Family Engagement
Overview
Family engagement happens when educators and schools collaborate with families to collectively support their child's learning in meaningful ways, both at school and at home. Students whose families are involved and feel valued within the school community are less likely to miss school and integral instructional time, which research has shown can result in students falling behind academically. Families of students with learning disabilities or ADHD may seem reluctant to engage. They may have had prior negative experiences that have left them feeling mistrustful of education systems. Acknowledging or asking about past negative experiences and speaking about students' learning struggles in neutral language can help them feel more comfortable.Parental and family involvement in students' academics from their start in schooling and continuing into high school can have positive effects on their academic achievement and Sense of Belonging throughout their development. Technology can be a valuable support in this communication process. Importantly, actively involving parents in the conversations about their childs' learning and educational journey can facilitate advocacy for parents in developing shared goals and becoming empowered to contribute to decisions for their child. This can be particularly important for students with learning disabilities who may need particular resources and support.
Example: Use This Strategy in the Classroom
Starting at 1:29, watch how this high school has family-community resource centers that provide support and engagement opportunities for families to be part of the school environment. By bringing in students' families and culture, students feel a greater sense of belonging, which improves their Motivation to learn.
Design It into Your Product
Additional Resources
Additional examples, research, and professional development. These resources are possible representations of this strategy, not endorsements.
Factors Supported by this Strategy
More Culturally Responsive Strategies
Developing empathy in educators and in learners is an iterative process that requires taking the time to understand and honor others' perspectives.
Checking in with learners, or taking the time to talk with individual learners about their experiences or goals, is important for fostering a positive classroom environment.
Developing cultural awareness as an educator is an ongoing process that includes a recognition and appreciation for the full diversity of students and an understanding of how one's own Identity intersects with students' Identities.
Discussing race with students can range from conversations on cultural celebration (e.g., celebrating the importance of diversity) to developing critical consciousness (e.g., understanding the impact of social inequities like racism and how to dismantle it).
A first step to supporting learners is truly understanding who they are.
Equitable grading systems and practices reimagine how to communicate student progress and mastery through various methods that reduce subjectivity, and increase opportunities to learn.
Learning about students' cultures and connecting them to instructional practices helps foster a Sense of Belonging, increase positive student Identity development, and mitigate Stereotype Threat.
Culturally responsive texts include those that reflect different facets of students' identities, including race, ethnicity, gender, socioeconomic, and disability status, as well as the intersections of those identities.
Shadowing a student involves an educator, administrator, or designated adult observing a learner across different parts of their day to deepen their understanding of that learner's experience beyond their classroom.
Translanguaging is a flexible classroom practice enabling students to listen, speak, read, and write across their multiple languages or dialects, even if the teacher does not have formal knowledge of these additional languages.
