources to increase skills and talents or to obtain needed services for family
Interactions with other families, and contributions to community
Benefits to Teachers and Schools
Knowledge and use of community resources for improving curriculum and instruction
Strategies to enable students to learn about and contribute to the community
Activity Focus for Com.-Con.
Types of Community Partners
Business and Corporations
Universities and Educational Institutions
Health Care Organizations
Government and Military Agencies
National Service and Volunteer Organizations
Faith Organizations
Senior Citizen Organizations
Child-Care Centers
Cultural and Recreational Institutions
Other Community Organizations
Community Individuals