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In what practical ways do you and/or your school currently support parents? What benefits have you seen from this?
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Our school requires frequent communication with parents. We also have what is called “circling the wagons” meetings. I love this because it is an opportunity for all the teachers of a student (I teach secondary) to come together with the parents and help discuss a variety of things. Sometimes its learning disabilities. Sometimes it’s things they are dealing with at home that is affecting their student. Sometimes it is just a check in to make sure everything is going okay. It is important for us to educate children, but also be a witness to parents. That comes from working WITH them, not judging or critiquing their parenting.
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Each year our school support the parents by having a parent appreciation day. During this time, the parents are given suggestions on how to help their child succeed in school and is also allow to ask any question they may have concerning issues of the school. Each teacher is required to send home newsletters that adds an appreciation to the parent. The best way to support parents is the make sure they are informed about everything going on at the school concerning their child.
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Having worked in many different schools over the past 30 plus years of teaching, I have seen very few schools offer good support to parents and training in practical things like tips for dealing with homework and social media. I have appreciated some of the programs integrated into my present Christian school like regular communication about student behavior and progress through the Dojo points program and through Gradelink emails. Because the school is on a church property, many of the school families attend the church and take advantage of parenting seminars, kids Bible clubs like AWANA, Sunday School and Bible Studies. Another very positive part of the school specifically has been a weekly prayer group, mostly attended by mothers, that gathers to pray for students and staff. Because many of the school families have both parents working, the school provides before and after care that starts at 7 a.m. and ends at 6 p.m. I have personally worked in that program as well as a summer program. Both of those have an academic portion and include helping students with homework as well as providing a safe, fun atmosphere for them. All the services are fully used and have waiting lists as that care is very much in demand. This has helped build positive rapport with parents and even extended family members who might be picking up students. Several families I know personally from having the students in my course have been positively influenced towards Christ because of the care of staff for their children. I think of one student in particular who had cancer at a very young age. The school rallied around her and her family and supported them in incredible ways through that hard, long journey. I had her in my second grade course this past year, cancer free and excited to learn and to go on her “Make A Wish” trip that had been delayed because of COVID. Just really caring about kids and their families makes the biggest difference in their lives.
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At school we communicate with the parents about their child’s milestone accomplishments and or behavioral situations that may need to be addressed.
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Our school is great at communicating with parents with weekly newsletters from the school secretary and from each classroom teacher. We have offered seminars to parents on tough topics, like all the tech issues. Parent volunteers are treasured! I was a parent at our school before I started teaching there, so I’ve experienced that side of the equation.