Full Description
"This very accessible book is filled with practical, doable activities and ideas that will enhance the learning of students by involving parents in respectful, meaningful, and productive ways."
-Judy Chapman, District Principal, Curriculum
Instruction & Assessment, School District #34, Abbotsford, BC
"Dr. Boult has written the ultimate guide for helping school administrators and teachers create an effective partnership with parents. Any educational stakeholder (parent, teacher, administrator) will benefit from its content." -Connie Brownell, Teacher
Lester B. Pearson School Board, Montreal, QC
Use these practical strategies to engage parents and create more successful outcomes for students!
Would you like to see children score significantly higher on reading tests? Stay in school longer? Excel in academics? If you answered "yes" to any of these questions, you're not alone! These goals, obtainable and achievable, are directly linked to parent involvement. By taking a committed role in their children's education, parents make a direct, positive impact on academic achievement. With decades of research to support this claim, 176 Ways to Involve Parents, Second Edition, presents ready-to-use ideas to fully engage parents in the school community.
Containing numerous new strategies for building bridges between schools and families, this updated edition provides practical ways to:
Welcome parents as vital members of the school community
Sustain ongoing communication with families
Include parents in school governance
Develop parent volunteer programs
Foster shared ownership of the educational process
By including parents as educational partners, schools can create a rich environment that fosters positive student self-esteem and academic success.
Contents
Preface
Publisher's Acknowledgments
About the Author
Introduction
1. Making It Happen
Starting the School Year
Supporting the Whole Family
Creating Safe Havens for Students
Recruiting Volunteers
Meeting the Needs of Volunteers
Training Volunteers
Developing Staff
Placing and Supporting Volunteers
Acknowledging Volunteers
2. Creating the Climate
Projecting a Positive Image
Marketing the Message
Using Technology to Communicate
Communicating Effectively
Creating the Context for Change
3. Sustaining the Involvement
Celebrating Diversity
Using Community Resources
Developing Community Relationships
Promoting Learning Across the Curriculum
Building Character
Talking Person to Person
Fundraising
4. Venturing Beyond the Bake Sale
Establishing Connections
Cross-Fertilizing Ideas
Fostering Effective Advisory Councils
Developing Parent Capacity
District Initiatives: Setting the Example
Resources
References
Index
