Join a Mailring at the
Teacher Mailring Center
http://www.teachers.net/mailrings/
Beth Bruno - Hello, Shell. Where are you from?
Beth Bruno - I'm tonight's moderator about parent involvement and classroom volunteers
Beth Bruno - I organized a mentor program at one of my schools - using GE mentors. Any of you familiar with that?
panda - How do you suggest that we get more parents involved in the classrooms?
kiddieup - I'm w/ Teen parents of infant/toddlers on a continuation high school campus. I really need help in involving the parents w/ their babies/activities/etc...
Beth Bruno - Kiddieup, what is a continuation high school?
panda - kiddieup, I have a similar program in my school. Ij am not directly involved but I could try to get you some info. on how they get the students involved,.
Beth Bruno - Panda, what do you have parents help you with in the classroom now?
kiddieup - A "last chance" high school that takes in what most would call juvenile delinquents...but really, deep down they are wonderful people (children, really) who come from terrible situations
panda - Very little. Most of my parents are working and I have no help. I did have one parent that came in and helped in the beginning with organizing the room. She got a job and I haven seen her in two months. I have been very inviting to the parents but have had no response.
jd5 - My parents want to be notified about troubles with behavior or academics, but when I tell them they find an excuse for the child. How can I get them involved in a good way?
Beth Bruno - Do the teen parents spend time with their babies during the school day, so teachers can model play and help them with choosing appropriate activities?
jd5 - I try to be positive, but accepting responsibility is a problem.
Beth Bruno - A first grade teacher friend of mine has a list of "jobs" for parents that she sends home at the beginning of the year, asking parents to sign up - even if for only an hour. She gets a lot of participation that way.
kiddieup - Beth, yes most of the teens also come in for one period a day as a Student Worker to earn Life Science credits...but they have little interest (and very very low reading/comprehension skills) so anything I do (handouts, etc) tends to fall on deaf ears.
Beth Bruno - Parent defensiveness is often a problem.
kiddieup - I even do a monthly parent meeting (during school time) but they sit there and interupt or write notes to each other (can you tell I'm frustrated?...sorry)
Beth Bruno - How do others here handle it?
¤êrã§êr¤ - I keep a daily log of student behaviors
¤êrã§êr¤ - but my classes are small in a special ed setting
Esme - A call home at the start of the year, before there's any trouble, helps parents be more receptive when trouble arises, I think.
panda - beth I love the idea I'll try it.
Beth Bruno - Sometimes parents let down their guard if you can get them talking about incidents of getting in trouble when they were in school. anything to get them talking with you instead of backing away.
Beth Bruno - Esme, I agree. Parents are at high levels of readiness to get involved if you can get them started at the beginning of the year.
Jan - I like the idea of job lists for parents to sign up for but do you think that would work for 4th grade?
Beth Bruno - Another good time to capitalize on high parent motivation is during your parent conferences.
jd5 - I have 28 5th graders. Logs are a dream, but... We have conferences twice a year. They all say "let me know...", but the children say different and the principal doesn't back us up.
Jan - My kindergarten friend even has parents cutting, pasting, etc. at home.
panda - I agree. I called everyone of my parents in the beginning of the year they were very appreciative. When I call for problems they are very helpful.
Beth Bruno - Jan, yes I think that approach works in every grade. If you ask for general volunteering without describing a particular "job" or need, very few parents will come forward.
¤êrã§êr¤ - anyone send home a newsletter? or participate in the phone system of voice mail for assignments (offered locally through the newspaper)
wendy/5/mi - maybe i have a bad set of parents this year, but i cannot seem to get any kind of response from them
Beth Bruno - But if you can desribe a particular task and ask for a specific amount of time from a parent, you'll almost always get a volunteer.
kiddieup - I once learned that sometimes if you briefly touch the parent (on the arm, for example) while you're talking with them, it "draws them in" and they'll be more likely to listen to you and to use eye contact. I've tried it and it works (as long as you're VERY careful to not cross that personal space barrier, or to do it too often)
panda - I send home a classroom newsletter. I nevrer thought of voice mail for homework. Good idea.
jd5 - I do one thing that helps. A homework record. Every late, missing, or incomplete assignments gets recorded to go home with report cards. We send monthly newsletters too,
Esme - Sometimes parents say they want to help, but when they find it's "real" work, like helping to shelve books or tedious cutting jobs they back away. Beth, can you suggest some jobs for parents that won't be more work for me?
Beth Bruno - How does the voice mail system work through the newspaper?
panda - Yea I want to know too. ie voice mail
kiddieup - I've wanted to do a newsletter, but I feel so discouraged...my parents can hardly read, too.
