Harvard Family Research Project
U.S. Department of Education
Goal-Building Ideas for Educators
- Commit to having teachers contact every parent at the beginning of the school year by phone, email or home visit.
- Create communication tools for parents and teacher: examples, a communication notebook, planner or email, or use a parent portal in the student information system.
- Have teachers include communication regular reading, math, or other content area tools and skills for parents to implement at home.
- Have parents and community members be participants in providing learning in the classroom.
- Always notify details to parents on upcoming tests and special projects.
- Create opportunities for feedback from parents on the needs, concerns and specific suggestions to enhance learning for their students.
- Be creative in providing learning experiences including project based learning, online learning, community collaborative learning.
- Ensure post-secondary planning and current status is discussed at parent teacher conferences each time.
- Look for expertise from your parents to add to your curriculum.
- Consider non-traditional ways to draw parents in to schools – varied conference times, student/parent math and reading nights, academic program nights, etc.
- Have staff review and discuss the Washoe County Family Engagement Rubric.
- Have staff review the “Ready, Willing, Able” publication along with its recommendations to begin planning strategies.