1. Connecting the Dots: Supporting Families in Their Children’s Learning at Home Presented by Pamdora Williams LaSPDG Staff www.laspdg.org @laspdg

2. Have knowledge of how to “scale up” family programs to include a link to student learning have knowledge of promising practices that link family engagement to student learning

3. Roll Call If you have not already done so, please use your chat pod and type your district/LEA that you are representing If multiple people are in the room with you viewing this webinar, please type their names as well

4. Considerations This webinar is being recorded and will be available for viewing at www.laspdg.org underwww.laspdg.org Family Engagement Webinars 2014-2015 If you need to ask a question, please use the Chat Pod on your screen (NOTE: everyone can see your question) You can download all of today’s materials in the FILES 2 Pod on your screen at any time during the presentation – Click on the selected file – Choose “SAVE TO MY COMPUTER” – Select the destination where you would like to save the file

5. Indicates files that can be saved to your computer from the FILES POD while watching the webinar Indicates a webinar can be watched related to the content discussed Indicates a website link that will be useful related to the content discussed

6. People First Language Kathie Snow. (n.d.) A few words about People First Language. Disability is Natural. Retrieved August 1, 2012 from http://www.disabilityisnatural.com/images/PDF/pfl-sh09.pdf “People First Language puts the person before the disability and describes what a person has, not who a person is.”

7. POLL: What’s your role in the district? Family Facilitator/Liaison Teacher/Support Staff School Leadership Staff District Staff State-Level Staff Other

8. High Impact Family Engagement Activities that: build relationships are personalized are linked to student learning & outcomes Best Practice: Provide families a “menu of pathways” to engagement throughout the school year!

9. What is Family Engagement that is “Linked to Learning”? Initiatives and activities with families that: – are learning centric – engage them to support the learning process when their child is not at school At home During after-school activities – prepares them for working with schools to support learning and growth Harvard Family Research Project. “Why and how do you link family engagement practices to learning?” http://www.hfrp.org/family- involvement/fine-family-involvement-network-of-educators/member-insights/why-and-how-do-you-link-family-engagement-practices-to- learning Retrieved on February 20, 2015http://www.hfrp.org/family- involvement/fine-family-involvement-network-of-educators/member-insights/why-and-how-do-you-link-family-engagement-practices-to- learning

10. National PTA: Report The Positive Relationship Between Family Involvement and Student Success. http://www.pta.org/programs/content.cfm?ItemNumber=1459 Retrieved on February 20, 2015 http://www.pta.org/programs/content.cfm?ItemNumber=1459 Why is it important to link family engagement to learning?

11. Poll Which statement correctly identifies the needs of families when linking family engagement activities to student learning?  Families need to be familiar with main curriculum expectations.  Families need to know what children are learning and doing in class.  Families need to gain skills for working with their child at home.  All of the above are true.

12. Considerations of family needs when Linking Family Engagement to Learning When designing family events & activities, keep in mind: Families need to be familiar with main curriculum expectations Families need to know what children are learning and doing in class Families need to gain skills for working with their child at home

13. Scaling Up “How do I make what I am already doing more effective?” Examples: School Newsletters Family Breakfasts Family Orientation

14. How to help families connect the dots? Help families understand the curriculum and what is going on in the class Communicate regularly about student learning Put student learning at the center of parent/teacher conversations Use student achievement data to design family activities

15. HELP FAMILIES UNDERSTAND THE CURRICULUM AND WHAT IS GOING ON IN THE CLASS

16. Families’ Awareness of the Curriculum Changes in curriculum Teaching techniques are different from when families were in school Integration of technology

17. Use Family Guides Purpose:  To connect curriculum to home activities families already do! A tool consisting of:  Home activities  Family friendly examples  User friendly resources  Links to more information Developed by:  State DOE  School districts  Schools  Teachers  Organizations and/or educational affiliates

18. Louisiana Department of Education. “Family Support Toolbox Library.” https://www.louisianabelieves.com/resources/library/family- support-toolbox-library Downloaded on February 23, 2015.https://www.louisianabelieves.com/resources/library/family- support-toolbox-library

19. Louisiana Department of Education. “Family Support Toolbox Library.” https://www.louisianabelieves.com/resources/library/family- support-toolbox-library Downloaded on February 23, 2015.https://www.louisianabelieves.com/resources/library/family- support-toolbox-library

