Category: Parents

Calming the Waters When Parents Are Angry

Every principal has dealt with unhappy or angry parents and guardians. Many family members simply have a concern and want to share it with someone they believe can resolve the problem. Ron Williamson and Barbara Blackburn offer ways to calm waters and get to solutions.

School Leadership: How to Team with Families

Every principal needs to lead a coordinated schoolwide effort to interact with families in ways that support students, the school and the larger community. Former principals Ron Williamson and Barbara Blackburn offer a rich set of strategies to accomplish this goal.

Principals: Teaming with Families & Community

Involving parents and families in a partnership with schools has a positive impact on students. What can principals do to ensure the partnership is sustained, vibrant and diverse? Ron Williamson and Barbara Blackburn suggest strategies to build connections.

Teachers Really Need to Work with Families

Relationships are built when children know that caring adults are on their side. If teachers team up with parents and families, they can help create success for even the most difficult students. Amber Chandler shares the strategies that work in her MS classroom.

Keep Parents Connected in the Middle Grades

Middle schoolers push parents away with one hand, says 6th grade teacher Cheryl Mizerny, while wanting their other hand to be held. Mizerny shares a variety of strategies she uses to help keep parents and kids connected as they navigate adolescence, including the Million Words activity.

PAIRing with Parents to Improve Student Learning

Want to improve relationships between families and school? Teachers benefit when learning is reinforced and supported from home. Consultant Barbara Blackburn has tips on how to PAIR with parents and avoid school-side mistakes that weaken engagement.

Five Ideas to Improve Parent Conferences

Amber Chandler has participated on both sides of the Parent Teacher Conference. Here she offers novice teachers five strategies they can use to establish productive relationships, address parent concerns, and find ways to help parents “do something” for their children.

Four Myths about Parent Engagement in Middle School

By debunking four myths about parent involvement at the middle level, educators can increase engagement and spark student motivation and performance, says former middle school teacher and school improvement analyst Katie Wester-Neal, who shares some helpful strategies.

My No-Bunk Letter to Parents

Middle school teacher Marsha Ratzel wants parents to know exactly what their children can expect in her classroom: challenge, support and concern.