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We talk a lot about parent & family engagement around here. So, when we see other folks singing the same tune, it makes us pretty happy! In a recent article from National Education Association (who wouldn't trust an article with a name like that?), they break down a few tips to help guide a teacher or school in making outreach decisions to increase parent engagement. AKA, The 8 Ps of Parent Engagement.
That's enough chit-chat from us. Let's get into the meat and potatoes of how educators can get families more engaged in school:
1. Praise: Calling a parent for positive reasons should be done just as much, if not more, as calling parents for negative reasons. Acknowledge strengths in every student—then find a way to praise those strengths so parents see you as an ally, not an adversary.
2. Personality: If educators want students engaged, then they have to share their own personalities with them. When students know teachers as real humans, they can help bridge the gap between the classroom and home.
3. Public: Try being creative with your outreach. Doing things like hosting coffee with the principal at a local coffee shop can help parents feel more at ease when meeting teachers.
4. Persistent: Don't give up! Keep sending those newsletters and videos, making calls, and attempting to set up meetings. Through pleasant persistence, you might just see an uptick in activity.
5. Purpose: Be transparent in your initiatives. Communicate the purpose of a shift in practice or procedure. Make all decisions, their rationale, and research, transparent.
6. Piece of Cake: Make things easier. Life is hard for a parent, and educators have to empathize with this generation of parents because it has its own unique challenges. Be as communicative as you can be, then figure out one more way to do it.
7. Personalize: Many teachers already find ways to communicate in a general way via classroom websites or weekly newsletters. But they should also personalize for diverse families. Teachers should be adept in reaching out comfortably in ways that work for the many families in their classrooms.
8. Provide Support: A school can be a hub of support and information for many people, and it can have a larger role in the community overall. The school need not only be seen as a place of assessment but as a place where the community goes to learn and celebrate learning.
For a more detailed look, I would definitely encourage you to go check out the original article on NEA. After you do that, come on back over to our website to learn more about how an app by SchoolInfo can assist you with all of these things, and more. Parent engagement just so happens to be our bread and butter, and you've already got the meat and potatoes.
