Introduction to Parental/Family/Community Involvement

1. Introduction to Parental/Family/Community Involvement Concepts, Meaning, Theories, and Models It Takes An Entire Village To Raise A Child

2. Learning OutcomesConcepts/Meaning/Models of Parental/Family/Community Involvement • Students are able to: • Explain the meaning of parental/family/community involvement/collaboration/partnership beyond public relations • Explore ways to expand the overlapping spheres of influence • Synthesize different models of involvement

3. Defining Parent/Family Involvement • Terms used: Partnership; parent participation; parent power; School, family and community partnership • Parent involvement includes any activities that are provided and encouraged by the school and that empower parents in working on behalf of their children’s learning and development (Moles, 1992) • School, family and community partnerships mean how children learn and develop in these three mail contexts: school, family, and community (Epstein, 1996)

4. School-family-community partnerships • The role of parents in education of their children cannot be underestimated. By becoming involved in their local school community, parents can provide the essential leadership which will lead to improvements in educational opportunities for their children • How do you define parent/family involvement? • In partnerships, educators, families, and communities members work together to share information, guide students, solve problems, and celebrate success (Epstein, 2001) • It takes an entire village to raise a child: African Proverb

5. Overlapping Spheres of Influence(Epstein, 1995) • Overlapping spheres of school, family, and community directly affect student learning and development. • Family-like schools and School-like families • Family-like schools have an accepting, caring atmosphere, and welcome families. • School-like families emphasize the importance of school, homework and learning activities

6. Parental Involvement Principles (Epstein, 2005) • Multilevel leadership Professional development that helps both educators and the parents know and support practices and goals of educator-parent partnership • Parent involvement as an important component As an essential component of school improvement, linked to the curriculum, instruction, assessments, and other aspects of school management • Shared responsibility by both families and educators for children’s education Epstein’s six types of involvement • All families must be included Needs increased research and programs to engage all parents

7. Benefits of Parent/Family Involvement(Henderson & Berla) • The most accurate predictor of students’ achievement in school is not income/social status but the extent to which students’ family is able to: • Create a home environment that encourage learning • Express high (realistic) expectations for their children’s achievement and future careers • Become involved in their children’s education at school and in the community

8. Old Paradigm to New ParadigmFrom Public Relations To Partnership • Old Paradigm: • Teachers: We are the professionals and we know best. Let us do our job. You do your job and we will do ours. • The concept of public relations: Parents advising kids to work hard and listen to their teachers Parents will participate and help out when needed • New Paradigm: To do our job as professionals, we need your active support and involvement. We sink or swim together

9. Parenting and Parent Education • Old Paradigm Parenting is parents’ job • New Paradigm Parenting is parents’ job, and parents often need the school support to do the job • School Family Communication • Older Paradigm:   Occasional communication.                               Limited variety of methods.                               One-way communication: school to home.                               Culturally and linguistically homogeneous. • Newer Paradigm:   Frequent communication.                                Wider variety of methods.                                Two-way communication.                                Culturally and linguistically sensitive.

10. Parent involvement in schools • Old paradigm Parents attend functions and events • Parents volunteer • New paradigm Same, plus structured learning events for families

11. Parent involvement in homework • Old paradigm Parent monitors, if able, helps • New Paradigm Same, plus parent participates

12. The concept of partnership: The goal is to create active working relationships in which schools, families and communities see one another as natural allies They initiate strategies for collaboration In order to have a partnership or collaborative relationship, families and professionals must value the contribution that each of them brings to the table. Families must be seen as bringing intimate knowledge and understanding of their child and their family, their strengths, and needs.

13. Summary of Research Findings • This paper reviews the research evidence relevant to understanding the relationship between parental involvement and children’s performance in school. Indicators of parental involvement with school (e.g., attendance at school events, parent/teacher conferences, PTO) have mixed associations with children’s school performance. In contrast, measures of parental involvement at home (e.g., talking to children about school-related matters, high educational expectations, warm and consistent discipline) show consistent associations with children’s school success. But even this evidence – based on correlations – may not represent causal relationships, and so some critics maintain that what parents do has little effect on children’s school performance. School Reform Proposals: The Research Evidence by Douglas B. Downey,The Ohio State University

14. This comprehensive handbook provides school superintendents and principals with indispensable information on community relations, parent involvement and community collaboration. With School, Family and Community, you will discover: • Programs used by other schools and school districts to successfully confront the challenges facing them. • Collaborations that help sustain programs that individual schools or districts couldn't support on their own. • Techniques that encourage support from parents and the community. • Sample forms and worksheets are included.

