Title: Creating a Culture of Collaborative Family Engagement | Getting Smart
Headings: Creating a Culture of Collaborative Family Engagement
Creating a Culture of Collaborative Family Engagement
Content: Remind parents that they are partners in their child’s education and thank them for all of the ways they build up their child. Emphasize that activities like playing I Spy while running errands, pointing out the number sequence of mailboxes at the post office, and taking turns during Game Night at home all promote school readiness behaviors and encourage creativity and critical thinking. Taking time to build parents’ confidence and expertise supports the effort of teachers. Most parents want to do what is best for their children. They want their kids to succeed in school. They want to provide a supportive and enriching environment at home. Many parents, however, are uncertain how to best do this and rely on schools to take the lead in their children’s educational endeavors. When schools reach out to parents as collaborators in educating students, all stakeholders benefit: Parents are empowered to take an active role and are given tools to make time at home, in the car, and anywhere else productive and meaningful. Teachers are supported, with active and committed partners working toward common educational goals, at school and at home.