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FROM INVOLVEMENT TO ENGAGEMENT: WORKING, ENGAGING AND COMMUNICATING WITH PARENTS & COMMUNITY Carolee Koehn Hurtado Director, UCLA Parent Project Director, UCLA Mathematics Project

FROM INVOLVEMENT TO ENGAGEMENT: WORKING, ENGAGING AND COMMUNICATING WITH PARENTS & COMMUNITY Carolee Koehn Hurtado Director, UCLA Parent Project Director,

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From Involvement to Engagement: Preparing and Supporting Educators and Families for Meaningful Dialogue and Collaboration to Increase Student Outcomes

From Involvement to Engagement: working, engaging and communicating with parents & community Carolee Koehn Hurtado Director, UCLA Parent Project Director, UCLA Mathematics Project

How do we do this work?UCLA Teacher Education ProgramUCLA Principal Leadership InstituteCA Reading and Literature ProjectUCLA Computer Science ProjectUCLA History Geography ProjectUCLA Mathematics ProjectUCLA Science ProjectUCLA Writing ProjectUCLA Parent ProjectAdvanced Placement (AP) Readiness ProjectNational Board for Professional Teaching Standards ProjectJust News from Center XXChange: Publications and Resources for Public School ProfessionalsProject EXCEL (NER)School, District and Community Partnerships

Center X works to transform public schooling to create a more just, equitable, and humane society.An explicit commitment to social justiceGrounding of practice in theory and of theory in practice, both in university courses and K-12 schoolsA commitment to engaging a diverse group of faculty, aspiring educators and education leaders to serve students in LAs high needs schoolsViewing learning as social and inquiry-based, within communities of practiceIntegrating the technical dimensions of teaching and leading with the moral, cultural and politicalEmphasizing the importance of knowing communities as well as knowing schools and classrooms

UCLA CENTER XParent project @ Ucla center x

Founded in 1997, modeled after the California Subject Matter ProjectsStrives to bring together schools, teachers, and families to support childrens academic successWe meet with schools and families to find out what people are interested in to custom design engagement effortsWe will be sharing three parent engagement models today from our work in schools

UCLA Mathematics PRojectOne of the first Math Project sites in the state of California. Founded 31 years ago.Works alongside schools and districts to provide professional development and support for Pre-K through Grade 12 teachers of mathematics.Work includes but is not limited to: Common Core State Standards, Cognitively Guided Instruction, CGI in the Dual Immersion Spanish Classroom, English Language Development in Mathematics, Teaching Children with Exceptional Needs, Social Justice Mathematics, Student Talk in the Math Classroom

Small group dialogueIn what ways do parents participate in schools and classrooms?

What implicit messages are communicated to families through the ways schools welcome, encourage, or hinder parent participation?

Brainstorm ways that your sites engage families and parents in schooling, mathematics, or in classrooms.

Why engage families and parents in these ways: What goals might you have?Parent involvement & engagementInvolvementWhat can the parent do for the school?

Schools often predetermine the programs, dates, and opportunities for parents to volunteer. Often we see one way communication.Ex: chaperoning field trips, supervising student drop off, photocopying worksheets, attending student performancesEngagementWhat can the school do for the family? What can we do together to support student learning?Programs and agendas may be collaboratively designed. Parent ideas and feedback may be encouraged and utilized. We see varying levels of two way communication. Ex: Family Math Nights, Common Core Math WorkshopsParent engagement model: Middle SchoolMath is More Than Numbers: Teacher professional development that focused on social justice and student participation where teachers created an action plan for addressing a need within their school community.

