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Provide one or two examples of new ways you might include parents by allowing them to use their skill sets.
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Building a relationship with parents is crucial as we are partners when it comes to our desire to see their children succeed.
There are several possibilities that we can consider to include parents who might have a skill set to share. Once we get to know the parents and what those skill sets are, then we can invite them to share that skill in a lesson. For example, someone who works in law (police, or court members), might be able to share some insight in a constitutional lesson. Someone who is involved in chemistry (from the oil & gas industry, for example) might be able to bring in samples of something…. while a parent involved in the medical field, might have something else to share in a biology lesson.
We don’t just have to look at professional skills, but as Dr. Black mentions, we should also become familiar with parents’ interests. Some of them may have a hobby in gardening, others in reading, others in arts & crafts. Maybe a parent can visit the classroom for a lesson on plants, or perhaps they have plentiful seeds that they want to share with the course. Even better would be an opportunity for the course to meet them at a local garden center. Maybe a parent who loves reading would like to come in and read a short story. A parent involved in arts & crafts might want to take part in holiday decorations for the classroom.
Maybe it’s as simple as asking them if they would like to share their testimony in the classroom about how God has used them to develop a skillset that provides for their family and how they have seen God at work “in the field” or workplace.
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Recently a family at our school offered to do some decorating. The family runs an interior decorating business and they offered to redo one or two offices. Everyone was so impressed by their work. They have continued to do this and have now upgraded several offices, the school clinic and the teachers workroom. It is such a lovely and unusual gift.
Several parents donate things to be auctioned or raffled off. A favorite is from the manager of a fancy hotel that gives a Staycation package for two every year. Other parents have served on the school board, in coaching, tutoring, subbing, baking, and blogging about the school. You could survey parents and find out their talents, interest and skills and see if they would be willing to help the school.
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A couple examples of new ways I could include parents by allowing them to use their skill sets are: reaching out to parents to see what profession they are in and create grade appropriate field trips around their skills sets allowing them to be the expert for the trip. Secondly, using the information that I gathered at the beginning of the year from the parents I would create a show and tell that incorporates the parent skill set. For example, I know of a teacher in a rural setting that bring in parents who are experts in farming / horses and kids get to experience and interact with farm animals on campus.
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One way I could include parents in my classroom is by not choosing just one homeroom mom, but by allowing multiple parents to have specific jobs. For example, one parent could be in charge of teacher/parent communication, one parent could plan and coordinate parties, one parent could be our weekly volunteer parent, etc.
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I could include parents by having them volunteer in the art room. The lecturer did stress the importance of having them be able to use their skill set and not just tedious little chores. I think it would be good for me and some of the moms to gain a relationship with each other. This is a little out of my comfort zone, but it may be what God wants me to experience.