Family Involvement Process Step One

1. Defining Family Involvement

Let’s begin our discussion of parent involvement by thinking about it
from several different perspectives:

A . First, think about it from the perspective of a child.
When you were a child, how did your parents involve themselves in your education…?

B . Next, think of parent involvement from the perspective of a parent.
As a parent yourself, how do you (or did you- or will you) get involved in your children’s education…?

C . Finally, think of parent involvement from the perspective of an educator.
What comes to mind when you think of your current position How do the parents of your students
involve themselves in their children’s education…?


Often, the discussion regarding a child’s perspective will lead to stories about
“olden times,” when parents didn’t often come to the school, but were extremely
supportive of their children as they completed their homework.

Often mentioned are parents’ attendance at extra-curricular activities, and parent’s “unquestioning”
support of the teacher and the school.

Sometimes mentioned are “uncertainties” (from a parent’s perspective)
regarding how much parent involvement a teacher actually wants…and from a teacher’s perspective,
individual preferences regarding how much engagement, and the type of engagement that they experience
from the parents of their current students.

• Having a clear definition of family involvement that is shared by all PBS stakeholders is critical to the
  success of family involvement.
  
• Examining your beliefs and values as they relate to working with families is a key factor that impacts
  the quality and success of involvement efforts.
  
  
  Parents'Corner • Looking at Research • Successful Schools • Suggestions for Involving Families
   PBS Family Involvement Resources • Family Resources