Esme - I sold subscriptions to my school library newsletter as a fundraiser.
¤êrã§êr¤ - Our newspaper offers a phone service ...a network of voice mail boxes. i record trivia questions for the kids to answer...it involves the parents input
Beth Bruno - Some jobs for parents: supervising developmental learning centers (in primary grades). grading papers. preparing materials for projects. helping out with oral reading groups (listening to children read.
Esme - Thanks, Beth!
jd5 - Voice mail-- teacher has a code and calls in with asssignments/news. Parents call and punch in a code to get your message.
Beth Bruno - Other jobs for parents- accompanying your class on field trips, helping to organize class events at holiday times, preparing snacks. "teaching" in an area of special interest to them - parents have lots of talents!
Beth Bruno - Kiddieup - is there a church group in your area that might be willing to tutor some of your teen mothers in reading and other subjects?
kiddieup - I'm trying the holiday idea...the teens are very into that, but are very secular...I'm having a hard time broading their prospective...I'm afraid my efforts for multicultualism is discouraging them
Beth Bruno - You know what they say, "Educate a mother, educate a family."
Esme - Kiddieup, what about a "books for babies" storytime, teach them to read through reading aloud to their children? Public libraries and the "Read Aloud Handbook" by Jim Trelease offer ideas how to do this.
Beth Bruno - There's a group of Catholic sisters in a city near us that runs a tutoring service. They've contributed a great deal to the education programs for poor teens and their families.
kiddieup - hmmmmmmm....good idea! Question though...the babies crawl away and the parents give up...any ideas? (Am I turning this meeting in the wrong direction?)
Beth Bruno - Wonderful idea, Esme. storytime can also lead into puppetry and other creative kinds of educational play, that's also great fun for young mothers.
Beth Bruno - Even teaching simple games that the mothers can play with their babies helps. Anything to get them invested in becoming teaching moms
Esme - I know a woman who got a grant. She demonstrated reading aloud, and then every mom got her own copy of the book to try with...squirming and book chewing are par for the course, I guess!
kiddieup - hey! that's a good idea! Maybe my next meeting can involve making a toy or learning a game!
Esme - Fingerplays, too! There's a great book, "I'm a Little Teapot" by Jane Cobb full of 'em. I know I love doing those when my son was a baby
Beth Bruno - I'm a well educated person and often went to my child's preschool to help out. But the teacher didn't give me any guidance once I got there. It was very awkward. I watched and helped where I could, but I felt like a third wheel.
jd5 - Anymore ideas for older kids?
kiddieup - maybe this can lead into a project for them to do...after a few times being led by me, they can go invent their own thing!
¤êrã§êr¤ - do folks know about the teacher voice mail available via telephone in some areas...i missed a lot when i got the boot
Beth Bruno - We, as teachers and professionals, have to let parents know specifically how they can help. When we do, they usually plunge in eagerly and feel great about it.
Esme - Yay, kiddieup!
Beth Bruno - The teacher voicemail connection through the newspaper sounds like a terrific network - good way to keep parents and students informed.
Esme - Sometimes, frankly, I don't want there help in the room...I want more support from parents by their working with their kids at home.
¤êrã§êr¤ - The local newspaper sponsors the service to area schools
jd5 - Really Esme, how can we get them involved at home?
Beth Bruno - I'm greedy. I want both. Also, keep in mind that parents who have helped out in the classroom often have a better idea how they can help their children at home more effectively.
Beth Bruno - jd5 - when you ask about ideas for older kids, are you talking about 4th and 5th grades or middle and high school?
jd5 - 5th
Esme - That's true, beth...hadn't really considered that. I sent home "Bedtime Bags," with read-aloud books and flashlights, so parents would read aloud to their kids at home. Also, recipes, projects, role-playing skits about manners.
Beth Bruno - At the 5th grade level, I think parents could helpo students with independent study in the library or with science experiments in the classroom or with special projects in art, music and athletics.
jd5 - By 5th, some kids still want parents around, but some would rather die first! Also, most of my parents work .
Beth Bruno - Also upper elementary and middle school parents can help kids with test preparation, learning how to outline and organize for longer term written projects - and there are always needs for chaperones.
Beth Bruno - jd5, are any of your parents willing to help kids before school?
Beth Bruno - or help you with "behind the scenes" tasks before school?
jd5 - Haven't thought of that!
cat - We had parent conferences today. Most with low students wanted information on special education testing. How do I get across parent involvement is the key?
Beth Bruno - some parents are also willing to be organizers of phone chains for contacting parents about special projects or events - that's something a parent can do in the evening.
