Training and Professional Development

Professional Development for Teachers and School Staff

Background
Over 40 years of research shows us that involving families and the community contributes to children’s academic and social success. Despite this knowledge, schools and policymakers continue to grapple with ways to effectively engage all groups of parents in the education of their children. Many immigrant, low income and ethnic minority families (95% of the DC public school student population) do not feel welcome at their children’s school, let alone involved, and are marginalized from formal engagement in their child’s school. Parents are viewed as obstacles to their children’s progress and are often blamed for any shortcomings.

Teaching for Change has developed a highly successful approach to parent-school engagement which successfully addresses the limitations of a one-size fits all approach. Tellin’ Stories has been recognized by the Harvard Family Research Project’s National Family, School, and Community Engagement Working Group as one of the most effective approaches in the country for engaging traditionally marginalized parents (2010). Our work is informed by research on best practices for engaging parents to improve student achievement; but most importantly, our work is field-developed and tested with the families so when theory and research conflict with families’ knowledge and experience, we revise our project to best meet the needs of our constituents.

Tellin’ Stories is a unique approach to parent engagement that begins with community building as the basis for leadership and collective action. When parents feel they have the power to change and control their circumstances, their children tend to do better in school. When schools work with families to develop connections, families become powerful allies and advocates for public education. All school staff, from the principal to the custodian, can benefit from learning more about how to work effectively with parents and community members.

For more information, email: Allyson Criner Brown, Associate Director, acbrown@teachingforchange.org.

Cross-City Parent Coordinator Training

Download Flier PDF | Submit Registration

Friday, January 25, 2013, 9:30 AM – 12:30 PM.

Location: American Federation of Teachers, AFL-CIO
555 New Jersey Ave NW Washington, DC 20036
(Union Station Metro)

$45.00 per participant.
Registration fee includes refreshments and all workshop materials. Registration closes December 18. Register online now.

Participants are strongly encouraged to purchase and bring a copy of Moving Beyond Icebreakers to the training.

2012-2013 Cross-City Parent Coordinator Trainings:

• Sep 21 – “Creating a Family Engagement Plan and Strengthening Cross-Cultural Relationships”
• Nov 16 – “Family Engagement and Multiculturalism”
• Jan 25 – “How to Have Better Parent Meetings”
• Mar 22 – TBD
• May 24 – TBD