Welcome!

Welcome!

Please take a few minutes before the session begins to fill

out the school parent involvement questionnaire you picked up at the door. You will

be using it later in the presentation.

Working with Native American and Other

Multicultural Communities: Effective Strategies for

Parental Engagement and Community Involvement

NABE 2012: Dallas, TexasDakota TESL 2012: Fargo, ND

Presented by

Wendy Sanderson, MAESLBismarck Public Schools, Bismarck, ND

[email protected]

Agenda for Workshop Introduction and overview

Research study on Native American parental involvement at the middle school level Description of study Findings and implications

Multicultural student parental involvement – Research and best practices Summary of research Issues related to multicultural communities Discussion: Four Corners activity

Advocacy or Apathy?Advocacy or Apathy?American Indian Parent American Indian Parent Involvement in an Off-Involvement in an Off-

Reservation Middle SchoolReservation Middle School

by Wendy Lee Sandersonby Wendy Lee Sanderson

BackgroundBackground

I am in my eighth year of teaching ELL I am in my eighth year of teaching ELL for the Bismarck Public Schools. Five of for the Bismarck Public Schools. Five of those years were spent at Wachter those years were spent at Wachter Middle School as an academic Middle School as an academic language coach serving those language coach serving those American Indian students who were American Indian students who were identified as limited English proficient identified as limited English proficient (LEP) under a federal discretionary (LEP) under a federal discretionary grant awarded by the Title III Native grant awarded by the Title III Native American and Alaska Native Children in American and Alaska Native Children in School program. School program.

BackgroundBackground

Over the years, educators have Over the years, educators have voiced concerns to me that parents of voiced concerns to me that parents of American Indian students at Wachter American Indian students at Wachter were not as involved in their were not as involved in their children’s education as their children’s education as their dominant-culture counterparts.dominant-culture counterparts.

Parental involvement in the Sheltered Parental involvement in the Sheltered Journey grant activities, including the Journey grant activities, including the Thunder Eagles after school program Thunder Eagles after school program based at Wachter, varied greatly.based at Wachter, varied greatly.

Guiding QuestionsGuiding Questions

1. In what specific parent involvement 1. In what specific parent involvement activities do parents and guardians of activities do parents and guardians of American Indian middle school children at American Indian middle school children at this site choose to participate?this site choose to participate?

a.a. Is the educational attainment level of Is the educational attainment level of these American Indian parents a factor in these American Indian parents a factor in their choice of parent involvement their choice of parent involvement activities?activities?

b.b. Is an American Indian boarding school Is an American Indian boarding school experience in these parents’ family history experience in these parents’ family history a factor in their choice of parent a factor in their choice of parent involvement activities?involvement activities?


2. To what degree do middle school 2. To what degree do middle school

educators perceive that specific educators perceive that specific types of parent involvement types of parent involvement activities enhance student activities enhance student academic learning?academic learning?


3. Are the specific involvement 3. Are the specific involvement practices ofpractices of

the parents of American Indian the parents of American Indian students in this survey perceived by students in this survey perceived by educators as valuable tools for educators as valuable tools for enhancing middle school students’ enhancing middle school students’ academic learning?academic learning?

Types of Parental InvolvementTypes of Parental Involvement Pomerantz, Moorman, and Litwack (2007):Pomerantz, Moorman, and Litwack (2007): 4 types4 types

school-basedschool-based home-basedhome-based cognitive-intellectual cognitive-intellectual (Grolnick & Slowiaczek, 1994)(Grolnick & Slowiaczek, 1994) governance and advocacy governance and advocacy (Epstein, 1990)(Epstein, 1990)

Types of Parental InvolvementTypes of Parental Involvement

All four types can be effective. In the All four types can be effective. In the end, it may be the quality, and not end, it may be the quality, and not the quantity of parent involvement, the quantity of parent involvement, that determines its effectiveness that determines its effectiveness (Pomerantz et al., 2007).(Pomerantz et al., 2007).

Benefits of Parent InvolvementBenefits of Parent Involvement

Increased student achievementIncreased student achievement Heightened self-esteemHeightened self-esteem Decreased behavior problemsDecreased behavior problems Decreased substance abuseDecreased substance abuse Increased attendance ratesIncreased attendance rates Increased graduation ratesIncreased graduation rates

Benefits of American Indian Benefits of American Indian Parent InvolvementParent Involvement

Narrowed achievement gap between Narrowed achievement gap between Native American students and their Native American students and their White peers on high-stakes White peers on high-stakes assessmentsassessments

Improved student attitudes toward Improved student attitudes toward schoolschool

Improved gradesImproved grades Increased student Increased student

resilience/persistenceresilience/persistence

The Need for American Indian The Need for American Indian Parent Involvement in Parent Involvement in

Middle SchoolsMiddle Schools As children grow older, it gets tougher for As children grow older, it gets tougher for

parents to stay in contact with all their parents to stay in contact with all their teachers (Butterfield & Pepper, 1991).teachers (Butterfield & Pepper, 1991).

