Tools for Schools, April/May 2000, Vol. 3, No. 5
The parent factor: Schools embrace parental involvement
By Joan Richardson
As a parent, Bianca Ochoa was frustrated with the lack of information she received about her sons\' progress in school. As a teacher, she wanted parents of her students to understand more about what their children were learning but often felt she wasn\'t being as helpful as she could be.
Informational report card
This is a portion of a 3rd-grade report card developed and used by teachers at Hillcrest Professional Development School in Waco, Texas.
What to look for in your child's classroom
This chart could be adapted to reflect the standards in your school and district. By sharing such a chart with parents, parents would have a more clear idea of the standards that guide the school and the district.
Creating a curriculum-focused night
The planning for a curriculum-focused night should begin several months before the event, preferably during the summer when teachers will be less distracted by classroom concerns. Including parent leaders in the planning will ensure that teachers\' messages are appropriate for the audience they\'re trying to reach.
Preparing for a parent-teacher conference
To better prepare parents for parent-teacher conferences, consider sending home a list of questions they might ask during the conference.
Resources: Learning about involving parents
