Beyond the Bake Sale: Week 2 Wrap Up

As I am FINALLY finishing the fourth chapter of Beyond the Bake Sale (give me a break, it was a holiday weekend), I am again realizing that while I truly felt I had the best interest of my students always at the forefront of my mind I was leaving out a critical part of their education. Without making their family an integral part of my daily teaching I am leaving behind some of these students whom I claim to love so dearly.

I want to reflect on the four core beliefs the authors state in Beyond the Bake Sale, and examine them through my own classroom

Core Belief #1: All parents have dreams for their children and want what is best for them.

I know how I feel about my own children, I would do anything for them. I want them to be and do all the things that I never could. I hope that one day they grow up to be The President, or a doctor, or anything they want to be. I can't believe it never occurred to me that my students parents could and do feel the same. I look forward to tapping into those goals and dreams, through a video assignment where the students interview their parents at the beginning of the year.  Students will ask them what their dreams are for their student and what steps need to take place to achieve those dreams.

Core Belief #2: All parents have the capacity to support their students learning. 

So many times I have thought of myself as the expert in educating a child. What I have forgotten is that my students first and most important teachers are their parents. I want to empower those parents to continue to take part in their education. I hope to implement a family night where parents can come enjoy a meal with their students teachers and learn how they can promote what is being taught at school at home. As well as how the school will support them. Through social media I hope to keep parents in the loop about what is happening at school. I want them to have conversation starters that will lead to discussion around the dinner table regarding school, rather than the age old; "What did you do at school today", "Nothing" conversation. I feel one tool that will be easy to implement that we are not currently doing is a parent survey about how they would like to be involved as well as how they wish to be informed. By giving parents options we are letting them know that we value their opinion and want them to be a part of our team. 

Core Belief #3: Parents and school staff should be equal partners. 

This might be the hardest of the three core beliefs for me. While I know that parents are a vital part of their child's education, giving up some of that control is very difficult for me.  Also I have always felt as if I would be bothering parents if I invited them into my classroom, or sought their experiences and input on different topics. This is an area I really have to work on. I want to be partners with my students parents, not only because I believe it will lead to academic gains but also to lead to emotional gains. How much more influence can two caring loving parties have over a student than individuals pulling at opposite ends.

Core Belief #4: The responsibility for building partnerships between school and home rests primarily with school staff, especially school leaders. 

I know as a parent myself I feel intimidated by my son's school I don't want them to think I am a helicopter parent who just wants to control what they do. Rather I want them to understand that I want to be their partner. "Reaching out to parents is easier for educators than "reaching in" to teachers and other staff is for parents" The quote from Beyond the Bake Sale really hit home for me. It is so much easier for teachers and administrators to extend that welcome than it is for parents to assert themselves into the school. The very first goal I am planning on setting for myself is to get out and greet the parents. Welcome them in the morning and at pick up in the afternoon. I also want to start sending out invitations for parents to come in and see what's happening or choose to volunteer in our class.

Beyond the BakeSale: Week 1 Wrap Up

As educators we jump through nearly every hoop to attempt to give our students the best education we can deliver. We use the latest technology, follow the latest research, incorporate the hottest trends, and even spend too much of our own money to ensure our students have what they need to be successful. But what if we have missed one of the cheapest, easiest to find, and most invested opportunities there is to increase student achievement.

FAMILIES

In the book "Beyond the Bake Sale: The Essential Guide to Family/School Partnerships" authors .... lay out a rubric that details the four different types of parent/school partnerships and challenge us to aim for the highest level

After carefully analyzing the rubric (I even printed it out just so I could blow it up on larger paper :) I fell that my school district currently falls in between an Open Door School and a Come if We Call School, leaning more towards Open Door.

In the supporting advocacy category we firmly fall in the Open Door School category. Our principal is available to meet with parents, progress reports go home, and parent teacher conferences are held twice a year. The other bullets that I checked off in the Open Door School were our friendly office staff and the fact that all our teachers will explain test results if asked.

Unfortunately I felt that we still have a few of the Come if We Call school attributes. Our better educated parents are definitely more involved. Schools will call home when there is a problem with a student, and our families typically just visit the school on report card pick up day. Our PTA seems to be a small selective group with little to no input from teachers.

