Teaching for Change Pioneers Latino Parent Leadership Training in D.C.
In Washington, D.C. and in cities across the country, cultural and language barriers present some of the biggest challenges to building effective home-school partnerships. Teaching for Change’s parent empowerment initiative has a few methods for overcoming this stumbling block: providing translation services for parent meetings, recruiting multilingual parent leaders, and promoting cultural understanding through community more »
Working Together: Parents and Principal Start the Year with a Critical Dialogue
In a promising start to the 2012-2013 school year, parents at Strong John Thomson Elementary (D.C. Public Schools) convened for the first of many discussions with Principal Carmen Shepherd. Just after the start of the school day on September 7, about 30 parents—a few with toddlers or infants in tow—gathered in the large meeting room more »
Parent Spotlight: Anai Crespo
Anai Crespo, a parent of three at Thomson Elementary School (DCPS), was among the parents who felt marginalized by the school and administration in previous years. Last year, Anai attended our Tellin’ Stories quilting sessions. Since then she has attended nearly every activity facilitated by Teaching for Change. With this opportunity to engage with other parents, more »
Teachers Connect with Families, Neighborhood During Community Walks
On Wednesday, August 22, 2012, parents at Thomson Elementary School (DCPS) led teachers and administrators on a Community Walk through the neighborhood in which many of the families live. More than 60 teachers, parents, and students visited local landmarks and the buildings that many of the school’s Latino families call home. As the group from Thomson progressed more »
Expanding and Deepening Parent Engagement at E.L. Haynes Public Charter School
Teaching for Change worked with E.L. Haynes Public Charter School in Washington, D.C. in the fall of 2010 to increase and diversify parent engagement. Our work at the school is made possible with support from the D.C. Children’s Youth Investment Trust Corporation, the Cafritz Foundation, the Mayor’s Office of Latino Affairs, and the Columbus Foundation. more »
Firsthand View of the School Reform Debate in D.C.
As a national organization based in D.C., Teaching for Change has a firsthand view of school reform in DCPS and the accompanying debates around education reform. Many in the media have portrayed the results of the recent mayoral election as a reflection of the tone but not the substance of the reform. From editorials in more »
Promises, Promises: Parents Say Its Time to Build Our School
As a mother, I feel that we have been meeting and meeting and meeting, and meanwhile the school system is just playing with us.” “What kind of world we will have for our children when no one seems to care about their education.” These were just two of the many comments from parents of Bruce-Monroe more »
