You Must Have a Vision for Family Engagement
if You Want Actually ENGAGE Families
In order to improve student learning, families must be an integral part of the school’s plan.
Many schools point to families lack of engagement as the issue when the issue is typically that schools do not have a real plan to engage families.
By building an annual plan for family engagement, schools will not only have a roadmap for success but scheduling programs in advance ensures the district’s commitment to these family engagement activities.
Using a set of successful events and other innovative approaches, this plan provides opportunities for school and home to collaborate throughout the year.
By using an annual plan, schools can consider the ebb and flow of the annual calendar and the energy level that may or may not be available for certain events.
Consideration is also given to holidays, family schedules, and community events. Even though dates for each event can be somewhat flexible, care is given to make sure that each program builds on the other and increases the opportunity for promoting each upcoming event.
The type of event may be flexible but their order should not be changed without consideration for both staff and family schedules and commitment. Schools can be more effective and efficient by setting an annual calendar of family engagement events. By setting event dates on the calendars in advance, both the schools and the families have a chance to plan for successful events.
EVERY MONTH
Through timely e-mails Strong Fathers will provide resources and tools to help you in your work with families.
Each month Network members will receive:
Parent Handout (English/Spanish): Monthly topical parent handouts to print or post online in black and white and color.
Monthly Parenting Calendars (English/Spanish): Monthly activity and discussion calendars to print or post online.
Web Resources and Member Forum: We love to share and help professionals learn from each other!
AUGUST
“Meet the Teacher” on steroids. Treating this like an event instead of a requirement helps build excitement about the coming year.
Besides students visiting the classrooms, families will also hear from the principal regarding expectations, policy changes, and the annual plan.
Families will be invited to join communication/social network.
SEPTEMBER
Where meet the teacher is basic information night, these events will be a more in-depth look at work in a specific grade level. Teachers will provide academic expectations, classroom expectations, classroom and homework procedures. Teachers will also be provided team building activities and/or game instructions for families in order to build camaraderie and community.
OCTOBER
A strong fathers bring your dad to school day gets fathers into the classroom and allows them to see what their children do everyday in a public school.
A strong fathers bring your dad to school day gets fathers into the classroom and allows them to see what their children do everyday in a public school.Typically 7:30 AM to 9:30 AM if the school starts at 8:00 am.
Dads eat breakfast with kids, visit the classroom for about 45 minutes, and then talk about what they observed, why they observed it, and how they can help their children. Fathers also engage in an icebreaker activity and provide personal information to the teacher for future follow-up.
Three or four different events during the school year for parents to attend a morning to hear a short presentation by the principal and be able to ask questions as a group and after each event.
- Coffee and short time to visit
- Short (pre-prepared presentation-6 slides or less)
- Dismiss parents that may need to head to work
- SHORT Question and Answer Session
- SET TIME for Meeting End
Topics for Principal Coffee
- Making the School-Family Partnership Work for Students
- Homework and Classwork that Works for Students
- How Families Can Help Students Succeed
- Preparing for Summer Learning
NOVEMBER
A Strong Fathers reading event gets fathers on the floor and encourages them to engage their kids in play activities based on books that are read to them.
Typically 6 PM to 8 PM on a Monday, Tuesday, or Thursday night.
Dads and kids eat dinner from 6:00 to 6:30 PM. Activities begin at 6:30PM.
A Strong Fathers reading event gets fathers on the floor and encourages them to engage their kids in play activities based on books that are read to them.The facilitator models masculine reading styles to them as they have a great time with their child based on reading books.
Throughout the event, the facilitator takes time to explain the importance of reading for children and the specific importance of fathers reading to their children.
DECEMBER
During late November and December schools and families are already busy with music programs, fundraisers, community service projects, and holiday parties. Schools do not need to plan additional family engagement activities.
Schools can use prior engagement efforts to bring families in for these events as volunteers for projects or honored guests at programs.
Schools should use these events to treat families as honored guests. Build in social time before or after programs to engage families informally. It builds rapport and even though staff and families are busy, it is time well spent that will enhance relationships throughout the rest of the year.
JANUARY
An event providing information about internet safety and digital citizenship to parents. Each teacher would show parents apps as preferred options that would aid more in learning than many of the games that kids play.
- Coffee and short time to visit
- Short (pre-prepared presentation-6 slides or less)
- Dismiss parents that may need to head to work
- SHORT Question and Answer Session
- SET TIME for Meeting En
At a Strong Fathers math event dads and kids play math games with cards and dice or Strong Fathers double nine dominoes.
Typically 6 PM to 8 PM on a Monday, Tuesday, or Thursday night.
Dads and kids eat dinner from 6:00 to 6:30 PM. Activities begin at 6:30PM.
Facilitator leads dads and kids through the various games by giving instructions on the games, encouraging participants to learn new ways to learn and instructing the fathers on the best way to help their children learn as they play the various games.
FEBRUARY
Where meet the teacher is basic information night, these events will be a more in-depth look at work in a specific grade level. Teachers will provide academic expectations, classroom expectations, classroom and homework procedures. Teachers will also be provided team building activities and/or game instructions for families in order to build camaraderie and community.
MARCH
A Strong Fathers Science Night is an exciting evening where dads and kids build various contraptions that fly and pop while learning science concepts.
Typically 6 PM to 8 PM on a Monday, Tuesday, or Thursday night.
Dads and kids eat dinner from 6:00 to 6:30 PM. Activities begin at 6:30PM.
Facilitator leads dads and kids through the various projects as parents and kids work together to get various contraptions like airplanes, rockets, catapults, and more to, pop, fling or fly!
APRIL
- Coffee and short time to visit
- Short (pre-prepared presentation-6 slides or less)
- Dismiss parents that may need to head to work
- SHORT Question and Answer Session
- SET TIME for Meeting End
MAY
After testing and so much academic work during the year, the end of the year programs provide other engagement opportunities.
Field Days, field trips, award ceremonies, and special projects provide schools with another opportunity to engage families in these traditional programs. By working with families throughout the year, you can now engage them as volunteers and participants.
The end of the year also gives you a chance to honor families. Instead of honoring just one or two parents, honor engaged parents from each class or grade level. Honor volunteer hours, special efforts, and anything that you want to encourage in all parents. (I.E. signed the folder sheet every day or every week. Read X books for the year to their child)
JUNE-JULY
Summer is still a time for learning and family fun.
Strong Fathers-Strong Families put a list of 100 free or affordable activities to do with kids at home during the summer. All activities are focused on family engagement and many of them are based on academic endeavors. Schools can use these in a calendar form, in daily social media, or as a list to provide their families.
Examples include:
- Play hide-and-seek in the house and in the yard at night.
- Make mazes/puzzles for each other to solve.
- Spin the dial on the radio and dance around with your kids to whatever song plays.
- Turn off the TV one night a week (see what happens!)
- Watch an old movie with your children (fix popcorn). Try a silent comedy.