So what can we do... Let's open the gates!

In the next school year I want to push an initiative to get a Family Resource Center in our school.  A place where families feel welcome to get involved in their child's education, get information on relevant topics, and provide learning opportunities. I hope that our families start to feel like they are just along for the ride in their child's educational journey, but they are helping to drive to boat.

I also want to incorporate families in learning activities. I have already planned my opening project for the year where students interview their family about what their goals are for them for the school year. What they hope they will achieve and what they dream they will become. My goal is that this introductory project will be a first in many family activities that connect with what we are learning in the classroom.

By working together we can achieve more!

Beyond the BakeSale: Guide to Family/School Partnership - Week #1

Well to say I'm excited would be an understatement. Even after just reading through the first chapter of Beyond the BakeSale I know this is going to be a revolutionary book for me.

I signed up for "PTcamp after a year of struggling with communication with my own child's school. After feeling left out of some critical information regarding his academic progress I asked myself if I was including my students parents in their education as much as I wanted to be included in his. Was I making their education a true partnership or taking it on as my sole responsibility?

To be honest I always assumed that my students parents didn't want to know or really didn't care. I am ashamed to say the number of times I have thought to myself "Why am I the only person accountable for these students education, their parents need to be involved," but I wasn't going out and making that happen. The authors of Beyond the BakeSale hit me like a ton of bricks "When families are engaged in positive ways, rather than labeled as problems, schools can be transformed from places where only certain students prosper to ones where all children do well" I want everyone of my students to do more than well I want them to EXCEL in whatever they choose! Why haven't I worked harder to reach out to the other people in their lives who want that as well!!! Can't wait to hear more about tools to do that!

Another key point in this introductory chapter that excited me was the concept that by bridging the gap between school and home we can show our students that we are united. I have always known in the back of my mind that if I could get the parents on my side when it comes to understanding my goals and expectations I would have an easier job getting buy in from the kids. I was just always so unsure how to go about it. Another reason why this book is hitting home for me.

Finally as I was reading through these first few pages I was hit with the realization that we as teachers have to be involved with the planning and execution of these parent/teacher events. It can't be something that the administration does just to check off another box (can you say PTL meetings that no teachers attend).

It was difficult for me not to read ahead but I really want to give each and every chapter it's due diligence. I am anxiously awaiting the feedback and thoughts from the others in the virtual book club on this chapter.  Follow us on twitter at #PTcamp

My Summer Reading List

Ok so I am shooting for the stars on this one.. wishful thinking that I can actually sit down to read not only a book but several! But each summer I like to at least set a goal to read some educational books along with one or two fun ones. Here goes...

Educational

1. Drive

2. Creating Innovators

Have you gotten on the Genius Hour bandwagon yet. These first two are books highly recommended by the creator of Genius Hour and I am really excited to read them. I have just read the first couple chapters of Drive and I really think it is going to change the way I look at incentives in my classroom.

3. Beyond the BakeSale: The Essential Guide to Family/School Partnerships

I will be reading this book in conjunction with a virtual summer book chat #PTcamp. Each week I will be blogging about a chapter along with participating in different online tools (Twitter, Voxer, ApprenNet) Lots more to come on this!

Just for Fun

1. Happy Happy Happy

 
Ok ok I know... my secret is out. I am a huge Duck Dynasty fan. I don't watch much TV at all but if I do turn on the TV I love to watch these guys. I love that they put family and faith above all and I could seriously laugh at their antics all day! Plus it is a show that my whole family enjoys and can watch together. My 14 year old son and I are having our own little book club with this one this summer!

2. 21 Days to a More Disciplined Life

Who couldn't use a little more discipline in their life. I am definitely lacking in a few areas so I am going to use this quick read to get myself back on track with a daily quite time and fitness plan.

3. Say Goodbye to Survival Mode

After going back to work last year with two little one's at home I realized that I can easily hit survival mode if I don't stay on top of things.  I am looking forward to reading this to help edge that off once school starts again!

Ok there you have it. I will be sure and blog my thoughts on each of the educational books once I am done and will include my "just for fun" books in a summer wrap up post!

What's on your summer reading list?