The Daily Riff - BE SMARTER. ABOUT EDUCATION.

Most people are resistant to change. It is comfortable to find your niche and stay there. But you have to wonder how comfortable it is when parents and teachers don't support each other and don't get along. That is what happens when parents are seen as a volunteer pool and bank accounts. Pretty much what you just said.

Change will happen when parents and teachers think about how their comments affect each other. When people empathize with each other and consider the impact of what they have to say before they say it, you will see change.

Conversations about students and for students provide an opportunity to engage in discussions in which each others opinions are valued.

Student led parent teacher conferences are one way to start conversations that centre on students and centre on their work. Focused on student learning these conversations let parents know what their child is learning, how the teacher is teaching and what parents can do to support their child.

For those who don't show up - I hear that a lot - "the parents that need to come don't turn up" Don't condemn - understand why they don't and find away to accommodate their issues. Technology might help parents who work double shifts or can't get to school - where there is a will their is a way. Web conferencing and desktop sharing?
That's the crux - there has to be the will to make a change.
(and yes there is something in the water)

Thank you for the acknowledgement in this effort! In spite of the water :), the confusion continues a lot about the various definitions and visions of parent involvment "out there". The way it is pushed and pulled, and by whom, affects change as well.

I do often wonder if there is much understanding of the differences that do exist in how parent involvement looks like across borders. Not just Canada and the US, but also variation in process and structures supporting parent participation in our different Cdn. provinces. For example, the role of school level parent groups in Ont. is one of advisory to the principal. The role in BC is similar, but they do have some voting/say in school budget and planning.

The US has gone a lot further in what parents can vote on at the school level it seems (e.g. staffing and charter status). I may not understand fully and I sense a lot of differences from state to state as well. It seems that parents in Canada have a lot less "klout" like that :), and I am okay with that. But I wonder what assumptions are made in the broader conversations.

I could go on, but maybe it is best to let others jump in here. Good comments, Lorna. And like you said, the tech tools are there....we may just be lacking in the empowerment of their use.

Lorna -
You are so right-on here about empathy and other issues, yet I do believe it is mainly there already. It seems as if both parents and teachers are so programmed or expected to act a certain way - that opportunities are blown (where the student is ultimately the one who loses here). Role-playing instead of just having a "real"conversation.

Glad to discover your video and site - your video is particularly intriguing (we should put it up on TDR) - LOVE your middle concept.
I've personally have had these "middle" conversations w/some teachers (with and w/o daughter present, depending on age/appropriateness) and they are MAGIC. They can be a little discombobulating esp. at first (new territory - Whoa!), but ultimately so rewarding and freeing for student/parent/teacher. I've also had the "other kind" of conversation - both as parent and other side as coach-
always a missed opportunity.

One thing needed to add to your comment (and esp. knowing it's a comment, not a definitive white paper :) ;) re: student-led conference which focus on "the work" (yes!) and which include "what parents can do to support the child":

.... what specific things the child will try to enhance their learning,
what specific things the teacher will do enhance this child's learning (could be as simple as providing additional resources to try, ) . . .

Judging from your site and video, you already are walking this talk -
kids really need to be a part of this - voice and responsibility.

Sheila -
Know there is an article somewhere that asks why Americans aren't looking at Canadian and NZed education for some cues (rather than just the Asian countries)- Have look in my bookmarks- does anyone have it? :)

I struggle with the gist of your points all the time. Here is the the thing: If parents are not having real conversations with their kids, with teachers and administrators - of substance - they will always have less klout because they may appear to be/can be less "articulate" about a host of issues, such as assessment. These parents may also be intimidated/ led by more vocal parent(s), those with more free time, or those with special interests steering them in a certain direction.

So I'm not totally convinced on parent groups ( who are the parents - do they really represent parents) or parent-teacher groups - the concept is great and works on a certain level.

I've become . .. .. and more interested . . . .in one student/one family/one teacher at-a-time - - - - -that really can be the catalyst for a much more powerful change overall. This is not for big "policy" people since it flies in the face of "scalability."
Any parent with two kids or more will admit a school or teacher may "work" better for one child vs. another, at any given time during their school experience for various reasons (no doubt, the parent who understands this will have kids who fare better, but that's another issue).

One of my favorite answers from a (highly esteemed) teacher when I asked "What is the most difficult part of your job?" (4th grade). Her answer?

"I love this age. I can have such an influence on their impressions. But the most difficult thing is not that they are all so different, but each child is so different EVERY DAY."

Any parent will relate to that comment, rather than some other disconnect. For a parent, what worked with their child in 5th grade, doesn't work in 6th grade (not all the basics - like love, patience, etc. - but some of the other stuff).

Parents and teachers are having different conversations - at some point - we like to have The Daily Riff and Parent POW merge so they are not different conversations.

We are working on that now - we'd love to have posts grow and cross-post more often than not.

Maybe this comment will be my next post - It's late - hope made sense tonight
Thanks for bringing up the group-parent concept as it may relate to the one-to-one concept of parental involvement.

To clarify - we'd like to have some of the conversations cross-pollinate more often (not to have The Daily Riff merge with Parent POW).

Hi - Finally back as I promised you! Your response above did make sense! We are on similar wave lengths! I used the organized parent group as an example, but I do recognize the many other aspects of parent participation in education - and value all. But I did want to come back to the parent group part because of your insightful comments, and hope that it adds to our reflecting here.

In Ontario, the organized and mandated parent committees at school and board level have a lot of legislation that outlines their function and membership. The structure and function is also clear that these committees were set up to outreach to their associated school's/area's community/parents. The whole framework was intended to be a broader, inclusive outreach, and was never intended to have something come into place where only the vocal parents, or the ones at the table, or the ones who can spend more time at the school would have the bigger say in school operation or goverance, etc.

However, what I see has happened a fair bit, is that is what has been allowed to happen. If the groups aren't supported and empowered by staff to reach out and have more voices represented, it is hard to do. I am hearing struggles with such attempts to do so all the time -- so as volunteers trying to lead this, it is not the best position to always be in. Sometimes it is that approach that is simply not wanted.

So if that continues to be the case, it puts into question the effectiveness and representation of the organized structure of involvement. But if we go with trying to foster what works on the individual, one-to-one level then who does that fall on to facilitate effectively? And where can trust and relationships flourish?

I recognize all the short-comings that there may be with parent groups (believe me :)), but yet I have seen such value in them as a parent go-to kind of thing for a solution to a problem. Just like much in education, not all is perfect, but we have to find those good stories to keep us going, if not build on them. There are no easy answers for sure.

Thanks for all the dialogue you have encouraged!

I've had much feedback to your recent point about parent groups. I'm not against parent groups, but just not focusing on them since they may become the default go-to in the sense that "someone else" will take care of it. Hear your point and am also do not want to short-change the impact - there is a quote that someone told me recently that addresses your POV - I'll definitely tweet you when I find and use it in an upcoming post. Thanks for comment.

To be continued . . . .

Didn't find the original article about Canadian education (Ontario specifically) but wanted to give the link to an article we tweeted when it broke a few days ago (Canada finally gets its due - the next darling in the education press over Finland?)

Via The Economist:
http://www.economist.com/node/21529014