Family-School Collaboration: Building Positive Parent-Teacher

Relationships at the Schoolwide Level

Kansas Association of School Psychologists

October 29, 2009Kathleen Minke, Ph.D., NCSP

University of DelawareMinke, 2009

Minke, 2009

Objectives

Review strategies for teaching systems concepts and encouraging a positive approach to families.

Review communication strategies that teachers can use to support development of good working relationships with families.

Review schoolwide strategies that make a school more “family friendly.”

Family-School Conferences

Family participation in planning, implementing, and evaluating School-wide program

Information sharing to and from families

Problem solving meetings

Com

mun

icat

ion

Skills

PCP

Wraparound

FBA/BSP System

s ThinkingFamily Collaboration at all LevelsFamily Collaboration at all Levels

Involvement vs. CollaborationUnidirectionalUnidirectional TransactionalTransactional

Educators:Educators:

– design family-school design family-school activities, activities, without parent without parent consultation,consultation, to help the to help the school achieve its goals. school achieve its goals.

– summonsummon parents to parents to school to hear information, school to hear information, not to contribute not to contribute information.information.

Educators:Educators:

– work together with families work together with families to develop plans that to develop plans that advance the shared goal of advance the shared goal of school success. school success.

– acknowledge and consider acknowledge and consider the beliefs, and preferences the beliefs, and preferences of children and their of children and their families.families.

“We want you to....”

“How can we....”

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Involvement vs. Collaboration

Expert-DrivenExpert-Driven Multiple ExpertiseMultiple Expertise

Educators:Educators:

–are experts about the child are experts about the child and the child’s problems; and the child’s problems; parents are learners. parents are learners.

– tell parentstell parents how to assist how to assist the school in fixing the child the school in fixing the child and/or how they should and/or how they should assist with homework.assist with homework.

Educators:Educators:

–presume that each person, presume that each person, including the child, has including the child, has important information to important information to share.share.

–accept that each individual accept that each individual may have different, and may have different, and equally valid, perceptions of equally valid, perceptions of the same situation.the same situation.

“I will tell you how...”

“Help me understand

..”Minke, 2009

Involvement vs. Collaboration

UniversalUniversal IndividualizedIndividualized

EducatorsEducators::– recommendrecommend to families to families how to improve family how to improve family participation in school; participation in school; these apply to all families.these apply to all families.

Educators:Educators:

– know that each family, know that each family, teacher, classroom, and child teacher, classroom, and child is different. They respect is different. They respect these differences when these differences when planning interventions.planning interventions.

– assume that families who do assume that families who do not participate care about not participate care about their children’s education and their children’s education and have good reasons for their have good reasons for their behavior.behavior. “One

size fits all.”

“Each child, family, teacher,

classroom is unique.”

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Main message…

Without first learning FROM families about their strengths, resources, beliefs, and needed supports,

no programs FOR families will be successful.

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Overview of Skills/StrategiesThe CORE Model of Collaboration

CConnectedonnected

OOptimisticptimistic

RRespectedespected

EEmpoweredmpowered

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Overview of Skills/StrategiesThe CORE Model of Collaboration

THINKING DIFFERENTLYEcosystemic approachCORE beliefs

TALKING DIFFERENTLY7 Communication Strategies

BEHAVING DIFFERENTLYProactive outreach strategiesConferences and Problem-solving Meetings

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Thinking Differently

Systems Theory/PrinciplesSystems Theory/Principles

WholenessEach member affects, and is affected by, every other member

When a member is added, subtracted or changes behavior in some way, the entire system must reorganize to accommodate the change.

System as a whole is greater than the sum of its parts

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Thinking Differently Systems Theory/PrinciplesSystems Theory/Principles

Patterns of Interaction Behavior occurs in circular patterns with each person contributing

Circularity = Repetitive cycles in which the same outcomes occur repeatedly a to b to c to a

Punctuation = View of reality reflected by arbitrary starting point

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Teacher criticizes child

Child complains about teacher to

parent

Parent criticizes teacher

Child misbehaves in

class

Behavior Problem from a Systemic ViewA to B to C to D to A

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Behavioral Patterns of Interaction

Significance:

Intervention possible at any point in the circle

“how” not “why”

No Blame!!!

