A triangle represents the old model of family involvement. The partnership showed each person: child, teacher and parent as one of the angles. This picture lacked focus and a sense of collaboration. The new model, a circle with the parent and teacher equally rotating in orbit around the child in the middle represents a united and focused effort. Since the child is the reason for the school and the relationship between teacher and parent, there needs to be a clear definition and distinction of that partnership.
In 1999-2000, I worked as a Middle School Advisor for Cleveland Scholarship Programs. I was assigned to a middle school on the west side of Cleveland. My primary responsibility was to educate the students in early awareness about careers and colleges. Also, I was required to conduct parent meetings. Which basically consisted of food (always a good bribe to insure some attendance) and some materials and handouts that Cleveland Scholarship was required to communicate according to its funding.
Many of my parents were single mothers. I attempted to create flexible back-up sessions for those who couldn’t attend the scheduled evening sessions due to work or the challenges of getting someone to care for the children. I enjoyed these one on one sessions even though the number that participated was small. It allowed me to address directly some of their personal concerns and still communicate the general information I was required to convey.
The demands of a teacher are high. Not only do the demands include educating a classroom of children but also factoring in the learning needs of each child according to their age and stage and culture. The teacher needs to be flexible to address the challenges of the diversity of cultures and family dynamics of the various children. In addition, the teacher is required to communicate with the parents as individuals and as a whole.
The parents have their own unique demands. Some are single parents working and raising children. They have time conflicts and challenges of work, school, and home. The balancing and juggling seems to be a constant. Even parents who both live together have challenges including work and its demands and relationships between each other as adults and the raising of the children and overseeing their education at school.
Parent involvement needs to be defined and distinguished. Parent involvement is “an all-inclusive term used to describe all manner of parent program interaction: policy making, parent education, fundraising, volunteering time, and even the simple exchange of information of various sorts with staff”. (p.27 “Home, School, & Community Relations” by Carol Gestwicki)
Gestwicki states “There is no single model of parent involvement. Schools choose to address it in various ways ranging from a low level to a high level of involvement”. (p. 27) It seems that the school and teachers and parents need to define and distinguish the level of involvement required. All the parties involved would have a say in the level of involvement and clearly know the roles and responsibilities of one another.
Empathy on both sides would improve the communication between teacher and parent. Allow the parents to “walk in the shoes” of the teacher and teachers move beyond their world into of that of the parents. Why not have a getting to know you gathering? This could be done at the start of the new school year in small groups and preferably one on one. Before we address the education of the child, let’s learn about each other and what are our respective challenges. That way we can genuinely respect each other and create a partnership of collaboration and cooperation. Then, our conversations about the child would be much more mutual, supportive and productive. And I believe the level of involvement would be higher and more proactive. Thus, creating a complete, cohesive, and comprehensive involvement circle.
