STRENGTHENING COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT IMPROVING OUTCOMES FOR STUDENTS – WHY PARENTS MATTER FHS Staff Conference May 2011

Strengthening Community Engagement 3 workshops: Improving outcomes for students – why parents and community matter Taking action – resources to support school self analysis Building school and community capacity for sustainable practice Slide 2

Workshop focus This workshop focuses on current research on school/community partnerships and their relationship to improved student learning outcomes with a particular focus on low socio-economic status school communities. Slide 3

Workshop outcomes In this session participants will:  reflect on their beliefs, attitudes and practices in relation to school community partnerships.  examine research on the relationship between school/community partnerships and student learning outcomes  improve their understanding of the importance of effective family-school partnerships on better outcomes for students Slide 4

DISCUSSION 1 Perceptions and challenges Discussion 1  In your groups, discuss the questions on your sheet  Annotate notes - Discussion sheet  Report on your responses to the whole group (20 minutes) Slide 5

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ACTIVITY 1 What the research is saying Procedure  Read allocated reading summary, highlight key points and then record responses to the five questions on Worksheet 1 (10 minutes)  Discuss the responses with other table group members (15 minutes)  Annotate notes with any new or interesting ideas from the discussion.  Report on the most significant new idea from the reading to the whole group (10 minutes). Slide 7

Effects on student learning Research demonstrates that:  effective schools have high levels of parental and community involvement  when schools, families and the community work in partnership, students get better results from their education. Slide 8

Key findings  When schools, families and community groups work together to support learning, children tend to do better in school, stay in school longer, and like school more. Henderson and Mapp, 2002  The key to improving student achievement is not parental involvement in schooling but parental engagement in learning. Harris and Goodall, 2007 Slide 9

Why home, school and community relationships matter The development of effective learning partnerships with parents and community enriches discussions on pedagogies between students, teachers and parents. The discussions assist teachers to align classroom practice and tasks with students’ experiences, their background knowledge and cultural knowledge beyond the school and to real-life situations to improve student learning. Systemic Implications of Pedagogy and Achievement study 2007 Slide 10

NSW Institute of Teachers Professional Teaching Standards Element 2 Teachers know their students and how they learn emphasises key ways that teachers and leaders meet the learning needs of individual students through deep understanding of their interests, skills and prior achievements.Teachers know their students and how they learn Element 7 Teachers are actively engaged members of their profession and the wider community emphasises key ways that teachers and school leaders engage with parents and community.Teachers are actively engaged members of their profession and the wider community Slide 11

ACTIVITY 2 Home, school and community relationships. What do we mean? ListenListen to this podcast on why home, school and community relationships are important for improved outcomes for students. Slide 12

ACTIVITY 2 Continued Complete question 2 in Worksheet 2  individually reflect and answer questions 2a and 2b (5 minutes)  share in groups of two or three. Answer question 2c (10 minutes)  whole group sharing and recording. Answer question 2d (15 minutes). Slide 13

Where to next? Planning strategies to improve learning outcomes through engaging the community Slide 14