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CORE Model: Talking Differently

7 Communication Strategies

Attend to non-verbal communication

Listen to understand: reflecting and summarizing

Model the collaborative role: avoid labeling, jargon and advice giving!

Search for strengths

Reframing

Delivering/Receiving negative information

Blocking blame

Skill#2 Listen to understand: reflect/clarify/empathize

An empathic response:Helps the other feel heard and

understoodUsually involves both content

and affectNEVER involves judgmentDoes not introduce the

speaker’s point of view

Build Empathic ResponsesMain content (what the person said or

implied): ____________________

Affect/Feelings (stated or implied):_____________________

Combine content and affect into brief response (paraphrase):______________________

Add “checkout” (Is that right?), if needed (invite the other to keep talking)

Empathy PracticeMom (speaking quickly and in great

distress): My son is driving me crazy. At ten years old you

would think he could be responsible for himself at least a little bit! He can’t accomplish a single thing unless I’m standing right there, nagging him all the way through.

Homework is a nightmare! I feel like I’m the one with homework and we struggle for at least two hours before it is done. This can’t go on. He’s not learning and I’m out of patience!

How can I help him?”

Minke, 2009

CORE Model: Talking Differently

7 Communication Strategies

Attend to non-verbal communication

Listen to understand: reflecting and summarizing

Model the collaborative role: avoid labeling, jargon and advice giving!

Search for strengths

Reframing

Delivering/Receiving negative information

Blocking blame

Minke, 2009

CORE MODEL:CORE MODEL:Behaving DifferentlyBehaving Differently

Proactive Outreach Proactive Outreach StrategiesStrategies

Conferences and Conferences and Problem-solving MeetingsProblem-solving Meetings

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Proactive Strategies for Proactive Strategies for Reaching Out to FamiliesReaching Out to Familiesoverviewoverview

The School-wide teamThe School-wide team

The physical plantThe physical plant

Written communicationsWritten communications (policies and personal)(policies and personal)

Activities at schoolActivities at school

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Proactive Strategies:Proactive Strategies:Getting information FROM Getting information FROM familiesfamilies

Family members as participants on Family members as participants on the school-wide team?the school-wide team?

School climate data from families?School climate data from families?

Input from families in planning, Input from families in planning, implementing, and evaluating the implementing, and evaluating the school-wide discipline plan?school-wide discipline plan?

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Proactive Strategies:Proactive Strategies:The Physical PlantThe Physical Plant

How welcoming to families does the How welcoming to families does the school appear? school appear?

Are visitors a priority?Are visitors a priority?

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Proactive Strategies:Proactive Strategies:Written CommunicationsWritten Communications

Forms and policiesForms and policies

Personal communicationsPersonal communications

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Written Communications:Written Communications:Forms and PoliciesForms and Policies

What reading level is required to interpret What reading level is required to interpret the documents?the documents?Is there jargon that can be removed or Is there jargon that can be removed or better explained?better explained?How do we ensure that families with limited How do we ensure that families with limited written English literacy have access to this written English literacy have access to this information?information?To what extent do documents encourage:To what extent do documents encourage:

Parental choices and optionsParental choices and optionsTwo way communicationTwo way communication

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Written Communications:Written Communications:PersonalPersonal

““Good news” notes are usually Good news” notes are usually welcome and helpful.welcome and helpful.Avoid using notes home or emails Avoid using notes home or emails to communicate about problems.to communicate about problems.Communicate about concerns Communicate about concerns early and directly.early and directly.Concentrate on your main goals.Concentrate on your main goals.Consult with others when needed.Consult with others when needed.

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Proactive Strategies:Proactive Strategies:Activities at SchoolActivities at School

Examine Current Activities for Examine Current Activities for Opportunities for Relationship-Opportunities for Relationship-buildingbuilding

Needs Assessment/EvaluationNeeds Assessment/Evaluation

Build in OptionsBuild in Options

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Behaving Differently:Behaving Differently:Routing Conferences and Routing Conferences and Problem-Solving MeetingsProblem-Solving Meetings

Two types of conferences are Two types of conferences are discusseddiscussed

RoutineRoutine

Problem-solvingProblem-solving

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Conferences and MeetingsConferences and Meetings5 ways family-school 5 ways family-school conferences are differentconferences are different

All parties prepare in advanceAll parties prepare in advance

Students are Students are activeactive participants participants

Educator concentrates on receiving Educator concentrates on receiving rather than giving information.rather than giving information.

