Building Relationships: An Equitable Approach For Parent Engagement
1. B U I L D I N G R E L A T I O N S H I P S :
A N E Q U I T A B L E A P P R O A C H F O R
P A R E N T E N G A G E M E N T
TARA DOATY, PH.D.
FOUNDER & CEO
SAGE WELLNESS GROUP. LLC
3. CALL & RESPONSE ENERGIZERS
WHEN I SAY: YOU SAY:
What happens here
St. Petersburg Schools
Ready to Rock?
Claps hands
Stays here
Are great!
Ready to Roll!
Repeats beat
4. GROUP NORMS
We want to ensure that this
is as safe space for all!
"In order to feel safe I
need..."
5. OBJECTIVES
To increase understanding of parent
engagement and communication
strategies.
To increase understanding and
implementation of how parent
partnerships improve student
advocacy and achievement.
1
2
7. "We [educators] have a lot of power! As authorities, lets
us be careful to never use power for petty or vindictive
ends. To never thoughtlessly reject a student/family. We
can affirm a student/family's semse of value, or we can
damage them with a causal joke or commment at their
expense. We can help them to resoect themselves, or we
can tear down their self-esteem by treating them
disrespectfully and unimportant. We have the power to
do great good or great harm. Today, let me remember
my power and take care to use it wisely."
Purpose
13. TELL US USING
STICKY NOTES
One element about you - what do you
bring to the workplace?
One misconception that others may
have about the parents and families you
work with
One thing that you learned from a
student/family
15. WHAT IS OUR ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE:
HOW DO WE TREAT OUR STUDENTS & FAMILIES?
16. WHAT IS OUR ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE?
What are the clear
expectations
placed on our
parents?
What are some of the
hidden expectations
placed on our
parents?
17. Safety (physical and emotional)
Trustworthiness/Transparency
(objective and clear expectations)
Peer Support
Collaborations & Partnership
Empowerment, Voice, & Choice
Inclusion of historical, gender, and
cultural differences
RELATIONSHIPS &
TRAUMA-INFORMED CARE
18. INCORPORATING A STRENGTHS-BASED APPROACH
FOR STUDENT SUCCESS
Generating options and
alternative pathways to
a goal is fundamental
to strength based
practice.
We best serve
students and families
by collaborating with
them.
A person’s behavior and
achievement is often a
function of the resources
available to a person or
perceived to be available.
Every individual,
group, family, and
community has
strengths.
19. CONDUCTING A
STRENGTHS-BASED
ASSESSMENT
What are the expected strengths, as
well as the challenges?
Am I speaking to students and families
in a way that is understood and easily
comprehended?
Do I allow myself to listen to a person's
story and Ideas?
20. CONDUCTING A
STRENGTHS-BASED
ASSESSMENT
What does my student/family wants?
What are their dreams, aspirations, and
goals
Do I elicit, point out, and record
students talents, skills, and
accomplishments (across multiple
domains)?
Am I labeling, diagnosing, and/or
blaming?
21. CONDUCTING A
STRENGTHS-BASED
ASSESSMENT
What are my students'/family's unmet
needs? Which of these unmet needs is a
priority? Which needs can I meet?
Which needs require additional support?
What successful coping and problem-
solving strategies has this
student/family used in the past? AM I
bringing that into their educational
experience?
23. COMMON MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT
Parents who are struggling financially
cannot support the school
All parents have the same goals for
their children
24. STRATEGIES FOR PARENT ENGAGEMENT
Develop a cultural resource binder
Create a family space/room
Work with school community to develop
ways to involve parents
Parents as Translators for other
parents (if applicable)
Commit to at least two parent friendly
events that accommodate various work
schedules (understand contact needs of
various vultures)
25. STRATEGIES
FOR INCLUSIVE
ENGAGEMENT
American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education
Person-centered language
Exemplify mission statement
Assess student and family
expectations, concerns, and ideas
Allow students and families to asses
quality of services both by agencies and
partners
Assign Peer liaison
26. STRATEGIES
FOR INCLUSIVE
ENGAGEMENT
American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education
Person-centered language
Exemplify mission statement
Assess student and family
expectations, concerns, and ideas
Allow students and families to asses
quality of services both by agencies and
partners
Assign Peer liaison
27. EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION
Reflects shared vision, goal, and
power
Respects people as the experts
of themselves and family
Highlights strengths,
achievement and potential first
Incorporates issues of inclusion
& equity into daily conversations
and goals
28. CREATING AN AGENCY "PARKING LOT"
Allows families to introduce topics, ask questions about an
issue, seek clarification, or leave an exit question.
Educators should make a plan to check and respond to the
Parking Lot questions
Brainstorm examples of what types of questions can go on
your classroom Parking Lot
Families can use sticky notes to ask questions
Assign task of posting a Parking Lot question
29. DISCUSSION
QUESTIONS
What strengths do children and
families bring? What is going
right?
How can we utilize these
strengths to influence social-
emotional development and
academic achievement?
30. CREATING AN EQUITABLE EXPERIENCE
Show interest in interacting with all parents and not just a particular group
Allow parents to feel hopeful regarding their current situation. Avoid
suggesting that certain backgrounds and life experiences disqualify them
from being taken seriously.
Get to know your parents as individuals rather than as representatives of
particular groups or assuming they are all the same.
Do not ask a parents to speak for a whole group.
Expect students & families to succeed. Hold them accountable when they
do not.
31. TAKE AWAY POINTS
Reflection should lead to action and accountability
What steps can I take to prepare me for making a social-emotional
connection with my students? Fellow staff? Families?
What tools can further my learning in this area?
Is there anyone that can be my Accountability Partner/My Village?
What if others don’t see our mission?