15. Facts and Myths on Family Involvement • The parents who attend parent conferences are not necessarily the ones we need to see • These parents don’t really care about their children • Certain ethnic group don’t value education • Parents of children in secondary schools aren’t get involved in the educational processes • So what should do about all these facts and myths?

16. Obstacles To Parent/Family Involvement • Parents working long hours • Both parents working • Single parents • Transportation • Child-care issues • Cultural and language barriers • Parents find schools intimidating • Parents just too stressed (no energy to care) • …

17. The Importance of Family/community Involvement in Children’s Education • Important issues in education: • Curriculum, testing, accountability, standards …… vs. lip service to parent involvement • So much progress has been made in other areas of school reform, why not in parent and family involvement? • Teachers tell us that they need help reaching out to the children and parents from very different cultures than their own • Administrators need to provide mentoring and professional development programs that enable teachers to connect more effectively with students and parents of different and often distant cultures.

18. School-community collaboration • According to James Coleman (sociologist), there are three forms of capitals: Human Financial Social • Obstacle facing schools and communities is the erosion of trust between people that has resulted from years of adversarial relationships between schools, social services agencies, and families (Gary Wehlage) • Social capital is not possessed in the way that knowledge or money is possessed • Social capital adheres in the set of relationships among people and those relationships are productive to the extent that they are based on a common set of expectations, a set of common values, and a sense of trust among people. • Implications for us?

19. United StatesNational Educational goals • The 8th goal states that ‘every school will provide partnerships that will increase parental involvement and participation in promoting social, emotional, and economic growth of children • No Child Left Behind Act (2001) School districts are required to have written parent involvement policies and plans including plan that implements effective parent involvement activities whereby families, educators and communities come together to improve teaching and learning (Sheldon, 2005, U.S. Department of Education, 2004)

20. Five Systems Aspirations of theMalaysian Education System • Access • Quality • Equity • Unity • Efficiency

21. 11 Shifts of Malaysian Education Blueprint(2013 – 2025) • Provide equal access to quality education of international standard • Ensure every child is proficient in Bahasa Malaysia and English Language • Develop values-driven malaysians • Transform teaching into the profession of choice • Ensure high performing school leaders in every school

22. Empower JPNs. PPDs, and schools to customise solutions based on needs • Leverage ICT to scale up quality learning across Malaysia • Transform ministry delivery capabilities and capacity • Partner with parents, community, and private sector at scale • Maximise student outcomes for every ringgit • Increase transparency for direct public accountability

23. Teori Hubungan Sekolah dan Keluarga • Separate influence • Sequenced-responsibilities • Overlapping influence

24. Hoover-Demsey & Sandler Model • What can you learn from this model? • In your opinion, which is the most important factor influencing parents’ choice on their involvement in their child’s education? • Can you think of other factor/s that will act as mediating variable/s for parent involvement in schools?

25. Hoover-Demsey & Sandler Model • Parents’ choice of involvement forms influenced by: Parents’ skills and knowledge Demand on time and energy (family and employment) Invitations and demands for involvement from child/school/teacher ⇓

26. How parent involvement influences child outcome Modelling Reinforcing Instructions ⇓

27. Mediating variables Developmentally appropriate strategies by parents Fit between parents’ involvement actions and school expectations ⇓

28. Student outcomes Skills and knowledge Efficacy of doing well in school

29. Swap, Susan McAllister • The protective model Parents delegate to the school the responsibility for education their children, parents hold staff accountable for the results, and educators accept this responsibility The goal is to reduce the possible conflict that can result between schools and families

30. The school-to-home transmission model School and home share common expectations and values The school should identify the values and practices that contribute to success, and parents should provide these conditions at home

31. The curriculum enrichment model Parents and educators work together to enrich the curriculum and to take advantage of parents’ expertise Parents are encouraged to take a child to an aquarium or museum if related topics are covered in the curriculum

32. The partnership model Parents and educators work together to accomplish the common mission of helping all children in the school to achieve success. It requires collaboration among parents, community members and educators. It emphasizes two-way communication, parents’ strength and joint problem-solving

33. Protective and school-to-home models are common practice and curriculum enrichment and partnership models are coming into wider use (Henderson and Berla, 1995)

