CLDE 5140, PBA Part 3

1. Sharing Strategies to Heighten
Family Engagement
Gwendolyn Betty
CLDE 5140
Fall 2012

2. • Currently 600 students at the high school.
• The school is located in the far northeast area of Denver.
• 92.9% minority student population.
• 25% considered ELLs.
• 60% Latinos and 30% African Americans and a small
percentage each of non-Latino white, Native American and
Asian/Pacific Islander students.
• 100% great kids!
(DPS Spotlight Scorecard, 2012)

3. - According to Lindsey, et al , “culturally proficient practice
assumes the school setting includes the community and
parents”(p. 105, 2009).
- Too often faculty feels like families aren’t engaged
enough
- Teachers themselves are lacking insights on how to get
families to get involved in clubs and academic programs.
- How can teachers share strategies to get families
involved?

4. - Goal: develop a way for teachers to share information
about successful engagement strategies for parents.
- Steps:
o Talk with teacher/faculty club or program sponsors during a
roundtable discussion to share ideas/strategies.
o Provide a short set of questions for teachers to think about before
they share out the ideas in order to focus and maximize the
experience.
o Post finding to online sharing site to allow for every teacher and
even administrators to share and view these engagement
strategies for families.

5. - Teachers are busy! Finding time for a roundtable become
impossible so…
- I decided to record interviews with some faculty sponsors
of academic or afterschool groups and make them
available to the rest of the school’s faculty and staff.
- Interviews can be seen here:
http://montbellofamilyengagement.blogspot.com/

6. - Teachers are frustrated at the lack of engagement and
many don’t know how to activate the assets of students’
families in order to get them participating at a greater
level.
- When teachers are successful they always use what the
families can do as a starting point for engagement.

7. - What strategies work? Culturally proficient practices such
as:
o Widen the family “net” to include older siblings, aunts and uncles
as well as grandparents
o Ask families to contribute in a non-monetary way. Pot lucks, rides
to competitions and events, use of family resources (whatever
they may be).
o Educate families on what the club/program is doing throughout the
year. Reach out consistently using translated materials if need be
and phone calls to keep families in the loop about the successes
and learning opportunities the club provides.

8. - School-wide: one small step to empower teachers and
families. Get dialogue started about something tangible
teachers can do to affect change.
- My Practice: I can get families engaged by I need to ask
myself several questions about how I approach this.
- Am I looking to other family members as resources, not just Mom
and Dad?
- Am I keeping families in the loop throughout the school year, not
just when I need something?
- Am I looking to assets families have to help students succeeed?