Educators are sharing concerns about the widening gap between schools and families. At the same time, teachers are expressing mounting frustration about student behavior in and out of the classroom. With these issues in mind, we’ve compiled resources to build stronger home-school connections and increase restorative practices.
Top Read
Educator Preparation Framework for Family and Community Partnerships
NAFSCE recently released a new framework to prepare educators for family and community engagement. The report is an essential tool to build stronger relationships with school families and communities. It includes:
- Extensive research on the importance of preparing educators for family and community engagement
- A series of ideas and levers to spark inspiration, innovation and change
- Thirty field case studies highlighting how families, educator preparation programs, schools, and policymakers are making ideas work on the ground
- Ten recommendations for how educator preparation programs, families, schools, and communities, as well as state agencies and associations, can join together and make systemic change
Access the executive summary at this link, or access the full report after providing NAFSCE with your email address.
Reads Worth Your Time
Getting Started with Restorative Practices: A Guide for Administrators and Teacher Leaders
Susan Villani, Ed.D., WestEd, and Su. Henry, Ed.D., Published by MAEC
Restorative practices have become increasingly important as school staff manage student behavior and mental health challenges. Supporting positive practices and bolstering resilience is key to the work we do at ParentPowered because mental health directly impacts student outcomes. That’s why we were inspired by MAEC’s Restorative Practices guide, and believe that the content will be beneficial for school and district leaders.
Middle School Family Engagement Learning Pack
By the Ohio Statewide Family Engagement Center
Family engagement in middle school is less straightforward than in the elementary school years. Parents and caregivers are often unsure of how to best engage in their child’s education during these years. That’s why we love this excellent resource from the Ohio Statewide Family Engagement Center. It is a complete packet with a ready-to-go workshop for schools and community organizations to offer to families. The workshop teaches caregivers how to engage with the school to support their middle schooler’s growing independence.
Family and Community Engagement Resources
An Educator’s Guide to Trauma Informed Support
Watch the webinar to see for yourself what it looks like to support families impacted by trauma. Content frameworks are available upon request.
Essential Middle School Family Engagement
Research shows that middle school family engagement is very different from elementary. Here are the four domains proven to engage families and help them support their middle school students.