20. Additional Tips….. Family Guides Family Guide Scavenger Hunt Engage families – or families and children together – in a Family Guide to Learning “Scavenger Hunt” at your first Open House, Curriculum Night, or Family Night, so they get comfortable finding information in the Family Guides. Family Guide Scavenger Hunt Engage families – or families and children together – in a Family Guide to Learning “Scavenger Hunt” at your first Open House, Curriculum Night, or Family Night, so they get comfortable finding information in the Family Guides. Family Guide Family Workshop Host a Family Guide to Learning workshop with families and children together and have the families look at the Learning at Home activities and select one that they agree to try from each subject area. Have them complete a family contract specifying which family activities they will do. Family Guide Family Workshop Host a Family Guide to Learning workshop with families and children together and have the families look at the Learning at Home activities and select one that they agree to try from each subject area. Have them complete a family contract specifying which family activities they will do. Family Guide Discussions during Conferences/Meetings {parent/teacher conferences, IEP meetings, home visits}  Use the parent-teacher conference as an opportunity to discuss the suggested “learning at home” activities on Family Guides.  Bring Family Guides to IEP meetings so that you can talk with family members about how their child is progressing in meeting grade level standards and what the school and families need to do to help the child be successful.  Use the Family Guides during home visits to students’ families to introduce the curriculum, discuss academic standards, and boost family members’ confidence in their ability to provide high academic expectations for their child. Family Guide Discussions during Conferences/Meetings {parent/teacher conferences, IEP meetings, home visits}  Use the parent-teacher conference as an opportunity to discuss the suggested “learning at home” activities on Family Guides.  Bring Family Guides to IEP meetings so that you can talk with family members about how their child is progressing in meeting grade level standards and what the school and families need to do to help the child be successful.  Use the Family Guides during home visits to students’ families to introduce the curriculum, discuss academic standards, and boost family members’ confidence in their ability to provide high academic expectations for their child. Family Guide in Home-School Compact Include using Family Guides as one of the family responsibilities in your school’s Home-School Compact. Family Guide in Home-School Compact Include using Family Guides as one of the family responsibilities in your school’s Home-School Compact. Content inspired by Boston Public Schools Office of Family and Student Engagement. “Family Guides to Learning: Tips for Teachers” http://bpsfamilies.org/families/family-learning-guides/34-tips-for-teachers Retrieved and Developed on February 23, 2015 http://bpsfamilies.org/families/family-learning-guides/34-tips-for-teachers

21. Louisiana DOE Family Guides https://www.louisianabelieves.com/resources/library/family- support-toolbox-library

22. Poll “Spot the Not” Which family engagement activity is not linked to student learning?  Visits to the family center  Lunch and Learn by grade level or department with a topic (i.e. reading comprehension strategies, etc.)  Muffins with Mom with a topic (i.e. math vocabulary for common core)

23. COMMUNICATE REGULARLY ABOUT STUDENT LEARNING

24. Communicating with Families about Student Learning Examine the multiple ways the school or district communicates with families  Find ways to include student learning as a part of your outgoing communication  Make sure the communication is two-way  Communicate regularly about student learning  Make sure the communication meets needs of all families (i.e. language considerations, free of acronyms, etc.)

25. Include Student Learning in Newsletters http://www.livebinders.com/play/play?id=266490#anchor

27. http://www.laspdg.org/content.cfm?id=308&schoolyearID=5

28. Poll “Spot the Not” Which family engagement activity is not linked to student learning?  Family Make-and-Take workshop_ “Manipulatives that Work at Home”  School Newsletter with “Peek into Learning” section or insert  Fall Festival

29. PUT LEARNING AT THE CENTER OF FAMILY/TEACHER CONVERSATIONS

30. Learning Conversations with Teachers Families should be prepared to discuss: Progress Assignments and Assessments Support learning at home Support learning at school Thoughts about their child

31. Prepare Families for Teacher Conversations

32. Poll “Spot the Not” Which family engagement activity is not linked to student learning?  Open House  A Family Guide scavenger hunt during Back to School events  Automated phone calls featuring a “Skill of the Month” by grade level

33. USE STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT DATA TO DESIGN FAMILY ACTIVITIES

34. Using Student Achievement Data Use data to: Focus programs and activities for families on student skills Target extra help for students Engage families in school improvement

35. Share Achievement Data with Families http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gT8J1uf97vs&list= UUvEdSQawiMKMU-muuc1j0YA http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gT8J1uf97vs&list= UUvEdSQawiMKMU-muuc1j0YA

37. Organize Parent University Parent University is a series of learning opportunities for families designed to increase families’ knowledge and skills of topics to help their child at home. Parent University: Address needs of all families Structured in different ways Look different in different communities

40. Tips for Organizing Parent University Getting Started Choose topics Choose speaker(s) Secure date, times, location Marketing to families

41. Tool Retrieved from South Dakota Parent Information Resource Center http://www.sdpirc.org/content/docs/ParentInformationSheets/ParentUniversityPlanningGuide.pdf Retrieved on February 25, 2015 http://www.sdpirc.org/content/docs/ParentInformationSheets/ParentUniversityPlanningGuide.pdf

42. Poll “Spot the Not” Which family engagement activity is not linked to student learning?  Positive phone calls home  Families viewing a demonstration in the classroom (class visit)  A School-Home compact with specific grade level expectations

43. RelationshipsLinked to LearningGeneral Getting Started

44. Family Engagement: From expected to effective Resource binder can be found at http://www.laspdg.org/content.cfm?id=418 http://www.laspdg.org/content.cfm?id=418 Photos taken in June 2014 during SPDG’s Summer Learning Series with Anne Henderson

45. POLL: Can most family engagement activities that you are already doing, be “scaled up” so they are linked to student learning? Yes or No

46. Building Capacity When you leave today, what will you do with this information? How will you share it with others in your district? When will you share it? (Timeline) Note: If you are on the district leadership team, this information will be useful in completing your district’s LASPDG 5 Year Plan

47. Questions? Please use your chat pod if you have questions related to this presentation After this webinar, you may email questions to Pamdora Williams pwilli@lsu.edupwilli@lsu.edu

48. The contents of this PowerPoint presentation were developed under a grant from the US Department of Education, #H323A110003. However those contents do not necessarily represent the policy of the US Department of Education, and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government. www.laspdg.org

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