Try This
Education experts concluded decades ago that parental involvement is one of the major factors in a student’s success or failure. It can be difficult, at best, for even the best teachers to encourage parental involvement within their classroom. If you’ve been struggling for ways to get your students’ families involved, try one or more of these five ideas:
1.DVDs
If you have any hope of getting parents involved in your classroom, you’ve got to keep them informed. One of the easiest ways to do this is by distributing a DVD to every student on the first day of class to take home for their parents. You can have DVDs duplicated for very little cost, and the returns you receive on your investment will benefit both you and your students. Include copies of your class calendar, useful websites and activities that parents can do with their children at home that correspond with class lessons.
2.Website
A class website or blog is a great way to keep busy parents in the loop. You can’t always count on your students to give their families the information that they need. A website is simple to set up and, with your principal’s permission, can be filled with a myriad of information. Just like with DVDs, you can post a copy of your class calendar, include photos of field trips and post sign-up forms for parents who want to get directly involved in the classroom.
3.Family Nights
Family nights can be a great way for parents to get to know each other. If run correctly, these fun nights can also be a way to encourage involvement in the classroom. Family nights are especially useful in multi-cultural classrooms. Hosting these nights will allow your students and their families to learn about ethnicities, beliefs and cultures that are different than their own. Set up various stations throughout the room including an information station, a refreshment station and a picture-taking station. You can use the photos that you take to create a family wall in your classroom that the students can add to and enjoy all year long.
4.Binders
Teachers have found that the use of binders can garner familial involvement in their classrooms. These binders can be sent home and brought back to school each day. Many teachers use these binders to write notes to parents, keeping them updated on their child’s progress. You can send homework home; include permission slips or even newsletters in these handy folders.
5.Options
If you want to get parents involved in your classroom, you’ve got to offer options. Rather than asking parents to volunteer for a specific field trip, for instance, ask for volunteers for any field trip. Rather than asking parents to come in and read a story to the class on Friday mornings, ask when parents are available to come in and read. Parents are busy; the more options that you can offer, the more likely you are to get them involved in your classroom.
Successful students all have one thing in common: Their parents are involved in their education. If you want to get parents involved in your classroom, you’ve got to get creative. By establishing open lines of communication and offering options, you’ll be surprised at just how involved parents can be.
Ken Osteen blogs for tech sites. If you use DVDs for your job, you may be interested in using a DVD duplication company.
