Parent Involvement III

I seem to be returning to this topic often. Parent Involvement/Engagement.

How do you measure parent involvement? Where do you measure parent involvement?

The Ministry of Education has mandated that boards and schools must increase their parent involvement in the schooling environment. Where is this best placed and determined?

The first place to look would be in the home. Parents asking & reviewing their child’s learning for the day. The everyday challenge of getting their child to get their homework (homeschooling) done. How is this to be possible with the desire to reduce if not eliminating homework? Until we get an open learning environment established at school and at home students do not/will not have the self desire to learn at home what is being taught at school.  Maybe that is what parents can do at home is create an environment for self learning.

Next would be parents coming into the school to help/volunteer in the classroom. Many parents feel comfortable coming into primary & junior classrooms and teachers are enjoying these extra hands but can you see a parent coming into a Grade 11 Biology class? First, the parent may not feel knowledgeable enough to help, the teachers may not want help and the student certainly does not want mom or dad around. Also many parents do not have the freedom to come into the school due to work, family or other commitments. How does the teacher use the parent volunteer, do they feel valued?

School SAC’s are another avenue. Whether it is giving input/developing school and board policy, organizing an event or fundraising, parents can lend a voice or hand. SAC’s and individual parents need to find their niche within the school and determine what works best. We will have to wait and see as PIC’s evolve how SAC’s evolve.

Does parent involvement need to be legislated/mandated? Probably not, but it does need to be supported at whatever area and level one wishes to become involved at. A 'one system for all' does not work for parent involvement. Parent involvement most remain voluntary.

Classroom Technology

I am the first one to admit that I am not up on all the technology that is available these days to use in the education of students. Whether it be the Ipad, Iphone, Skype, Livescribe, IWB, the list is endless. There are a few quotes that come to mind about the use of technology in the classroom: "The medium is the Message.", "Are the tools enhancing the learning process or just fluff?", "Don't use technology for the sack of technology." ,  "Technology Enhances but Never Substitutes" No, I am not against using technology in the classroom. I am just concerned that it is being used effectively. I am not in the classroom, I have used (at times even understand) very little of the technology. Someday maybe I will visit @hdurnin while she Skypes in her classroom or read & comment to one of @Grade1 's classroom blogs, watch a @Nunavut_Teacher 's Prezi, read @dougpete 's 'The Best of Ontario's Educators', be provoked by a @courosa or @gcouros or @joe_bower blog article, the examples can go on. As you can see education is not just for those in the classroom.

To Tweet or Not to Tweet

I have become quite the Tweep. I do compose my own tweets, retweet those of others, follow people and am followed. However, it is the unlimited amount of information that goes by in a day that has got me hooked on Twitter. Daily you will read tweets and blogs advocating the use of twitter. To each their own. @kevcreutz says it nicely. I do admit that I do not tweet much and I retweet frequently. I am still developing and gaining confidence in my views to post them. In the mean time I follow people that I can gain knowledge and confidence from by reading their tweets and posts. I am privileged to have followers and appreciate their encouragement and support. We all started at zero tweets, followers and following. Some of us just take longer to catch on and get going. The same can be said for blogging. @NMHS_Principal & @dougpete have some great thoughts  about blogging. People will convert and connect in time. The Personal Learning Network and the resources that I am developing from belonging to Twitter have and will take me a long way. Thanks to all the Tweeps out there.

The Whole Child

The Ministry of Education is seeking consultation on its next step of the 'Whole Child Initiative'. In Helping Kids Get A Stronger Start , the Ministry is consulting on its Early Childhood/Best Start Child and Family Centres. This is the beginning of the moving/merging different parts or Ministries into the Ministry of Education. I am waiting to see how all this plays out. Yes, the Government has increased Education funding but is it an increase or just a transfer of money along with other responsibilities. Streamlining within  and amongst Ministries is good. Read Dr. Pascal's Report Our Best Future: Early Learning in Ontario to see where things are heading. As Parents and as Educators we have the right to participate.

The Role

Attending the Ontario Public School Board Association's (OPSBA) Public Education Symposium answered many questions, muddied others and poised new ones. Everyone seems to have different takes on the roles of Trustees.

