Dear Educators,
I am writing to encourage each of you to continue working
to meet the needs of each of your students. I know at times, you may feel
discouraged but remember why you are doing what you are doing. You have one of
the greatest responsibilities before you. What you do in your classrooms will
continue to shape the society we live in. You should feel a great sense of
pride in the work that you do, and remember that what you do every day has the
power to effect future generations.
We as educators are well aware of the importance of parental
involvement in schools. I want us each to realize that each student and their
family bring unique backgrounds and experiences. While we would like for each
parent to be involved within the classroom, there are possible barriers we may
encounter along the way. In various cultures, parents trust teachers to act in
the best interest of their children, and therefore, are not as involved within
the classroom. It is our responsibility to find ways of building relationships,
and learning about the cultures represented in our schools. Also, many of our students and their families
may not speak English. When wishing to communicate with these parents, we need
to find acceptable ways of doing so. Take steps to work with your school and
community to find individuals to translate during your interactions with these
parents. Parents want to know that you care about their children and finding
ways of engaging families is one way of doing this.
Another issue hindering parental involvement is time.
Many parents work multiple jobs simply to keep the lights on within their
homes. These parents may not have as much free time available for school
activities. One thing you can do, however, is schedule meetings, and activities
at times that are more convenient for the parents in your classroom. Even though all parents may not be able to
attend all school activities, make sure you make some effort to communicate
with them. Phone calls should not only be used to inform parents of something
negative that occurred in the classroom.
Call parents to share classroom triumphs, or simply to inform them of
new and exciting science or social studies units you have planned.
I want you to remember there are various types of
parental involvement. Your student’s parents don’t have to be at the school
every week to show that they care. The fact that they make sure their children
are at school every day, and make sure their children do their homework are
some ways parents are involved. We cannot forget all the things parents are
doing to encourage their child’s success in school.
If you want more parents to be involved, make sure you
let parents know all of the things they can do at home that help within the
classroom. Get to know your student’s families and their backgrounds and make
sure they feel welcome within the school.
Educators, I know you already have a great deal of work
to do; however we must find ways of encouraging parental involvement for the
success of our students. I want to close this letter with a quote from Henry
Brooks Adams. “A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his
influence stops.” Please remember this as you enter your classrooms, set out on
a journey to change the world.
Sincerely,
Grace Coleman
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