SCHOOL PROGRAMS AND TEACHER PRACTICES OF PARENT INVOLVEMENT IN INNER-CITY ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE SCHOOLS JOEL R JIMENEZ, MSW

STUDY BACKGROUND 171 Teachers – 8 Inner-City Elementary and Middle Schools To examine: connections between school programs of parent involvement, teachers’ attitudes, and practices that teachers use to involve parents of their own students. Results support Epstein’s five types of school and family connections.

WHY PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT MATTERS More parental involvement in teaching practice results in: Increased interactions with their children Increased positive feeling about ability to help children Students improve self attitudes Teachers receive higher ratings Difficult to accomplish in schools that are “difficult” or “disadvantaged”

TEACHERS ATTITUDES AFFECT PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT Good leaders in parental involvement report involvement across all groups Poor leaders in parental involvement report stereotypical views.

FIVE MAJOR TYPES OF INVOLVEMENT BASIC OBLIGATIONS OF FAMILIES INCLUDE: Childs safety, child-rearing approaches that prepare children for school, positive home conditions. School assists families to develop knowledge, skills at all grade levels through workshops, home visits, family support programs, trainings.

FIVE MAJOR TYPES OF INVOLVEMENT BASIC OBLIGATIONS OF SCHOOL INCLUDE: Communication about programs, child's progress, phone calls, notices, conferences

FIVE MAJOR TYPES OF INVOLVEMENT INVOLVEMENT AT SCHOOL INCLUDES: Parent volunteers to support school performances, sports, events.

FIVE MAJOR TYPES OF INVOLVEMENT INVOLVEMENT IN LEARNING ACTIVITIES AT HOME: Request for parents to assist children at home, school informs parents of skills necessary for students, monitor and discuss students performance.

FIVE MAJOR TYPES OF INVOLVEMENT INVOLVEMENT IN DECISION MAKING, GOVERNANCE, AND ADVOCACY PTA positions, advisory council, Title I programs, committees. Teaches decision-making skills and increases communication between parents.

#6? COLLABORATION AND EXCHANGES WITH COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS Connections with agencies, businesses, other groups involved in students success.

STUDY LOOKS TO COMPARE ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE SCHOOLS Location: Baltimore Plan: Collect data from 171 teachers by training teacher representatives and providing them basic information, questionnaires, grants.

RESULTS Strong, positive attitude about parent involvement. Greater support for parent conferences. Schools with greater parental involvement in learning activities at home also displayed other forms of parental involvement. As students get older, teachers rely less on parental involvement. Teaching subject linked to nature of parental involvement.

SCHOOL LEVEL Elementary school programs of parent involvement are stronger, more positive, and more comprehensive than those in the middle grades. This is especially evident for workshops for parents on parenting skills, child development, and school programs; volunteers at school; learning activities at home; and involvement in school decisions. Epstein, Joyce L. ( ). School, Family, and Community Partnerships: Preparing Educators and Improving Schools (Kindle Locations ). Westview Press. Kindle Edition.

CLASSROOM ORGANIZATION Programs of parent involvement are stronger in self-contained classrooms. The organization of classrooms (e.g., self-contained, semi-departmentalized or teamed, and departmentalized programs) determines the number of students that are the teachers’ responsibility and affects the frequency of and reasons for teacher contacts with students’ parents. Teachers in self-contained classes (mainly in elementary schools) have fewer students to teach and are more apt to make frequent and diverse contacts with parents. Epstein, Joyce L. ( ). School, Family, and Community Partnerships: Preparing Educators and Improving Schools (Kindle Locations ). Westview Press. Kindle Edition.

CLASSROOM ORGANIZATION Programs of parent involvement are stronger in self-contained classrooms. The organization of classrooms (e.g., self-contained, semi-departmentalized or teamed, and departmentalized programs) determines the number of students that are the teachers’ responsibility and affects the frequency of and reasons for teacher contacts with students’ parents. Teachers in self-contained classes (mainly in elementary schools) have fewer students to teach and are more apt to make frequent and diverse contacts with parents. Epstein, Joyce L. ( ). School, Family, and Community Partnerships: Preparing Educators and Improving Schools (Kindle Locations ). Westview Press. Kindle Edition.

ACADEMIC SUBJECTS English and reading teachers use practices than teachers of other subjects to involve parents. What are they doing? Ask your child to read something. Listen. Practice skills before test with parent.

FAMILIES IN INNER-CITY SCHOOLS To attract families of disadvantaged students, schools need strong school programs.

IMPROVING FAMILY CONNECTIONS Assess present strengths and weaknesses. Identify hopes, dreams, and goals. Identify who will have responsibilities for reaching the goals. Evaluate implementations and results. Continue to support program development activities.