Engagement 101: How to Host an Effective Parent-Teacher Conference 1.

Engagement 101:How to Host an Effective Parent-

Teacher Conference

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Session Objectives2

As a result of this presentation participants will learn: 

Engagement Office’s structure, priorities and supports designed to build capacity of school staff to better engage their school communities.

How to utilize the Parent-Teacher Conference online toolkit and other resources that promote productive and informative dialog between instructional staff and families. In addition, facilitators will share how PTC materials support the School-Parent Compact as required per Title I requirements.

Researched based strategies and best practices that foster parent rapport and family engagement which aligns with Plan 1 and Plan 6 of the Teacher Effectiveness Model.

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The Engagement OfficeBaltimore City Public Schools

Our mission, function and structure

Objective 1

District Organizational Framework4

Engagement Office Overview

The mission of the Engagement Office is to:

PROMOTE the good work of students, teachers, principals,

staff, schools and partners.

COLLABORATE to keep students, parents, staff members, and community informed of initiatives, events, and announcements.

CREATE OPPORTUNITIES for meaningful public input and community engagement around key decisions and priorities.

BUILD CAPACITY of stakeholders to more deeply engage in student success.

MOBILIZE resources in support of schools and student achievement.

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Engagement Functions6

Planning events and activities for public, staff, and student input and engagement

Planning and attending events to hear public concerns and soliciting recommendations for district improvements

Building capacity of school communities to effectively support student success

Establishing and maintaining partnerships and alliances to support schools and student achievement

Engagement Supports and Services 7

Engagement Office

Parent Involvemen

t

Community Relations

School Partnership

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BALTIMORE CITY

PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Family and Community EngagementSpecialists

EDUCATION/

TRAINING

STRATEGIC PLANNING/

CONSULTATION

BUILDING CAPACITY/

TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE

MONITORING & REPORTING

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FCE POLICIES AND BEST

PRACTICES

TITLE I PARENT INVOLVEMENT

ENGAGEMENT STRATEGIES

SCHOOL FAMILY COUNCIL

OUTREACH (SPECIALIZED

POPULATIONS)

PARTNERSHIP AND RESOURCE

DEVELOPMENT

ORGANIZED PARENT GROUPS

VOLUNTEERS

21ST CENTURY AND OTHER

INITIATIVES

COMMUNICATIONS

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The Family – Friendly School

Does your school provide a welcoming environment?

Objective 3

BALTIMORE CITY

PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Is Your School Family-Friendly?

Partnership School

Parents have great things to offer We do whatever it takes to work with the parents to ensure

all students succeed.

Open-Door School

Parents encouraged to be actively involved in a variety of ways

We work hard to increase turnout for each activity

We solicit community support; the community responds

Come-if-We-Call School

Parents welcome when we ask them, but there’s only so much they can offer

Parents are most valuable is support their children at home

We know where to get community support if we need it

FortressSchool

Parents belong at home, not at school Students are unsuccessful because families don’t support at

home We are already doing all we can Our school is an oasis in a troubled community.

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Research on Parent Engagement11

Researcher California State University conducted a Meta-Analysis

study Published in the Harvard Family Research Project

Subjects

Study compiled 77 studies which comprised of 300,000 K-12 students

• 36 studies researched secondary schools only

• 25 studies researched elementary schools only

• 16 studies researched elementary and secondary schools

Questions

Does Parental Involvement impact Student Achievement?

What aspect of Parent Involvement had the greatest impact on student achievement?

Research on Parent Engagement 12

Findings

Grades, standardized test scores, and teacher ratings increased for students with actively involved parents

Students performed better regardless of ethnicity and socio-economics

Parent involvement had the greatest impact on student achievement when:

Parents spend large investments of time (reading and communicating)

Parents have high expectation of students

Parents engage in parent involvement programs

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Local and State Family Engagement Requirements

Does your school only engage parents for the sake of compliancy?

Objective 3

Comments or Questions?

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P1 – Know your studentsP6 - Mobi l ize famil ies and stakeholders in student success

INSTRUCTIONAL FRAMEWORK

School-Parent Compact15

Jointly developed agreement between parents, students and school in support of academic success

Defines reasonable expectations and responsibilities for all stakeholders

Recommended for all schools but mandatory for Title I Schools (parent - teacher conferences)

Living document that should be edited to align with school performance goals and student needs.

School-Parent Compact Sample 16

School-Parent Compact Sample17

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Designing an Effective Parent-Teacher Conference

How to strategically plan before, during and after the Parent-Teacher Conference?

Objective 3

Before Conferencing19

Send parents a personalized invitation that emphasizes the purpose and confirms logistics.

Be sure all student work is graded and provides feedback. Coordinate schedules with other teachers so that parents are able

to meet with as many teachers as possible. Confirm arrangements for an interpreter have been made for ELL

families. Review notes on student behavior, academic progress and social

skills. Invite parents to bring a list of questions or concerns. Be sure the classroom is orderly and displays current student work. Establish no more than two to three areas of concerns. Be sure to dress professionally.

During the Conference20

Greet parents with a smile and handshake to set a positive tone. Arrange seats so that you are positioned on the same side as the

parent. Reference your School-Parent Compact. Base behavioral concerns on their impact to academic success. Be

prepared to provide evidence and specific examples. Actively listen to parents and solicit parent feedback. Look for

common areas of concern. Be suggestive opposed to giving parents commands (You should, You

must). Summarize the major points and clarify any action that will be taken End the conference by summarizing major points and clarifying

actionable steps.

After Conference21

• Reserve a few minutes to jot down notes.• Follow up with parents via phone calls or thank you

letters that address key points of the conversation.• Provide opportunities for future meetings

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Engaging Difficult Parents

How well do you engage difficult parents?

Objective 3

Engaging Difficult Parents23

The Over-Involved Parent The Absent Parent The Demanding Parent The Defensive Parent The Uncooperative Parent The Angry Parent

The Over-Involved Parent24

Reassure the parent that the student is well adjusted socially, behaviorally and academically

o Provide specific details as evidence

Assure the parent that you will contact them if there is a problem

Create an action plan that addresses their concerns

Suggest a communication strategyo Commit to checking with the parent every two to three

weeks

The Absent Parent25

Acknowledge the parents busy schedule and try to accommodate

Offer brief conversations over the phone in lieu of face to face meetings

Arrange for a translator if language serves as a barrier o Refrain from using the student as the translator.

Remember that almost every parent really does care about their child’s performance in school.

The Demanding Parent26

Explain the rationale for student placement. o Be prepared to provide assessment results, homework

assignment and other student artifacts.

Consider the parent request and feedback

Inform the parent that providing difficult material often invokes frustration and ultimately rebellion

The Defensive Parent27

Maintain a positive attitude and objective perspective

Highlight the student’s attributes then address one

area of concern

Develop a preliminary action plan to improve the

situation

Acknowledge and compliment any efforts the parent

may have contributed

Suggest strategies parents can employ to support

learning at home

Assure the parent that the student can improve

through parent-teach collaboration

The Uncooperative Parent28

Be sure your classroom policies are approved by school leadership

Communicate polices to families early in the school year

Adhere to the policy unless there are extenuating circumstances

The Angry Parent29

Remain calm and professional

Listen actively to their concerns and root causes

Inform the school leaders so they can be prepared

Solicit parent for reasonable suggestions

Remove yourself from escalated conversations that may

result in verbal and/or physical abuse

Document and report any volatile interactions with

parents

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Parent-Teacher Toolkit and other Resources

Parent-Teacher Conference Considerations

Objective 2

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