Evidence proves that partnerships between home and school benefit families, students, teachers, districts and communities.
Interesting: Even the look of your class can show whether your school is a student or adult-centred school. e.g. what is on the walls (Students work or teachers posters), is the teachers desk the centre attraction in the class, or activties where students are engaged, the way teachers approach visistors etc.
Good partnerships reduce high-risk behaviour, increased family involvement, and high-level participation in after-school activities, and increased high school graduation.
Parents know more, understand more and do more than educators give them credit for.
Strong partnerships between schools and families make us more resilient against global crises such as Covid. Due to Covid, people are more ready to engage in these strong relationships.
People feel respected if they felt listened to.
Families want to know: what is our goal, and where we want our children to be at the end of the year.
Conclusion: A very insightful webinar. Something I want to improve on this year as it links in strongly with our vision for Mangapikopiko.
Hi Alida, thanks for sharing. I've found this true in my experience... when I know the families of the kids I teach, I'm more likely to have higher expectations and be more empathetic of the students just because I 'know' what their families want for them.
ReplyDeleteI love that part about having 'asset based thinking' and parents knowing more than we give them credit for. With that in mind, I think it is a relational skill for teachers to connect with parents and 'bridge the gap' that we sometimes feel exists (on both sides).
It is aways lovely to see the way you put this into practice. A number of times I've heard you have really empathetic conversations with parents even when there is a difficult situation to work through. Alos seeing the warm, friendly way you relate to the families when we have whānau events at school is so cool. You've put in the mahi over the long term to build trust and that makes all the difference.
Thank you for your kind words Simon.
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