District Administration - November/December 2011 - (Page 44)

The Ultimate Empowerment Program for Parents as continuing education units for professional development. An expert had trained the teachers in how to conduct home visits, with tips such as not going in with an agenda or lecture, and letting parents ask questions and talk about their children’s interests. Home visits gave them a new understanding of the challenges their students faced, such as not having a lot of adult supervision and support for homework because parents were working. Parent support offered through LSNA also includes Friday professional development days conducted by coordinators at each school. Sessions focus on curriculum and school issues, such as how to teach their children math in a fun way and the role of standardized tests, but they also address such issues as domestic violence and community services available to help. Investment: Investment in the community and education through investment in individual families is the basis of the LSNA’s practical training for parents. The program aims to position parents as leaders, not just followers or participants in the life of their communities. Hong points out that this is something suburban school districts already have, where parents see themselves as advocates, leaders, decision-makers and collaborators in their children’s education. That synergy between families and the school culture already exists in a way it doesn’t in most at-risk communities. Barrera, who is attending night school to earn her elementary teaching credential, says her children gained an appreciation for education by seeing a parent going back to school and doing homework like they do. Parent empowerment has also extended into other areas of the community. Barrera says parents form committees and meet with the city council to solve problems. For example, in an effort to decrease gang violence in 2009, parents convinced the city government to post surveillance cameras in their neighborhood, which has helped decrease gang activity. Parents have also organized to prevent the closing of a neigh44 November/December 2011 Students at the Avondale-Logandale Elementary School play on the newly created soccer field at the school this past fall. Formerly a parking area, the field is open to students—and the entire community when the school is not using it. borhood elementary school, to get traffic lights near a busy school crossing, and to install evening lights on a dark playground. Challenges to New Models Achieving that delicate balance of power between schools and parents can be tricky, says Zrike, who acknowledges that the LSNA program is unique and goes against the grain of traditional school-community relations, which don’t invite deep participa- tion by parents. “It’s the role of the principal to set expectations and boundaries, such as letting parent mentors know the teacher is the person making the decisions in the classroom, and the one in charge when it comes to problems,” he says. Hong says it shouldn’t be too surprising that schools don’t know how to make the change, because teachers and administrators have never been formally trained in parent engagement techniques. Promoting Parent Engagement several experts offer tips for district leaders wanting to institute powerful parent engagement programs. RebuilDiNg RelAtioNships with pAReNts is the ceNtRAl coNceRN, sAys author soo hong, who cautions that achieving understanding between schools and parents “does not happen overnight.” hong, who wrote A Cord of Three Strands about the chicago immigrant parent program, suggests opening up school buildings to parents beyond traditional open house and back-to-school nights to allow them opportunities to help in classrooms. linda serrato, deputy communications director of parent Revolution, says schools also should give parents a second chance if they don’t at first respond to calls for participation. “it’s new to them to have a voice,” she says. providing parent information in different languages, having a place in the school where parents can meet, and having administrators make themselves available for weekly coffee and conversation with parents can also be effective ways to craft a foundation for mutual understanding, says hong. Marilyn price-Mitchell, co-founder and president of the National parentNet Association, says schools can also begin by asking themselves key questions, such as “what could be different at this school if we really had a family-school partnership?” Joanna brown, chicago’s logan square Neighborhood Association lead education organizer, says it’s also crucial for schools to choose strong community partners who can structure, organize, fund and sustain a parent engagement program. “it’s not the schools that primarily drive the program,” she stresses, “but the community organization.” Continued on page 48 District Administration

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of District Administration - November/December 2011

District Administration - November/December 2011
Contents
From the Editor
News Update
Inside the Law
Administrator Profile
District Profile
CIO news
How to Update Your Network on a Budget
The Importance of IT Team Unity
Creating an Anti-Bullying Program With the Resources You Have
The Ultimate Empowerment Program for Parents
Taking the Helm in Cheating Scandals
Readers’ Choice: Top 100 Products
New Directions
Professional Opinion
Problem/Solution
Going Mobile

District Administration - November/December 2011

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