Bill 177 the 'Education Act' and the Student Achievement and School Board Governance Act' may have tidied up the Education Act but with clarity also comes interpretation.  If may take awhile for a person to interpret, learn, understand, function and accustom oneself to the role of Trustee. Should one be continually questioning the Trustee's role and thus their own role? Sometimes the public's view of a Trustee can make things interesting. What do you actually do?  Are Trustees managers or leaders? Do we have all the responsibilities but no powers. Some people refer to Trustees as 'rubber stampers'. Are we the Spokesperson for the Board or the Public Relations Officer? You are 'My' Trustee.

Trustees set the Policy and the Staff produces and implements the Procedures. The dynamics, the interaction and  the relationship between Trustees and Staff to accomplish the Board's Policy can vary between Boards. If it works, it works. To each their own. I admit it may take a little while for me to come to terms with my role as Trustee however my learning is also those of the other Trustees. A new Trustee, a new Board, a new Perspective.

Although this article by Chris Kennedy is written from the viewpoint of a Superintendent most also applies to performing as a Trustee. 'Coaching In & Out of the Classroom' The Opportunity of a Lifetime and 'Thinking About Leadership' Personalized Learning as a Change Initiative, are again from a Superintendent's point of view but nevertheless are quite informative. I hope to be able to adopt and carry some of these traits with me as a Trustee. I am sure there will be a The Role Part II and even Part III & IV.

The Self & Why

Is this for me or for you? Why do I blog? To the many people I follow on Twitter, I am probably considered a novice Twitter, Blogger and even Educationist (if there is such a word). I am on Twitter to learn. I am happy that people follow me and that they 'get' something from my tweets and posts. When I ran for position of Trustee, one of my goals/objectives was to inform people of happenings in Education. These happenings could be trends or policies. Those in the Education field see these happenings everyday and live them. Many parents are unaware of these happenings and it is them that I am trying to reach. That is why you see many retweets in my profile and my blogs are filled with links. When I was a SAC Chair, in my SAC report in the School's Newsletter I would have the website of the month. So here is my first & second website of the month. Engaging Parents in School and Connected Principals . Am I being successful? I do not know but I am trying. The learning I am accomplishing is tremendous. Communication, Information & Transparency are a good mixture for Confidence.  This one's for you and I enjoy it.

Who Maketh the Policy

The making of School/Education Policy is not simple. The issue being addressed maybe complicated and/or controversy or simple and straightforward, however sometimes you may get thrown for a loop. The question I am asking here is "Who is involved in making the Policy?" This Parents for Education article touches on the issue.

Whether it be at the Classroom Level, School, Board, or Ministry Level what procedure(s) is used in determining that policy and what parties are involved. Where is the consultation process? Who is consulted?

All public schools in Ontario are legislated to have a School Advisory Council (SAC) that all parents have an opportunity to belong to and participate in. One of the roles of the SAC to help develop school policy. Do the SACs take on this role? People for Education Report 2010. Do the Principals and Teachers consult them before the fact or is it 'Here is what we are going to do, what are your thoughts?" What about Board policy, who are the participants; Parents, SAC, Principals, Teachers, Board Staff, Superintendents, Trustees? Who initiates this consultation? All too often the line of communication does not exist or fails. The Ministry of Education has made some major changes to the Ontario Education Act, did the grassroots have much say or even asked. Where do the numerous Memos and Consultation Papers go? Who within the Board responds for the Board, the Trustees or Board Staff? Does the Ontario Public School Board Association (OPSBA) speak for the Boards? If if does, where do they get their input? They have been many Policies that the Ministry has introduced that Boards have a tough time grasping and implementing.

I have asked many questions here and hopefully as I learn my role as Trustee and things begin to happen I will get answers. We are always wanting transparency and until the grassroots (parents) of the education system see how policies are created and implemented there will always be disconnect and suspicion.

Here are two articles worth reading Parents as Partners: 'Its a Matter of Trust' and  Opportunity of a Lifetime .

Stay tuned for further input.