Educator acknowledges, expands and Educator acknowledges, expands and underscores the strengths of the family.underscores the strengths of the family.

The conference is a “conversation.” At The conference is a “conversation.” At no time is the educator the “presenter.”no time is the educator the “presenter.”

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Conferences and MeetingsConferences and Meetings

Outcome goalsOutcome goals

A plan is developed collaboratively A plan is developed collaboratively for supporting the student’s continued for supporting the student’s continued success, including plans to remediate success, including plans to remediate identified difficultiesidentified difficulties

All participants leave feeling hopeful All participants leave feeling hopeful about their participation and future about their participation and future successsuccess

Students leave feeling greater Students leave feeling greater ownership of their own learningownership of their own learning

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Conferences and MeetingsConferences and Meetings

Process goalsProcess goals

Each participant has ample time Each participant has ample time to share thoughts in the to share thoughts in the conferenceconference

Shared expectations for the child Shared expectations for the child are developed by the groupare developed by the group

Each participant is both a Each participant is both a teacher and a learnerteacher and a learner

Family-School Conferences Outcomes

Participating parents and teachers agreed that the conferences were beneficial and they wanted to continue using the FSC style.

Children were active participants.

Parents and teachers valued watching each other interact with the child

Family-School Conferences Outcomes

FSCs took roughly the same amount of time but participants felt more information exchange occurred.

Teachers felt they needed lots of practice and feedback to do the process well.

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Evaluation DataEvaluation DataDoes participation in Does participation in collaboration training have a collaboration training have a positive effect on teacher:positive effect on teacher:

Beliefs about parent Beliefs about parent involvementinvolvement

Practices Practices (e.g., number and type of (e.g., number and type of contact with families)contact with families)

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Required ReflectionRequired Reflection

Think about the operation of your school-Think about the operation of your school-wide team. Describe:wide team. Describe:

the ways in which your practices have changed as the ways in which your practices have changed as a result of what you learned in the family-school a result of what you learned in the family-school collaboration workshop (if any);collaboration workshop (if any);

your plans for further development of family-school your plans for further development of family-school collaboration in your practice (if any); collaboration in your practice (if any);

barriers that must be overcome in order for change barriers that must be overcome in order for change to occur to occur

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Reflections DataReflections Data

Most frequent positive comments Most frequent positive comments concerned communication strategiesconcerned communication strategies

Increased positive contactsIncreased positive contacts

More attention to wording of notes homeMore attention to wording of notes home

Increased effort to translate documents and Increased effort to translate documents and positive notespositive notes

Greater attention to seeking information Greater attention to seeking information and limiting advice givingand limiting advice giving

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Reflections DataReflections Data

Meeting changes were discussed Meeting changes were discussed frequentlyfrequently

Avoiding jargonAvoiding jargon

Avoiding adviceAvoiding advice

Listening more carefullyListening more carefully

Including positive informationIncluding positive information

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Reflections DataReflections Data

Innovative strategiesInnovative strategiesWelcome back activity for “frequent flyers” Welcome back activity for “frequent flyers” and their familiesand their families

Using email to elicit parent ideas on the Using email to elicit parent ideas on the School-wide programSchool-wide program

Creating a spreadsheet to monitor positive Creating a spreadsheet to monitor positive contactscontacts

Using the district’s world languages Using the district’s world languages teachers to help with parent contactsteachers to help with parent contacts

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Reflections DataReflections Data

Barriers to changeBarriers to changeTime (teachers and parents)Time (teachers and parents)

LanguageLanguage

Lack of support from administrationLack of support from administration

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Contact InformationContact Information

Kathleen Minke: Kathleen Minke: minke@udel.edu

Website: Website: www.Delawarepbs.org