Partnering with Parents
By Mary Ellen Bafumo

Familiar routines like reconnecting with colleagues and setting up the classroom herald the beginning of a new school year. Less eagerly anticipated is the required district staff development meeting. If you are among the legions of teachers who long for a better way to enhance your skills, take heart.

High stakes testing and the national focus on literacy make continuous learning essential for teachers. You can initiate your own professional growth plan with strategies found in this column. Each month you'll find ready-to-use ideas on a topic that will improve your classroom skills. This month's column focuses on parent partnerships.

Getting parents involved
Parent involvement has been shown to increase student achievement, but getting parents involved means building trust. They need to be convinced that you care about their child and will provide individual attention to meet their child's needs.

Demonstrate your concern by using a Student Inventory. Devise a brief questionnaire for parents that provides information about student learning. How does the student learn best – through listening, seeing, exploring? What's a favorite subject, activity, book, hobby? Which subjects or situations does the child find difficult? Note that responses are confidential and help meet the child's learning needs.

Making the pledge
Document your practice of providing individual attention through a Learning Covenant, in which everyone agrees to promote learning in specific ways. Students might pledge to arrive at school on time, complete assignments and to treat everyone respectfully. Parents may pledge to assist with homework, read nightly to their child and attend school functions. You may pledge to communicate regularly with parents and provide individual assistance as needed. Let parents know that the document can be modified to update areas of individual support for the student.

Lastly, let parents know they are welcome in your classroom. Greet them by name and use information from the Student Inventory to engage them about their child. Follow through on regular communications, especially good news about their child's efforts. These simple approaches can optimize parent cooperation and build needed support for student learning.

Mary Ellen Bafumo directs principal and teacher development at the Council for Educational Change.

August/September 2003, Vol.34, No.1