Beth Bruno - cat, special education testing is always an option, but there are several steps before that. Does your school psychologist talk with you about interventions you and parents can try before making a referral for testing?
jd5 - Tell them how many may be tested, but so few are accepted. Even though everyone knows there is a problem.
Beth Bruno - I spend much of my time doing student observations and teacher consultations to develop intervention strategies for children long before any formal referral is made.
cat - Yes. We have a RCT team that reccommends options like after school tutoring, small group instruction, peer learning etc. Never any mention about parent involvement or at home techniques.
Beth Bruno - jd5, I'm not sure what you meant about many being tested but few accepted.
jd5 - Accepted into any program to get extra help.
Dee - Our kids often wait a year to be tested. We don't have a school psychologist. Is it the norm in the US to have one per school?
Beth Bruno - Do any of your schools or school districts have a paid coordinator of volunteers
Beth Bruno - Yes, it is the norm for a school psychologist to at least be available to students in every school.
Dee - Ours doesn't. It is a school based classroom teacher driven system in our board.
jd5 - Guidance counselor tries to get volunteers.
Dee - Wow Beth....we don't have one available to students in our whole board....10 000 students!!!! Parents have to fund some of their own services.
Beth Bruno - jd5, It's sad to think that schools go to the trouble of testing students, agree based on test results that a student needs help, and then not provide that help. Senseless.
cat - The psychologist we had last year traveled to several schools. However, she was so overwhelmed that many students were declined services. We have a mentor program and that does help with some of the troubled students. That was only made available for 3rd, 4th and 5th grade.
Dee - In our school of 260 we have one special ed teacher for 80 students. Some of our students are identified and don't receive any help.
Beth Bruno - If you look at my "Schoolhouse Views" article for this month, it describes a volunteer program in New Haven, CT that you might tell your principal or school board about. http://www.teachers.net/FAQ/schoolhouse/bruno21.html
jd5 - I'm talking about the ones that don't qualify by the right amount points below their IQ, but still are way behind.
Beth Bruno - Mentor programs can help a great deal. And anyone in a school can start one, with the encouragement of your principal and help with the initial outreach to local businesses.
Dee - By mentor do you mean other students or people from the community? Thanks I'll look the article up and make a copy for my principal.
jd5 - They fall through the cracks and back into our laps to help the best way we can.
Beth Bruno - It really helps to have someone coordinate volunteer efforts, so teachers can get the support they need without having to do all the legwork themselves.
cat - The mentors we have come from local businesses and churches.
Dee - cat....What do they do with the kids? jd5 I was just about to ask about that!!*s*
Beth Bruno - I'm thinking of mentors as adults from the community. Older students helping younger ones is another approach that many teachers use successfully, but those aren't called mentor programs usually.
Dee - What would these adults do with the kids?
jd5 - These kids are usually the ones with the least parent involvement.
Beth Bruno - Mentors do a variety of things with their students. They usually spend one to two hours a week with them - in the school - help them with assignments, have lunch together, work at a computer together, read to each other, play in the gym - fostering frien
Dee - We just had this discussion at our school. We wanted to run a curriculum night but the parents we want to reach the most wouldn't come.
Beth Bruno - fostering friendship and education.
Dee - Beth...sounds interesting and perhaps mutually beneficial.
cat - They start with a mentor kickoff rally at school that all teachers attend. At the rally parents and families are invited to meet the mentors. They then set up a schedule to meet with students after school, at school. Help with homework, bringing in take out food, playing board games and sometimes meeting with a teacher when parents are not available.
Beth Bruno - Dee, if you call your curriculum night - "hot fudge sunday night" and talk about curriculum while you're at it, they'll come!
Dee - Thanks cat....what a great programme. Beth!!! you said it....we might be able to afford a few donuts and coffee.
Beth Bruno - I've learned over the years that many parents will show up to events where there is food . I guess that's true for many of us, too.
cat - Our principal always says, "if you feed them they will come". We always offer parent workshops directly after school lets out, the parents pick up students, have dinner and then attend the workshop. Those that come to the initial activity usually return.
jd5 - Door prizes help too.
Dee - Beth...yes I've found that too. We thought we might present this workshop to our JK parents. They are always so eager and interested when the kids first start. Cat...sounds great. Who funds dinner?
Beth Bruno - Our mentors and their students and parents got together before New Year's to make holiday cards. I collected lots of raw materials, served juice, coffee and cookies and we had great fun.
Dee - jd5 now there's an idea.
jd5 - Local businesses might give prizes.
Beth Bruno - Have a terrific weekend and I hope you will continue to welcome parents into your classes and educational planning.
Beth Bruno - Good night.
