The document is a presentation about enhancing parenting skills through parent involvement given by Chris Martin, a retired NFL player. He discusses the six levels of parent involvement using football analogies: 1) Parenting is like a ball carrier or coverage on the field 2) Communication is like plays being discussed in a huddle or changed at the line of scrimmage 3) Volunteering is like being a playmaker who makes big contributions 4) Learning at home gives an advantage like playing on your home field 5) Decision making relies on experts like signal callers 6) Collaboration taps community resources like man coverage or a balanced line. The presentation encourages parents to get involved in their child's education.

1. Powerful Parenting Plays:
Enhancing Your Parenting Skills
and
Elevating Your Child’s Achievement
through
Parent Involvement
Presenter/Facilitator
Chris Martin, NFL Alumni
Developed by Phyllis Harris
Phyllis Harris ©2008

2. Welcome
I’m Chris Martin
• I’m excited to be here today as parent involvement is an
important facet of my life, and I know it is important to
you too. I’m a retired professional football player. Today
I want to discuss some important parent involvement
strategies with you and share similarities of how juggling
parenting responsibilities is a lot like surviving and
winning on the football field. Please feel free to raise
your hand if you have questions during the presentation.
I am happy to explain points more clearly and provide
even more football strategies in addition to those shown
throughout the Power Point. First, I’d like the parents to
introduce themselves by sharing your name and age of
your child(ren).
• Now Let’s Get Started!

3. What is Parent Involvement?
* Definitions from the audience?
* Chris’ definition/discussion
* Joyce Epstein’s Six Levels of Parent
• 1. Parenting
Involvement are:
• 2. Communication Parent Involvement means
teaming with your child’s
• 3. Volunteering school and teacher!
• 4. Learning at Home
• 5. Decision Making
• 6. Collaborating with Community

4. What do the Six Levels of Parent
Involvement Mean?
• Parenting – help all parents establish home environments to
support children as students
• In Football this is like:
• Ball Carrier – is in possession of the ball, like the parent is usually the legal guardian of the
child, and most knowledgeable of the child’s developmental, social, emotional, and educational
needs
• Coverage - to defend a position, player, or location on the field. Parents must ensure they
support children by equipping them with proper nutrition, clothing, housing, parenting support, and
other basic needs. Children need defensive coverage just like a team player in football.
• Guard – there are 2 guards on every play and they are lined up on either side of the offensive
center. Children need to be represented by their 2 strongest advocates (mother and father), and
sometimes other family members are responsible for the child. Schools need to be
knowledgeable and respectful of the family system.
• Head Coach – is responsible for all aspects of the team (child’s education plan, curriculum and
activities) and in charge of all other coaches (lead partner with child’s teacher and director of
child’s education)

5. Communication – Design effective forms of school-to-home
and home-to-school communication about school programs and child
progress
• In Football, there are similar examples of how communication is important
in the game, just like in parenting:
• A Huddle is when 11 players on one team come together as a group to
discuss an upcoming play. Parents can win when they have opportunity to
network with one another to suggest school activities and help plan the
school calendar. When schools effectively communicate with parents,
families can better plan their attendance and are more apt to take on parent
leadership roles.
• Check Off is changing a play at the line of scrimmage by calling a pre-
determined set of signals when the quarterback doesn’t like the play being
called. Schools and teachers should give parents opportunity discuss their
ideas and feelings about curriculum and overall education plan. Parents
feel respected when they have a chance to modify or change things that
dissatisfy them. And if a change can’t be made, they feel better if the
school explains policies, procedures, etc. in detail.

6. Volunteering – Recruit and organize parent help and
support
• Let’s look at how important volunteering is to parenting as it in
football:
• Be a Playmaker by volunteering in your child’s school. In football
this is a player that has a history of making big plays. Schools need parents
who are consistent, committed, and dedicated. Many sources of research
evidence a strong connection between continuous parent involvement and
enhanced child achievement
• Open Up Holes in football means pushing the opposition aside
to make room in their defense for a ball carrier to run with the ball. Your
child is the ball carrier. Open up holes (opportunities) for your child by
educating yourself on important child assessments, tests, and other
requirements. With this knowledge you can equip your child with the tools
and support needed for success!

7. Learning at Home – provide information and ideas about
how to help students at home with homework and other curriculum-
related activities, decisions, and planning
• Learning at Home relates to football in the following ways:
• Home Field Advantage – the benefits a team gets from
playing games in it’s own stadium. Benefits are familiarity with the field and
surroundings, fan support, and lack of required travel. The home is the #1
learning environment for the child, and the place where they can learn and
relax. Parents should work with teachers to ensure they are involved in
reinforcing learning at home. Make sure you are aware of homework
activities and use community resources like the library and after school
programs to offer your child further assistance.
• Place Kicker – the player who kicks the ball on kickoffs, extra
points attempts, and field goal attempts. Reinforcing Learning at
Home helps your child earn extra knowledge and a head start on
their studies. Set up a learning environment at home to help your
child become a Place Kicker!

8. Decision Making – Include parents in school
decisions developing parent leaders and representatives
• One of the most important football techniques is the ability to make
decisions, and most importantly that decisions are made by experts. We
must remember that parents are the experts on their children. Here are
some football examples:
• Signal Caller – player who calls the plays in the huddle or on the line
of scrimmage. School should ensure parent representation on school
leadership committees. Parent voices are strong advocates when
developing school improvement plans.
• Ready List – short list of plays tailored specifically for an upcoming
game. Parents should volunteer in decision making opportunities. This
prompts commitment and motivation to parent involvement. Include parent
decisions when planning and tailoring upcoming school activities.

9. Collaborating with Community – identify and integrate
resources from the community to strengthen school programs, family
practices, and student learning and development
• In football without a strong sense of collaboration and
support from the team, you cannot win. Here are some
examples of how community collaboration affects
parenting and performance on the football field:
• Man-to-Man Coverage – pass coverage in which every defensive
back is assigned to a particular receiver. This football example supports the
need for schools to align themselves with community agencies to bring in
specific services for families such as housing information, transportation
support, clothing and food assistance, etc.
• Balanced Line – a formation that consists of an equal number of
linemen on either side of the center. This term is similar to the concept of
ensuring community services are wrapped around each school. Schools
should collaborate with businesses, organizations, etc. to bring in needed
resources for families. Community services help support and protect
families just as the linemen support the center in football.

10. Q&A
• We’ve discussed the Six Levels of
Parent Involvement. Now let’s get
examples from you – the parents. What
are some ways you can become
involved or more involved in your
child’s school?
• Allow time to get responses from parents

11. How Will You Start?
• The examples are great. Reflecting back
on the six levels of parent involvement, are
there certain steps you need to take to get
involved? If so, what are they?
• Examples:
• Assess work schedules and determine if you can attend meetings
• Do you have transportation to school meetings and activities?
• Are you comfortable in the school environment?
• Other examples?
• Helpful Handout – more strategies for parent
involvement. Disseminate to the group

12. Thank You
• I appreciate you for giving me an opportunity to share
important parent involvement information with you. I
hope you had fun learning football terms, and I have a
full glossary you can take home with you to further your
knowledge of football terminology. I know that you want
the best for your children. That’s why you are here.
Remember, you are your child’s first and most important
teacher. Partner with your child’s school and build a
partnership for learning with the teacher and principal.
• Take the first step.
• This is the beginning of a winning team!