1. Involving Parents in Service Learning Louise Chapman District Learn and Serve VCS ESLLP

2. You are never too young or too old to provide service to your community!

3. Developing a Strategy for Parent Involvement 1. Make sure parents are aware of the opportunities and benefits of service learning. 2. Give parents a variety of ways they can be active in support of service learning. 3. Invite parents to give feedback and direction to the service.

4. Parent Support for Service Learning at School Encourage parents to become partners with the school. Encourage parents to become partners with the school. Give parents information about the tenets of service learning. Give parents information about the tenets of service learning. Define clear roles for parents. Define clear roles for parents. Give parents ways to share their expertise and a hand to develop skills they might require. Give parents ways to share their expertise and a hand to develop skills they might require.

5. Family Participation in Community Service Families fall into one of these categories: 1. Actively engage in service with family- Identify these parents to become leaders at your school. 2. Occasionally participate in service projects- Encourage the occasionally active parents to get the inactive ones started. 3. Rarely participate in service projects- Getting these individuals involved can help build a sense of community using the school as the hub.

6. Working together creates a true sense of community!

7. Keeping Parents Informed Parents need to know what service learning is: It is a teaching method that connects what students learn with service that benefits the community. It is a teaching method that connects what students learn with service that benefits the community. It helps children to understand their world and see how one person can make a difference. It helps children to understand their world and see how one person can make a difference. It enables children to use and acquire skills while connecting them with the community they live in. It enables children to use and acquire skills while connecting them with the community they live in.

8. Service Learning Includes: Preparation Preparation Action Action Reflection Reflection Demonstration Demonstration Recognition/Celebration Recognition/Celebration Student Empowerment Student Empowerment

9. Students and parents can be empowered while sharing their talents.

10. The Value of Service Learning for Students Service Learning: Increases motivation Increases motivation Improves retention Improves retention Helps students connect to the “real world” Helps students connect to the “real world” Develops teamwork Develops teamwork Teaches reflection Teaches reflection Promotes a lifelong commitment to public service and learning Promotes a lifelong commitment to public service and learning

11. Ways to Educate Parents School Governance School Governance Back-to-School Night Back-to-School Night Newsletters Newsletters Displays Displays A Service-Learning Event A Service-Learning Event Participation-(Design ways for parents to Participation-(Design ways for parents to experience this first hand.) experience this first hand.) Family Service- highlight at every chance Family Service- highlight at every chance

12. Involvement with School Service Learning The best way to learn about Service Learning for parents is for them to be personally involved in it. Every parent, just like every student, has something special to offer and share.

14. A Role for Every Parent There are a million different ways parents can assist teachers with service learning. Find out what parents have to offer for skills. Find out what parents have to offer for skills. Find out things like hobbies. Find out things like hobbies. Find out ways that parents already help in the community and build on these. Find out ways that parents already help in the community and build on these.

16. How can Parents Help? Become parent liaisons. Help a team of parents who coordinate teacher requests. Become parent liaisons. Help a team of parents who coordinate teacher requests. Organize a phone tree. Organize a phone tree. Brainstorm with teachers. Brainstorm with teachers. Group work with students. Group work with students. Contact community organizations. Contact community organizations. Chaperone. Chaperone. Collect supplies. Collect supplies. Prepare supplies. (Pre-make materials) Prepare supplies. (Pre-make materials) Document activities. Document activities.

17. More ways Parent can help! Assist in the classroom. Assist in the classroom. Assist in service. Assist in service. Attend student exhibitions. Attend student exhibitions. Help with writing grants. Help with writing grants. Attend conferences as school representatives. Attend conferences as school representatives. Coordinate family service opportunities. Coordinate family service opportunities. Network with other schools. Network with other schools.

18. Families Serving Together Children learn best by models. Children learn best by models. Be sure to realize the difference between school-based service learning and family service. Do not expect that the parent will take the role of a teacher. Be sure to realize the difference between school-based service learning and family service. Do not expect that the parent will take the role of a teacher. Encourage parents to discuss special community needs and concerns with their children. This will encourage student participation in all service areas. Encourage parents to discuss special community needs and concerns with their children. This will encourage student participation in all service areas.

19. Remember Everyone can give back in some way to the community. Everyone can give back in some way to the community. Service learning does not require money, degrees, or a large amount of time. Service learning does not require money, degrees, or a large amount of time. Students gain self-esteem when engaged in valued tasks. Students gain self-esteem when engaged in valued tasks. Parents gain a sense of pride when engaged in truly important and valued service. Parents gain a sense of pride when engaged in truly important and valued service.

20. Establishing Resources for Families Convene a parent information meeting regarding service learning and family service; have materials to hand out about ideas and information. Convene a parent information meeting regarding service learning and family service; have materials to hand out about ideas and information. Encourage family-to-family communication of successful activities. You might have a display or a designated bulletin board at the school. Encourage family-to-family communication of successful activities. You might have a display or a designated bulletin board at the school. Contact local volunteer centers and other organizations for opportunities and needs. Contact local volunteer centers and other organizations for opportunities and needs.

21. More Resources Use e-mail to post family volunteer activities. Use e-mail to post family volunteer activities. Suggest and support families from the school. Create a Parent Service Club that gets together monthly to join in a service. Suggest and support families from the school. Create a Parent Service Club that gets together monthly to join in a service. Create opportunities for families to help at school with twice-a-year clean-up and beautification projects. Join the district or other schools in their service learning efforts. Create opportunities for families to help at school with twice-a-year clean-up and beautification projects. Join the district or other schools in their service learning efforts.

22. References Parent Involvement In Service Learning Parent Involvement In Service Learning by Cathryn Berger Kaye Available from the Learn and Serve America Program, Department of Service-Learning http:/www.nationalservice.org by Cathryn Berger Kaye Available from the Learn and Serve America Program, Department of Service-Learning http:/www.nationalservice.org

23. For more information: Louise Chapman lchapman@volusia.k12.fl.us lchapman@volusia.k12.fl.us Florida Learn and Serve http://www.fsu.edu/~flserve/