PARENT INVOLVEMENT

Tips, Tools and Strategies for Parents and Professionals

Oregon r.i.s.e. Center

WHAT IS THE OREGON R.I.S.E. CENTER

We are a statewide organization that

encourages, educates, and empowers

children and young adults with

disabilities, their parents, family

members, and professionals to

collaboratively achieve unlimited success.

We are a regionalized model with staff

living in the area that they serve.

Current Programs

Partners Program

StatewideConference

s

›Bullying Prevention and Awareness

›Diversity

›OrPTI

›Transition

›IEP Partners

›Transition Partners

›Mediation Partners

›Annual Parent Conference

›Building Futures

›Infant and Early Childhood Conference

Special Education Helpline1-888-891-6784

Monday-Friday, 9am to 3pminfo@oregonrisecenter.org

“Coming together is a beginning, Keeping together is progress, Working together is success.”

Henry Ford

Oregon r.i.s.e Center/Parent Training and Information Program

RESEARCH SHOWS

Parent involvement in children's learning is positively related to achievement.

The more intensively parents are involved in their children's learning, the more beneficial are the achievement effects.

The most effective forms of parent involvement are those which engage parents in working directly with their children on learning activities in the home.

RESEARCH SHOWS

Considerably greater achievement benefits are noted when parent involvement is active--when parents work with their children at home, certainly, but also when they attend and actively support school activities and when they help out in classrooms or on field trips, and so on.

The earlier in a child's education that parent involvement begins, the more powerful the effects will be.

FIVE GUIDING PRINCIPLES FOR INVOLVING PARENTS IN SCHOOLS Offer parents opportunities in the

context of a well-organized and long lasting program

Allow parents to choose from a range of participation options

Engage parents in decision making at all available levels

Intentionally design a parent friendly environment

Communicate regularly and acknowledge parent involvement

OFFER PARENTS OPPORTUNITIES IN THE CONTEXT OF A WELL-ORGANIZED AND LONG LASTING PROGRAM Offer parent participation “inservice” during

the year

Develop parent involvement programs in instruction- at home, school and after school

Develop a parent mentoring program that matches involved and uninvolved parents

Provide professional development opportunities for parents

ALLOW PARENTS TO CHOOSE FROM A RANGE OF PARTICIPATION OPTIONS

Options need to accommodate schedules, preferences and capabilities

Offer short term and longer term projects

Develop projects that can be done at home and brought back to school

Assign “parent involvement” homework assignments (family history, daily schedules)

ENGAGE PARENTS IN DECISION MAKING AT ALL AVAILABLE LEVELS

Invite parents to be part of classroom as well as school or district wide decision making

Allow opportunities for parents to complete surveys or short feedback forms on specific topics

Identify ways that parents can take a lead role is task forces or meetings

Involve families in evaluating the effectiveness of family involvement programs

INTENTIONALLY DESIGN A PARENT FRIENDLY ENVIRONMENT

Recognize the community’s ethnic, linguistic and cultural composition and resources and reflect that in school

Identify a parent center for parents to use while at school

Give parents a badge that identifies them as a “parent partner” at school

Hire and train a family coordinator

COMMUNICATE REGULARLY AND ACKNOWLEDGE PARENT INVOLVEMENT

Keep parents informed of their child’s performance through notes, email, newsletters, etc.

Be available for quick conversations with parents during drop off and pick up time

Recognize parent participation in regular newsletters

Provide social opportunities for teacher and parents

.

FIVE GUIDING PRINCIPLES FOR PARENTS WHO WANT TO BE INVOLVEDShare attributes, strengths and skills that

could support your child’s classroom or school

Communicate with your child’s teacherAsk to participate in school improvement

and decision making opportunitiesSupport classroom curriculum and

activities at homeParticipate in a positive, collaborative

and trusting manner

SHARE ATTRIBUTES, STRENGTHS AND SKILLS THAT COULD SUPPORT YOUR CHILD’S CLASSROOM OR SCHOOL

Organization, planning skills

Clerical, copying

Hobbies, crafts, talents, artistic abilities

Special expertise

COMMUNICATE WITH YOUR CHILD’S TEACHER

Email, phone, written notes Attend Parent-Teacher conferences

Attend school open house or other social events

Before or after school check-ins

ASK TO PARTICIPATE IN SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT AND DECISION MAKING OPPORTUNITIES

Site council

Parent clubs or Parent-Teacher club activities

Staff selection committees

Special project task forces

SUPPORT CLASSROOM CURRICULUM AND ACTIVITIES AT HOME

Make time and space for homework at home

Follow through with assignments at home

Make phone calls to other parents

Prepare art projects or pieces at home for school projects

PARTICIPATE IN A POSITIVE, COLLABORATIVE AND TRUSTING MANNER Follow through on tasks or commitments

Develop relationships with school personnel

Express concerns or needs with a friendly demeanor

Be considerate of time that teachers have for one-on-one conversations

Approach participation as adding to the education of ALL children

ATTRIBUTES OF SUCCESSFUL PARTNERSHIPS

Mutual respect

Trust

Shared problem solving

Common vision and goals

Conflicts, when present, are openly acknowledged and addressed

Focus

THE FUTURE OF PARENT INVOLVEMENT

How will generational changes influence parent’s expectation of participation?

How will participation change as a result of the economic climate for schools?

How can the schools need “to do more with less” and the potential of parent participation create a win-win solution?

How will you use this discussion to increase parent participation at your school or workplace?

CONTACT INFORMATION

Call us at 503-581-8156 or 1-888-505-2673(toll free in the state of Oregon)

Special Ed. Help Line 1-888-891-6784 Fax us at 503-391-0429 Email us at info@oregonrisecenter.org Website- www.oregonrisecenter.org