Parent Engagement

We implement our Tellin’ Stories approach at three levels:

• Comprehensive Work in D.C. Public Schools transforms parent-school relationships through a focus on community building, providing weekly workshops for parents and teachers/staff, facilitating principal-parent dialogues, grade level dialogues (see example), community asset mapping, roving readers, establishing academic-based parent-teacher meetings and visits, identifying school-based obstacles to academic achievement, and engaging parents and teachers in actions to address those obstacles.
• Cross-City Parent Leadership trains parent coordinators and parent leaders from local public schools to develop their leadership and organizing skills. Parent leaders expand their understanding of educational issues, enhance their leadership and organizing skills, develop parent-engagement strategies to take citywide and back to individual schools, and have the potential to build cross-city alliances that work towards system-wide improvements.
• National Training on the Tellin’ Stories approach and methodology for parent coordinators and school staff. For example, we have offered training for the St. Louis (MO) Public Schools, Newport News and Hampton (VA) Public Schools,  the National Education Association, and the Maryland State Parental Information Resource Center.

Tellin’ Our Story: How Tellin’ Stories Works in School

Community Building: Tellin’ Stories creates opportunities for families across race, class, language and cultural boundaries to connect to each other and to their school — often for the first time — through the power of story. In our Story Quilting series, each participant shares a story from his/her history and culture on a felt square. As the squares are sewn together, so too are the lives of those who made them. Gathering Information And Developing Skills: Parents gain the tools they need during regular parent meetings to analyze the school climate, the facilities, and the quality of teaching and learning at their school. Identifying And Prioritizing Concerns: By learning to ask the right questions, parents prioritize concerns and determine who has the power to address them most immediately and effectively. Tellin’ Stories supports parents in voicing their concerns at teacher meetings, school board and city council hearings, and in sessions with district wide officials. Taking Action: Parents determine what actions need to be taken to achieve desired results and collectively, with the support of Tellin’ Stories, implement their plans. For example, a group of outraged parents organized a rally outside the 4th District Police Station to demand crossing guards at a busy intersection near their school. Since this visit, a police officer has been assigned to the post. Collaborating: Tellin’ Stories facilitates collaboration among all members of the school, beginning the year with a parent-led community walk. Efforts such as these ensure a safe, healthy learning environment for the children. Pass It On: Through cross-city parent leadership training and coaching, Tellin’ Stories is helping to mobilize highly qualified and committed parent center coordinators and leaders who are eager to strengthen their own family-school programs. Evaluating: Every aspect of Tellin’ Stories’ work involves action and reflection. In addition to an in depth action research project examining the meaningful role parents play in their children’s schools, Tellin’ Stories involves all key stakeholders in assessing our work to increase our impact.