Parent engagement strategies

Therefore, the best strategy is to impress on them the fact that they are partners in the education process. They should stop feeling like outsiders and join the family. Once one has an emotional investment in a process, it becomes much easier to get them involved. (Warren etal 2009) A proper strategy will also involve informing the parents of the actual plan put in place by the teachers and the school to aid the children in their adaptation to the new cultural surroundings. It is especially the case for those who might be coming from cultures that are completely alien to the United States. Many teachers want to paint a rosy picture of every situation and end up coming across as naïve or condescending.

Parents are human beings and one needs to deal with them at that level. It should be clear to them what the situation is and why they need to be involved. Many parents might just not know why they have to be involved. (Hoffman, 1998). Parents will actually be turned off by a teacher who appears to use outdated ideas in a modern world. Therefore, I try to portray competence at every stage of my interaction with parents. Parents in diverse environments are especially wary of anyone experimenting with untested ideas on their children. (Hoffman, 1998). Question Two I instinctively move to support teachers especially when he or she has an honest intent. They should have the capacity to control their charges without making certain demands of the parents.

With all due respect, a teacher who cannot maintain silence in his or her classroom needs more training. (Wentzel,1998). Secondly, it is also quite clear that the teacher does not consider giving any leeway to the children. Every good teacher understands that children are not young adults. The teacher needs to check her tone otherwise she will lose the parents’ respect and goodwill. Finally, as a parent I would probably think that the teacher is out of his or her debt. As I have said, there are things that are normal for teachers. A teacher should have the ability to bring order to his or her classroom. He or she should at the very least have the skills and mien to get the children to keep quiet.

At the core of all these values is humanism. I teach my children that we are all human beings who deserve respect. I impress upon them the idea that we are all the same and we deserve to be treated with dignity. I have taught them that treating another human being with dignity also bestows dignity on oneself. I try as much as possible to create an environment in which every child feels comfortable enough to express him or herself. I come to you with utmost humility to ask for your help in solving the small issues we have with classroom order. Children are great imitators and they listen to their parents. It will be useful for you to aid us in impressing on the children the need to focus in the classroom and avoid noise.

You are free to schedule a meeting with me so that we can have a discussion on interventions that might apply specifically to your child. Question Four Ways of Developing a Positive Working Environment • Establish a relationship based on mutual understanding and appreciation of the goals. The parents should be able to reach the teacher whenever possible within reasonable limits. At the same time, the teacher should not wait for the meetings for him or her to inform the parents: the communication should be regular and in-depth. (Fraser & Wal berg, 2005). Reference Hoffman, J. V. , Young, M. D. , & Pedroza, A. Building collaborative relationships with parents.  Lessons from high-performing Hispanic schools: Creating learning communities, 36-60. S. Beyond the bake sale: A community-based relational approach to parent engagement in schools.