Students might experience frustration Students might experience frustration during the transition from elementary during the transition from elementary school to middle school (Wilson, 1991).school to middle school (Wilson, 1991).

American Indian student resilience American Indian student resilience decreases 10% every year between the decreases 10% every year between the ages of 10 and 15 (LaFromboise, Hoyt, ages of 10 and 15 (LaFromboise, Hoyt, Oliver, & Whitbeck, 2006).Oliver, & Whitbeck, 2006).

The Need for American Indian The Need for American Indian Parent Involvement in Parent Involvement in

Middle SchoolsMiddle Schools More parent involvement than ever is More parent involvement than ever is

necessary during the adolescent necessary during the adolescent years, when children begin to make years, when children begin to make potentially life-altering choices potentially life-altering choices regarding behaviors, attendance, regarding behaviors, attendance, study habits, grades, and the study habits, grades, and the inherent value of staying in school inherent value of staying in school (Charleston & King, 1995).(Charleston & King, 1995).

Educator Perceptions of American Educator Perceptions of American Indian Parent InvolvementIndian Parent Involvement

Dominant-culture teachers tend to Dominant-culture teachers tend to consider culturally and ethnically consider culturally and ethnically diverse families as deficient (Epstein diverse families as deficient (Epstein & Dauber, 2007).& Dauber, 2007).

Secondary school personnel are Secondary school personnel are more likely to believe that parents more likely to believe that parents are apathetic than their elementary are apathetic than their elementary school peers (Epstein, 2007).school peers (Epstein, 2007).

American Indian PerceptionsAmerican Indian Perceptions

American Indian parents usually American Indian parents usually consider educators to be consider educators to be professionals and expect them to professionals and expect them to handle student issues with a handle student issues with a minimum of parent intervention minimum of parent intervention (Butterfield & Pepper, 1991).(Butterfield & Pepper, 1991).

Minority parents are often Minority parents are often more more likely to insist on a college education likely to insist on a college education for their children than their White for their children than their White peers (Public Agenda, 2002).peers (Public Agenda, 2002).

American Indian PerceptionsAmerican Indian Perceptions

Most American Indian parents want Most American Indian parents want to advocate for their children, but to advocate for their children, but may not convey that attitude to may not convey that attitude to educators through their actual educators through their actual participation practices at school participation practices at school (Butterfield & Pepper, 1991).(Butterfield & Pepper, 1991).

Boarding School ExperiencesBoarding School Experiences

First experiences with U.S. education First experiences with U.S. education negative: government attempted to negative: government attempted to exclude American Indian parents exclude American Indian parents entirely from their children’s entirely from their children’s educationeducation

Government intention to eradicate Government intention to eradicate Native languages and culture, Native languages and culture, assimilate American Indians into assimilate American Indians into mainstream White societymainstream White society

Boarding School ExperiencesBoarding School Experiences

American Indian parents may not American Indian parents may not know how to effectively advocate for know how to effectively advocate for their children in public schools; past their children in public schools; past boarding school experiences may boarding school experiences may have rendered them untrained—and have rendered them untrained—and as a result, unable—to do so as a result, unable—to do so (Butterfield & Pepper, 1991). (Butterfield & Pepper, 1991).

Parent/Guardian SurveyParent/Guardian Survey





Educator SurveyEducator Survey



Parent/Guardian Survey SummaryParent/Guardian Survey Summary

The parents/guardians who responded to The parents/guardians who responded to this survey practiced these home-based this survey practiced these home-based parent involvement activities most: asking parent involvement activities most: asking their child regularly how his or her school their child regularly how his or her school day went; providing for the child’s basic day went; providing for the child’s basic needs of food, clothing, shelter, and rest; needs of food, clothing, shelter, and rest; helping the child with homework; providing helping the child with homework; providing a quiet place to study; giving feedback or a quiet place to study; giving feedback or rewards for assignments and tests rewards for assignments and tests completed; emphasizing to child the value completed; emphasizing to child the value of doing well and staying in schoolof doing well and staying in school

Educator Survey SummaryEducator Survey Summary

The teachers who responded to the The teachers who responded to the survey considered these home-based survey considered these home-based activities as most likely to enhance activities as most likely to enhance student academic learning: providing student academic learning: providing the child’s basic needs; practicing the child’s basic needs; practicing skills (reading, math facts) with the skills (reading, math facts) with the child; reading to or with the child; child; reading to or with the child; emphasizing to the child the value of emphasizing to the child the value of doing well and staying in school doing well and staying in school

DiscussionDiscussion

All American Indian parents surveyed All American Indian parents surveyed said they asked their children said they asked their children regularly how their day went at regularly how their day went at school. A more important school. A more important conversation to implement, conversation to implement, according to the educators surveyed, according to the educators surveyed, is the value of the child’s doing well is the value of the child’s doing well and staying in school, an activity less and staying in school, an activity less engaged in by parents in this study.engaged in by parents in this study.


Educators surveyed indicated that Educators surveyed indicated that practicing basic skills like reading and practicing basic skills like reading and math facts with a child is a more math facts with a child is a more effective academic learning-effective academic learning-enhancing parent involvement activity enhancing parent involvement activity than helping a child with homework. than helping a child with homework. American Indian parents in this survey American Indian parents in this survey tended to help more with homework tended to help more with homework and practice less basic skills.and practice less basic skills.


The parents/guardians who responded The parents/guardians who responded to this survey practiced these school-to this survey practiced these school-based parent involvement activities based parent involvement activities most: providing the child’s most: providing the child’s transportation to and from school; transportation to and from school; attending the child’s extracurricular attending the child’s extracurricular activities; attending student-led activities; attending student-led parent/teacher conferences, open parent/teacher conferences, open houses, and orientationshouses, and orientations

Educator Survey SummaryEducator Survey Summary

The teachers who responded to the The teachers who responded to the survey considered these school-based survey considered these school-based activities as most likely to enhance activities as most likely to enhance student academic learning: attending student academic learning: attending problem-solving meetings to help the problem-solving meetings to help the child academically or behaviorally; child academically or behaviorally; visiting with the parent/family liaison; visiting with the parent/family liaison; attending student-led parent/teacher attending student-led parent/teacher conferencesconferences


Educators did not consider transporting Educators did not consider transporting children to and from school to be a children to and from school to be a particularly learning-enhancing practice, particularly learning-enhancing practice, although it was one of the most although it was one of the most frequently practiced parent involvement frequently practiced parent involvement activities among American Indian activities among American Indian parents and guardians surveyed, and parents and guardians surveyed, and one that has been proven crucial to one that has been proven crucial to creating persistence in students (Brandt, creating persistence in students (Brandt, 1992).1992).


The most-practiced forms of American The most-practiced forms of American Indian parent involvement appear to be of Indian parent involvement appear to be of the home-based variety (7 of the top 10 the home-based variety (7 of the top 10 practiced parent involvement activities were practiced parent involvement activities were home-based).home-based).

American Indian parents with a boarding American Indian parents with a boarding school experience in the family history school experience in the family history appear to be less likely to participate in appear to be less likely to participate in activities that are held in the school than activities that are held in the school than their non-boarding school experienced their non-boarding school experienced counterparts.counterparts.


American Indian parents with a boarding American Indian parents with a boarding school experience in their family history school experience in their family history tended to feel more comfortable tended to feel more comfortable communicating with educators over the communicating with educators over the phone or through technology rather than phone or through technology rather than talking face to face at school.talking face to face at school.

These parents were also less likely to attend These parents were also less likely to attend involvement activities that required them to involvement activities that required them to visit the school grounds than their non-visit the school grounds than their non-boarding school experienced counterparts.boarding school experienced counterparts.


American Indian parents without a American Indian parents without a boarding school experience in the boarding school experience in the family history preferred to family history preferred to communicate with teachers in person communicate with teachers in person at school.at school.

Implications for EducatorsImplications for Educators

Getting to know American Indian Getting to know American Indian families, including being aware of families, including being aware of whether or not they had an off-whether or not they had an off-reservation boarding school reservation boarding school experience in the family history, can experience in the family history, can help educators determine how to help educators determine how to best meet the unique needs of these best meet the unique needs of these students and their parents and students and their parents and guardians.guardians.