Parent engagement model: Middle SchoolGoals:Academic-focused parent nightsParents to engage in lessons, activities, vocabulary, and assessment items their children would engage in over the next few weeks.Outcomes:Over 70% of families attended at least one sessionParents asked for more math sessions and requested other teachers provide similar opportunities94% average on district periodic assessment dataBecame a model for other middle schools to begin parent engagement workshops

Parent engagement model:elementary schoolGoals (in planning)Introduce parents to goals and philosophies guiding mathematics teaching and learningEngage families in various mathematics tasks and activities Promote a love for mathematicsGoals (as communicated to participants)Understand our own and each others family experiences with mathematicsDevelop understanding of how to support students high level mathematical thinking in the classroom and at homeUnderstand how to engage our children in the learning and practicing of mathematics (including homework)Develop positive and productive relationships with teachers and your schoolBuild a toolkit for math support resourcesParent engagement model:elementary schoolOutcomesSupporting Mathematics Learning: They have envisioned opportunities that will equip them with strategies to support their childrens academic successFamily dynamics have changed as children are interested in what their parents are learning and as families engage in mathematical conversations at homePositive Mathematics Identity: Some have felt successful/ liked math before, and now feel even more confident while others have changed their perceptions of themselves as mathematicians and a source of knowledge and support for their childrenDeveloping a Culture of Problem Solving: Realize there are multiple ways of solving mathematics problems and these reasoning skills can be applied to other life situationsAcademic Support: They are now volunteering in classrooms during mathematics instructionAcademic Leadership: They are committed to helping more students than just their own children

Parent engagement model:districtsCommon Core Standards in Mathematics require a shift in teaching practices. Districts can concurrently offer parent workshops to: Help support teacher efforts by engaging parents in experiences to highlight important transitions required of teachers and students Introduce parents to district initiatives Provide families a space to voice their views and offer suggestions for what they feel would benefit their childrenBring together teachers, parents, students, TOSAs, and parent representatives for the common goal of student success

Why engage parents in schools and in mathematics education efforts?Parents are powerful allies in supporting children: they have goals and dreams for their children and are ready to take action to realize those goals.We find it valuable to provide opportunities for parents to understand school efforts and teacher goals, especially when teaching and learning efforts may not match traditional schooling experiences.Schools lose out on a valuable resource when parents are not part of the equation- parents have knowledge and experiences that can positively impact teachers and classrooms.How might we envision family and parent engagement models in ways that are authentic, meaningful and non-deficit in nature?Ask them! Schools often have parent opportunities, but parents are rarely involved in the brainstorming, developing, and implementation of authentic engagement opportunities.Schools should involve parents in the planning and decision making process and be willing to co-construct learning and collaboration opportunities in the school setting. We believe this leads to higher rates of sustained parent engagement.Disrupting traditional power dynamics: Bring families, teachers, and administrators together for the common goal of student success. Position parents as knowledgeable contributors and valuable members of the team.What might be possible when parents ask for (or schools provide) something more than traditional involvement opportunities?Looking forwardThis work is an example of parents pursuing alternatives, and was enhanced by the collaboration of the entire school community: teachers, administrators, and families.We find substantial changes in participation and dynamics between schools, classrooms, and homes when schools become more inclusive and as parents feel more welcome and integral to the school setting.In planning, consider a range of possibilities and be sure to include a diversity of voices and perspectives. Take an honest assessment of your school culture around parent presence on campus. Why does it look this way? Build on your parent involvement programs to strengthen your parent engagement efforts.Contact InformationUCLA Center X www.centerx.gseis.ucla.eduUCLA Parent Project www.uclapp.orgUCLA Mathematics Project www.uclamp.org

Carolee Koehn [email protected] 1 2 3Send your text message to this Phone Number: 37607Strongly DisagreeStrongly AgreeDisagreeAgreeSpeaker was well-prepared and knowledgeable (0-3)Speaker was engaging and an effective presenter (0-3)Session matched title and description in program book (0-3)Other comments, suggestions, or feedback (words) ___ ___ ___ ___________ _______ Example: 38102 323 Inspiring, good contentpoll code for this session(no spaces)Non-Example: 38102 3 2 3 Inspiring, good content(1 space)(1 space)Non-Example: 38102 3-2-3Inspiring, good content