Presentation for LearnEast 2012 with tips and tools to use in engaging parents in public education.

1. Tools of Engagement: A Parent’s
Perspective
Jeannine St. Amand
parent, connected learner

2. Tools of Engagement
– about me
– types of involvement / engagement
– some tips and tools
– sharing your tips and tools
– parent learning
– your learning
– final thoughts

3. Caveats
• The ideas that follow will not work for all parents, there will
be those without access to technology and they must be
reached in other ways.
• The work of parent and family engagement goes well beyond
what is explored here, we will focus only where technology
may offer additional access, success or progress.
• As an advocate for student voice, I encourage you to use
students to the extent possible to develop and deliver the
ideas that follow.

9. "In today's fast-paced, information-based world, in which we seem to have ever
less free time, it is important to develop innovative, practical, and productive ways
to help parents find the time to connect with their children and communities to
strengthen the bonds with their schools. Technology can be this kind of tool, by
supplementing traditional learning, providing creative methods of teaching, and
building and enhancing links between businesses, families, and schools. “
—Richard W. Riley
U.S. Secretary of Education
1998
http://www2.ed.gov/pubs/TechStrength/intro.html

10. Parent
Involvement
Epstein, et. al. 2002.
School, Family, and Community
Partnerships: Your Handbook for
Action, Second Edition. Thousand
Oaks, CA: Corwin Press, Inc.

11. Parent Engagement
• Parent involvement focuses on the school setting the agenda
and determining the roles parents will play.
• Parent engagement allows us to explore parents’ hopes and
dreams for their children and work together to realize those
ends.
• Moving from involvement to engagement requires us to see
parents as an integral and essential part of the process.
Parents must be able to use their knowledge, skills and
talents.

12. The way Larry Ferlazzo distinguishes between parent involvement and parent
engagement:
Energy source:
“When we’re involving parents, ideas and energy tends to come from the
schools and from government mandates. We tend to sell ideas.“
“When we’re engaging parents, ideas tend to be elicited from parents by
school staff in the context of developing trusting relationships. More
parent energy drives the efforts because they emerge from
parent/community needs and priorities.”
Purpose:
“When we’re involving parents, schools tend to focus on supporting students
by strengthening and assisting school programs and priorities.”
“When we’re engaging parents, schools support students by developing
parent relationships and often working with parents to improve their local
communities.”
http://www.learningfirst.org/LarryFerlazzoParentEngagement

13. • So to be engaging parents we need have them as part of the
conversation.
• You are actively allowing them to see the learning that goes
on in school, AND you are encouraging them to
reflect, respond, and reinforce it at home.
• Engagement is interactive and relational. Learning is
open, transparent and visible.
• The tools of technology make this move from involvement to
engagement easier – they allow us to
connect, collaborate, and create together.

14. Parenting
Assist families with parenting skills and setting home conditions
to support children as students. Also assist school to better
understand families.
Tips:
- express your expectations, learn about our expectations
- encourage conversations with our children
- use plain language, don’t overwhelm, vary the channels

15. Parenting
Tools - District, school, class:
website, email, blog, wiki, video, podcast
MediaSmarts Tip Sheets

16. Communicating
Conduct effective communications from school-to-home and
from home-to-school about school programs and student
progress.
Tips: -variety
-use plain language -use images
-don’t overwhelm -ask questions
-be consistent -just like kids, we lose paper
-be invitational -respect confidentiality
-be positive

17. Communicating
Tools:
school – email, website, video: info on programs
class – email, online reporting: info on progress
online surveys
online portfolios
RSS

18. Communicating
Tools:
school – email, website, video: info on programs
class – email, online reporting: info on progress
blogs social media
texting online surveys
online portfolios RSS

24. Achievement Reporting
We want more frequent, more complete info:
i.e. email based (markbook) or online marking (edline) info
- be consistent
- school-wide
- frequency
- but personalize
- find ways to get at 21C competencies
- find ways to broaden assessment language
- consider online portfolios

25. Volunteering
Organize volunteers and audiences to support the school and
students. Provide volunteer opportunities in various locations
and at various times.
Tips:
- think outside the box
- reinforce message of all shapes/sizes
- think about competencies not just subjects

26. Volunteering
Tools:
District, school, class
website, email, blog, wiki,
social media
online surveys
voip
Ideas to share?

27. Learning at Home
Involve families with their children on homework and other
curriculum-related activities and decisions.
Tips:
- how can family help
- expectations (both ways)
- curriculum outlines
- interactive (joint) learning
- outside of school learning
- learn about student/family life

28. Learning at Home
Tools: province, district, school, class
website, blog, wiki, video, podcast, email
A Parent's Guide to 21st Century Learning

29. What Matters Most
1. High Expectations
2. Talking About School
3. Attitudes and Work Habits
4. Reading Together
Address each of these in every area of involvement/engagement

30. Decision Making
Include families as participants in school decisions, and develop
parent leaders and representatives.
Tips:
- find ways to allow participation without physical presence
- choice and voice are important for parents too

31. Decision Making
Tools:
District, school
website, webconference, blog, wiki, video, podcast, voip

33. Collaborating with Community
Coordinate resources and services from the community for
families, students, and the school, and provide services to the
community.
Tips:
- invitations
- remote visits
- parent initiated events/activities
- help define the role of the Community Engagement
Coordinator positions

34. Collaborating with Community
.
Tools:
District, school, class
website, email, blog, wiki, video, podcast, social media, voip

35. Tips and Tools to Share?
Parenting
Communicating
Volunteering
Learning at Home
Decision Making
Collaborating with the Community

36. Parent learning…
As we move to a connected learning model we need to bring
parents along too. Providing technology focused learning
opportunities for parents is helpful. Involving students in the
teaching of tech tools if very powerful.

38. To be successful at parent engagement:
• build trusting, collaborative relationships,
• recognize, respect and address family needs and differences,
• embrace the philosophy of partnership with shared power
and shared responsibility,
• make it systemic, integrated and sustained.

39. Your learning…
There are many people willing to share their knowledge and
experience.
A few who specialize in parent engagement…

40. Lorna Costantini

41. Aaron
Puley

42. Joe
Mazza

44. Cautions
• This is just as new for parents as it is for teachers.
• Do not be discouraged if you don’t get feedback right
away.
• Build slowly
• Involve the students
• It is not your job alone. Expect more from the Minister,
the Department, the District, the DEC, school
administration. Speak up about what needs to happen.

45. Why do I believe parent engagement is
important?
• The “system” of education we have is becoming
increasingly irrelevant, especially at the high school level.
(see Disrupting Class)
• Unless we strengthen the “public” in our system we may
be replaced.
• We need to create real communities and nurture real
relationships.
• That is the distinct advantage that our schools have over
online systems.
• Connections and relationships are what we need to focus
on.

47. twitter: @jeanninestamand
blog: www.jeanninestamand.com
Delicious: www.delicious.com/toolsofengagement
Linkedin: Jeannine St. Amand
toolsofengagement@gmail.com
Presentation slides available at slideshare: