Working Together

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Working Together School-Family-Community
Partnerships A Toolkit for New MexicoSchool
Communities Module 3 Enhancing Student Learning

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Background

• The Toolkit was sponsored by New Mexico Public
  Education Department (NMPED) and developed by the
  Center for the Education and Study of Diverse
  Populations (CESDP)
• It is based on the six national standards for
  family involvement of the National PTA
• It is available in hard copy, on CD and on the
  web www.ped.state.nm.us
• www.cesdp.nmhu.edu

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Overview of Six Toolkit Modules
1. Improving Communication 2. Promoting
Positive Parenting 3. Enhancing Student
Learning 4. Increasing Volunteerism 5.
Supporting Decision Making and
Advocacy 6. Collaborating with the Community
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Goals for Module 3

• Provide tools to measure and improve
  school-family-community partnerships.
• Develop strategies to improve homework relevancy
  and engage families in student learning at home.
• Examine strategies for integrating languages and
  cultures of students into instruction.
• Review standards-based education and strategies
  for communicating student expectations.

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New Mexico Teacher Competencies

• The New Mexico 3-Tiered Licensure Competencies
  include competencies
• and differentiated indicators that apply to
• Module 3 Enhancing Student Learning.
• This training can assist in fulfilling
• requirements for teacher Professional
• Development Plans (PDP).

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Competency 1


The teacher accurately demonstrates knowledge of
the content areaapproved curriculum. Relevant
Master Teacher - Level III Indicator B.
Teacher provides clear explanations relating to
lesson content and procedures in multiple ways
and is aware of knowledge and preconceptions that
students can bring to the subject.
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Competency 3
The teacher communicates with and obtains
feedback from students in a manner that enhances
student learning and understanding. Relevant
Master Teacher - Level III Indicator A.
Engages students in explaining and/or
demonstrating the relevance of topics and
activities.
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Competency 4

• The teacher comprehends the principles of student
  growth, development, and learning and applies
  them appropriately.
• Relevant Master Teacher - Level III Indicator
• Selects the most effective teaching techniques
  to address a variety of student learning levels,
  rates, styles, and needs, as well as diverse
  interests and backgrounds.
• For more information and a complete listing of
  competencies and leveled performance indicators
  visit www.teachnm.org

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Activity Teacher Self-Assessment

• Divide into small groups of no morethan six.
• Individually, complete and date the
• Teacher Self-Assessment Rubric for
• Enhancing Student Learning included
• in the handouts.
• Discuss findings as a small group and record
  strengths and needs.
• Discuss how you may be able to use this rubric in
  a teacher PDP.
• Report out to the group.

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Why Learning at Home is Important

• Results for Students
• More positive attitude about homework and school
• Better homework completion and
• Improved self-confidence as a learner.

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Why Learning at Home is Important

• Results for Parents
• Improved knowledge of how to support, encourage
  and help children at home
• Deeper understanding of instructional program and
  what children are
• learning and
• Increased discussion at home about school, class
  work, and future plans.

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Why Learning at Home is Important

• Results for Teachers
• Homework designs vary including interactive
  assignments
• Family time is respected
• Recognition of helpfulness of ALL families in
  motivating and reinforcing student learning and
• Increased satisfaction with family involvement
  and support.
• 
  Adapted from Epstein et al., (2004)

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Redefinitions of Familiar Terms

• Homework can mean not only work done alone, but
  also interactive activities shared with others at
  home or in the community, linking schoolwork to
  real life.
• Help at home can include encouraging,
  listening, reacting, praising, guiding,
  monitoring, and discussing as well as helping
  with homework activities.
• Adapted from Epstein et al., (2004)

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True or False?

10 more families involved in their childs
education has more effect on student learning
than 10 more teachers in the classroom. Source
Playing Their Parts, www.publicagenda.com
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Teachers Top Three Concerns Nationally

Teachers feel that families should 1) check to
make sure homework is completed, done correctly,
and offer child help when needed. 2) set limits,
provide structure, and hold children accountable
for behavior and school performance. 3) monitor
and set limits on TV watching, computer use, and
videogame playing. Source Playing Their Parts,
www.publicagenda.com
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Homework Struggles

• What Families say
• 50 of parents report having major fights with
  yelling and crying over homework.
• 49 of families have walked away and let their
  children deal with the consequences of unfinished
  homework.
• 22 have done part of their childs homework
  because it was too difficult or the child was too
  tired.
• Source Playing Their Parts, www.publicagenda.com

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Activity Homework StrugglesWhat Teachers Can Do

• Take time to teach homework
• Be flexible and individualize
• Involve parents
• Follow-up

Activity In small groups review the handout
Overcoming Homework Struggles

• Discuss strengths and challenges of strategies
  included.
• Include additional successful strategies.
• Prepare to share with whole group.

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Activity All About Homework What Parents Can Do

• Activity Take 15 minutes to review the handout
  All About Homework and respond to the following
  questions in your small groups.
• How might you use this tool with families? What
  modifications would you make?
• What strategies for supporting parents in helping
  children with their homework have been
  successful? What hasnt worked
• and why?
• 3. How can teachers and parents become better
  partners in education?

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Integrating Diverse Languagesand Cultures into
Instruction


Students and parents may become more engaged in
learning at home if curriculum and homework
assignments incorporatethe perspectives and
history of the ethnicand cultural groups living
in yourschool community. Source James A. Banks,
(1991)
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Activity Integrating Diversity

• In a small group, review the handout Integrating
  Culture and Language into Instruction.
• On chart paper, put the following categories in
  four columns
• Contributions,
• Additive,
• Transformative, and
• Decision Making/Social Action.
• Review the examples of each category in the
  handout and then as a group, list all
  instructional strategies you have found to be
  successful under each category.

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A Brief Look at Standards

• Fairness and effectiveness are at the heart of
  the rationale for academic standards.
• Standards provide common language and shared
  expectations for teaching and learning.
• The NM Standards are available through the Public
  Education Department (PED) and the Center for the
  Education and Study of Diverse Populations
  (CESDP).

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Activity Defining and Implementing Standards

• In small groups review the handouts
• Definitions of Standards, Benchmarks,
• and Performance Standards
• Strategies to Implement
• Standards-Based Education
• Questions and Answers About Student Expectations
  in NM
• Discuss strengths and needs for improvement in
  the implementation of standards-based education
  in your school.
• Consider how you communicate student expectations
  and the standards to families.

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Best Practice Recommendations

• Keep efforts focused on two-way communication
  about homework.
• Integrate the languages and cultures of the
  school community.
• Learn to recognize and build on the strengths of
  families.
• Be clear with students and families about NM
  Standards and Benchmarks and how they guide
  teaching and learning.

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Activity Teacher Reflection

• Reflect on the workshop and the strategies you
  have learned to enhance student learning.
• Refer again to the
• Teacher Self-Assessment Rubric.
• Then review the Teacher Reflection tool for this
  module and take 10 minutes to individually
  complete the Plan for Improvement Column.

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Inside the Toolkit

• Teacher Tools Resources
• Worth a Click Links
• Overcoming Homework Struggles
• Tips for Homework Success
• Integrating Culture and Language
• Culture Friendly Classrooms
• Standards-Based Education
• Career Planning
• Working with English Language Learners
• Test Taking Skills

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Inside the Toolkit

• Family Tools Resources
• Worth a Click Links
• How to Help Children Succeed in School
• Tips for Parents
• All About Homework
• Children and the Internet
• Helping Children with Reading at Home
• Helping Children Prepare for the Future
• Q A About Student Expectations
• All About New Mexico Standards
• Why Standards Are So Important

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Activity Where do we go from here?

• How can we use what we learned inthis workshop
  in our schools, homes,and communities?

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To Learn More

• Access the complete School-Family Partnerships
  Toolkit with resources, references, and websites
  at
• www.ped.state.nm.us
• www.cesdp.nmhu.edu
• Complete Evaluation Form

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