Teach Children Well: Reflection #21: Parent/Family Engagement

As I reflect upon The Massachusetts Educator Evaluation Rubric element 3A1, Parent/Family Engagement, I am reminded of the importance of moving from the concept of “school” to the concept of “learning community.” In a learning community, all members of the community including students, families, educators, leaders, and community members are considered both teachers and learners, and all members of the learning community are included in the information, events, and decisions related to the teaching/learning program.

Parents and families who are comfortable with the school, and have the time and will, are typically consistent, active members of the learning community. The more challenging issue here is reaching out to families who are not involved. Often these families lack access and/or the will to engage with school communication and events for a large range of reasons including health issues, language, work schedules, past difficult issues related to schools, and lack of invitation or welcome. Instead of finding fault with or ignoring these families, school communities need to find ways to invite and support uninvolved families' participation, voice, and support. Uninvolved families, who often represent disregarded populations, call for a whole-school, respectful effort because we know that family involvement and support is critical to the success and development of all students.

Positive Orientations Welcome the
Involvement and Participation of All Parents and Families

I have written several posts about this topic which you may find helpful as you reflect upon this goal:

Guided Reflection

As you reflect on element 3A1, read the standard, indicator, element, criteria, key points, and questions below. Use the grid to reflect upon, and make notes related to this element's implications for your own practice.

Standard III: Family and Community Engagement. The teacher promotes the learning and growth of all students through effective partnerships with families, caregivers, community members, and organizations.

Indicator III-A. Engagement: Welcomes and encourages every family to become active participants in the classroom and school community.

Element III-A-1: Parent/Family Engagement

Criteria (exemplary)

Successfully engages most families and sustains their active and appropriate participation in the classroom and school community. Is able to model this element.

Key Points/Questions:

Engages families. In what ways do you engage all families with regard to the classroom program and student learning?
Sustain families’ active and appropriate participation. What time and efforts do you employ to make sure that families are consistently active participants in the classroom and school community?

Element 3A1: Parent/Family Engagement

Key Points	Question	Effective Efforts	Implications for Your Practice	Results
Engages families.	In what ways do you engage all families with regard to the classroom program and student learning?	Start the year with family-friendly, student-centered orientations. Make a point to meet with every family at the start of the year to discuss student goals and program. Be available to families when needed and requested. Explicitly share with families the best ways to meet with you. Send families regular classroom newsletters. Invite parents to visit the classroom, volunteer, or participate as appropriate.	Move-up letter invited families into the classroom communication loop, class program. Prepare a first day of school letter with welcoming information. Invite email correspondence related to student needs and interests. Create times and opportunities for family volunteers. Have an open door policy for family visits.
Sustain families’ active and appropriate participation.	What time and efforts do you employ to make sure that families are consistently active participants in the classroom and school community?	Contact families when a student shines, not just when there’s a problem. Create manageable systems of regular parent response related to student learning. Periodically host classroom celebrations at a time that families can attend to showcase student effort and learning. Reach out to families who are not involved. Work with the school community to look for ways to involve families that are reluctant to participate.	Work with school community with regard to families who are reluctant to participate or get involved. Offer regular coaching meetings. Host three open house classroom shares during the year. Survey parents about the best times for classroom shares. Work with grade-level colleagues to coordinate family share dates and events.