34. Epstein’s model • Type 1: Parenting Help all families establish home environments to support children as students Parents as providers of the child’s basic needs Parents should form the foundation for their children’s education Parents provide and maintain positive home environment that is conducive to learning and the development of physical, intellectual, social and emotional skills and values It consists of a combination of information for parents and from parents about their children and families (Epstein, 2000)

35. Type 2: Communicating Design effective forms of school-to-home communications about school programs and children’s progress Children often play an important role in the success of this as couriers in taking messages from school to home and bringing them back to school from home. Besides conventional practices, schools can use email, voice mail and school’s website to relate messages to parents

36. Type 3: Volunteering Recruit and organize parents’ help and support Parents as volunteers at the school It ranges from low to high levels of participation 70% parents never help teachers in the classroom, and only 4% of the parents (2 or 3 parents per classroom) were highly active at school (Epstein, 2001)

37. Type 4: Learning at home Provide information and ideas to families about how to help students at home with homework and other curriculum-related activities, decisions and planning • Type 5: Decision making/Advocacy Include parents in school decisions, developing parent leaders and representatives Parents involved in school governance Teachers and administrators will need to provide the necessary background information and training for parents to effectively carry out their responsibilities and make sound decisions

38. Type 6: Collaborating with community Identify and integrate resources and services from the community to strengthen school programs, family practices, and student learning and development Parents working in collaboration with the entire community

39. Learning at home • Students show impressive results when: Parents read to them Support them in completing homework Engage them in turning everydayexperiences into learning experience Tutor them

40. New understanding of parent involvement • There are different forms and levels of involvement • It is a collaborative effort involving families, schools, community and religious groups and employers • Parent involvement means family involvement: involvement of every adult in the family • Begin with the assumption that majority of parents care about their children and want to be involved • Avoid using jargon in communication • Hard-to-reach parents need special initiatives

41. Obstacles to Family Involvement • not enough time (especially during the day) • feel they have nothing to contribute • don’t understand the planning process or the service system • don’t know how to become involved in a meaningful way • lack of child care • feel intimidated

42. not available during the time school functions are scheduled • language and cultural differences • lack of transportation • don’t feel welcome at the school (National PTA, 1992, survey to 27,000 local and unit presidents and 3,000 council leaders asking them what barriers they faced when they tried to get parents involved.)

43. Prinsip untuk pakatan/kolaborasi(Principles for Collaboration) • Program bersifat komprehensif (Programs should be comprehensive) • Peka kepada keperluan ibu bapa/keluarga (Sensitive to family needs) • Inisiatif perlu datang dari pihak sekolah (Initiatives come from schools) • Pakatan perlu jujur tanpa agenda tersembunyi (Partnership should be sincere without any hidden agenda) • Latihan kepada para pendidik (Training given to educators) • Batasan penglibatan perlu dinyatakan dengan jelas (Limitations to involvement should be made known to those who are involved)

44. Kolaborasi perlu bersifat interagensi (Promote inter-agency collaboration) • Strategi yang diamalkan perlu mengambil kira perubahan demografik (Consider demographic changes in planning strategies) • Komunikasi perlu pelbagai (Have varried communication patterns) • Amalkan pengupayaan (Promote empowerment)

45. Tips for partnership • Relationships are key to successful partnerships • Successful partnership are built on trust and mutual respect • Programs must be strengths-based • Family involvement is a process • Comprehensive approaches must be most effective • Multiple-year strategies • Continue through high school • Cultural competency and sensitivity to differing perspectives is essential

46. Foundations for Meaningful Parent/Family Involvement • Positive school climate Principals should be leaders in creating an environment in which teachers and staff demonstrate to parents a sense of full /sincere partnership Attitudes encouraged: friendliness, approachability, openness, empathy, compassion, patience, and respect for others • Regular communication Schools need to use a range of communication techniques that enable schools and families to share information

47. Diversity Families differ in their structures, economic status, racial and ethnic backgrounds, and education backgrounds • Training for educators and parents Administrators need to provide emotional and social support, seek and secure funds to adequate training for teachers, staff and parents • Provide comprehensive parent/family involvement programs Acknowledge parents’ needs and interests and allow parents to build their strengths and resources

48. Conclusions from Henderson and Berla • Efforts to improve children outcomes are much more effective if the efforts encompass the students’ families • Children of parents who are involved both at home and at school stay in school longer • Children learn best when their parents play four key roles: Teachers Supporters Advocates Decision making

49. When parents are involved in schools, their children go to better schools • A comprehensive, well-planned family-school partnership fosters high student achievement