A couple of weeks ago I wrote about the new semester and new beginnings with the return of students from Winter Break. It was about reengaging with your students and setting the second semester up for success.
I’d like to discuss reengaging with families to help students, and you, with the last few months of the school year. It is never too late to bring families into the learning process, especially now that you have built trust between you and your families.
Just as with students, it might be good to reiterate classroom expectations, policies and procedures, and what might be expected for the remainder of the grading period and even the remainder of the school year. This might include any major projects that will be expected of students, field trips to be taken, standardized testing schedules, and a renewed invitation to assist both in the classroom and at home with learning.
You might also provide major events happening with the school community, such as any upcoming family nights, breaks, and when to expect next year’s registration to begin. For those families who haven’t volunteered yet, you might send a personal invitation to them along with information on how to be approved by the district and any assistance provided for fees that may be required, such as for background checks. I mention a personal invitation because experience with families, and life in general, has shown the importance of personal invitations in bringing people together.
Another strategy you might use is to offer a virtual check-in with families using software your district uses (if they don’t, most virtual meeting apps offer a free version that should accommodate one’s needs; sometimes additional features are available free for educators). It could be as simple as office hours for general questions to a set agenda to discuss the topics such as those mentioned above, with a time for questions. You might keep it to 30-45 minutes and offer a couple of different time options to allow as many families to participate as possible. (Note: If you are a Title I school, keep at least a screen shot or attendee list download to count towards family engagement requirements.)
What are ways you’ve found to be successful in reengaging families throughout the year?