Pub. 9 2019-2020 Issue 1

4 I n education, working with parents can help us or backfire against us. On one hand, they can be the best approach for getting through to students; on the other hand, they can be some of our harshest critics. In most cases, however, the way parents treat the school can be traced back to how they are treated by the school. At Thomas Edison Charter Schools (TECS), we think of parents as primarily responsible for, and our greatest partners in, their child’s education. There is a cycle of parent involvement that strengthens our program. The first step is to make sure parents know how valuable they are. Before parents ever enroll their child in our program, we have them observe our program and ask questions about us. Then, to complete the enrollment process, we meet with them and outline specifically what it means to be a parent in our program. We let them know that we rely on them for transportation, for providing lunch, for upholding the dress code and other behaviors of their student. We let them know what we expect of them about reading with their child, helping with homework completion and following up on grades. We let them know that when parents and the school work together as a team, that has a more profound impact on their child than the school can without their help. Once in the school, we communicate with them on an individual basis, class level, and as a whole school by asking them to come to the school at least once a week. They help in the classroom, organize and carry out extracurricular activities, and help us improve our interactions with their child or children. Teachers make regular contact with each child’s family to share accomplishments, communicate the positive, and identify possible struggles we see the child might have. And we thank them. When we see parents in the building, we thank them for having their child at our school and for coming in to volunteer. Parents begin to see that they are an integral part of our school community. They are pleased with how they feel and want to share that with friends they refer to our program. When a new family comes in, they have already been given a great reference from a satisfied family. In that way, the cycle starts over when a new family comes to the school. It is no coincidence that parent referrals make up nearly 100% of our enrollment. Our culture is built around three basic objectives: challenge students above their current level, treat everyone with dignity and respect, even when correcting them, and build a community culture that involves joint effort between school and home. When parents see that we know their child, treat them as a valuable part of our school, and include them in the decision- making process about their child, they respond most favorably. Parent support at TECS goes beyond merely being involved at their child’s school, the school becomes an extension of their home environment. It is a place where we build a community of trust and respect. The combined efforts of home and school to provide each child with challenging expectations and support through positive regard for them is a breeding ground for positive self-esteem and intrinsic motivation. Some of the finer points of parental involvement in our program include the following: • Employees of the school believe that parents: o Care about any or all of their children who are enrolled at the school o Are primarily responsible for their child’s well-being o Want to be helpful o Are partners with them in raising the child • Employees must make efforts to include parents. They: o Communicate often and individually (where possible) o Focus on the positives about each child o Ask parents to plan extracurricular functions o Invite parents to volunteer in school and the classroom o Partner with them in solving problems by teaching students, instead of punishing them o Have an “open door” policy where parents can come in anytime We feel the partnership between home and school is the best way for us to help students have a rigorous but positive school experience. BY SHEM SMITH, PRINCIPAL, THOMAS EDISON CHARTER SCHOOL Parent Engagement in Charter Schools