ConclusionConclusion

It is imperative that teachers and It is imperative that teachers and administrators understand the factors, administrators understand the factors, such as an American Indian boarding such as an American Indian boarding school experience in the family history, school experience in the family history, that might determine the types of that might determine the types of parent involvement in which American parent involvement in which American Indian parents ultimately choose to Indian parents ultimately choose to participate, and how (and from where) participate, and how (and from where) they prefer to communicate with school they prefer to communicate with school personnel.personnel.


If educators are to meet the If educators are to meet the academic needs of these students, academic needs of these students, close the achievement gap between close the achievement gap between them and their dominant-culture them and their dominant-culture peers, and ultimately exit them from peers, and ultimately exit them from the school system with diploma in the school system with diploma in hand, they MUST enlist the help of hand, they MUST enlist the help of parents.parents.


They must not write American Indian They must not write American Indian parents off as apathetic; they must parents off as apathetic; they must acknowledge the learning-acknowledge the learning-enhancement value of the activities enhancement value of the activities the parent may already be practicing the parent may already be practicing while they work to create an while they work to create an environment where all American Indian environment where all American Indian parents and guardians feel comfortable parents and guardians feel comfortable taking on the role of advocate.taking on the role of advocate.

Multicultural Student Parental Involvement – Research and

Best Practices What are

the issues? What do

educators want?

What do parents want?

“The goal for America’s educational system is clear: Every student should graduate from

high school ready for college or a career. Every student should have meaningful

opportunities to choose from upon graduation from high school”.

(United States Department of Education, Blueprint for Reform, available at

http://www2.ed.gov/policy/elsec/leg/blueprint/publication_pg4.html)

What do parents want?

In a survey conducted by Public Agenda, parents of color not only valued K – 12 education, but they actually placed a greater priority on higher education than their white counterparts.

(2000,available at http://www.highereducation.org/reports/expectations/expectations.shtml).

Parents…

…want to feel they have something to offer the school, and that they would be welcome if they came.

…have had their own unique

experiences, either good or bad,

with schools.

Four Corners Activity:How Well Is Your School

Bridging Racial, Class, and Cultural Differences?

Corner #1: This will be hard. Corner #2: This will take time. Corner #3: We could do this easily. Corner #4: We are already doing this.

Four Corners Activity: Four Corners Activity: Promoting Understanding of Promoting Understanding of

Different CulturesDifferent Cultures

Activities and events honor Activities and events honor all the cultures in the school.all the cultures in the school.

Four Corners Activity:Four Corners Activity:Recognizing and Addressing Recognizing and Addressing

Class and Language Class and Language DifferencesDifferences

English-speaking staff and families English-speaking staff and families make an effort to mix with families make an effort to mix with families

who speak other languages.who speak other languages.

Four Corners Activity:Four Corners Activity:Addressing Issues of Addressing Issues of

Race and RacismRace and Racism School staff and families use School staff and families use

books and stories about different books and stories about different groups’ experiences, including groups’ experiences, including American Indians, to stimulate American Indians, to stimulate

discussions about their own discussions about their own backgrounds and values.backgrounds and values.

Four Corners Activity:Four Corners Activity:Welcoming and Respecting Welcoming and Respecting

All FamiliesAll Families

School administrators make School administrators make home visits and ride the school home visits and ride the school bus to familiarize themselves bus to familiarize themselves

with the reality of their students’ with the reality of their students’ circumstances.circumstances.



The school has a system for The school has a system for helping staff and students learn helping staff and students learn how to pronounce all students’ how to pronounce all students’ first and last names correctly.first and last names correctly.



Front office staff are warm and Front office staff are warm and welcoming to all families and welcoming to all families and

visitors and compliment family visitors and compliment family members on their contributions.members on their contributions.

Developing Parent-Friendly Schools for Multicultural Parents

Look at your school Make appropriate changes Develop a resource collection Share the power with parents Involve the students

Advocacy or Apathy?

American Indian Parent Involvement in an Off-

Reservation Middle School

available athttp://www.dakotatesl.com

Beyond the Bake Sale: The Beyond the Bake Sale: The Essential Guide to Family-Essential Guide to Family-

School PartnershipsSchool Partnerships

Anne T. Henderson, Karen L. Mapp, Anne T. Henderson, Karen L. Mapp, Vivian R. Johnson, and Don DaviesVivian R. Johnson, and Don Davies

Published in 2007 by The New PressPublished in 2007 by The New Press

Wendy SandersonWendy Sanderson

Look on the Dakota TESL website:Look on the Dakota TESL website:http://www.dakotatesl.com

-or--or-

Contact via e-mail:Contact via e-mail:[email protected]

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