So let me make sure I’ve got this right. If you want parents to be involved in your school — even low-income parents — you have to call them? You mean, like on the telephone?!?
(H/T: Joanne Jacobs)
Do you teach in New York City?
- Lesson planning resources in all subjects
- Communicate and collaborate with other teachers
- Links and local resources to extend student learning
The Disclaimer
The views, conclusions and opinions of authors, contributors and commenters on the Core Knowledge Blog are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Core Knowledge Foundation.
Recent Comments
- Nancy Flanagan on “Infantilizing Our Kids Into Incompetence”
- Anonymous on “Infantilizing Our Kids Into Incompetence”
- Robert Pondiscio on Required Reading
- FeFe on Required Reading
- Anonymous on Required Reading
- Nancy Flanagan on Required Reading
- Kelsey Parker on Required Reading
- Anonymous on Oh Say Can You C.E.?
- Gina on Required Reading
- Paul Hoss on Required Reading
Recent Posts
- “Infantilizing Our Kids Into Incompetence”
- Required Reading
- Oh Say Can You C.E.?
- Neologism Watch
- Core Knowledge Quiz: Springsteen Study Guide Edition
- Ed Blogger Named to Common Standards Panel
- Congress to Consider Expanding Troops to Teachers Program
- Are You Meeping Kidding Me?
- Winston Churchill, Developing Writer
- Give It Away
Authors
Education Links
- Bridging Differences
- Class Struggle – Jay Mathews
- Common Core
- Curriculum Matters
- D-Ed Reckoning
- Dan Willingham @ Britannica Blog
- Eduwonk.com
- Finding Excellent Teachers
- Flypaper
- GreatSchools Blog
- Jay P. Greene’s Blog
- Joanne Jacobs
- Kitchen Table Math
- Public School Insights
- The Center for Education Reform
- The Charter Blog (National Alliance for Public Charter Schools)
- The Educated Reporter
- The Education Gadfly
- The Quick and the Ed
- This Week in Education
My only child just started kindergarten. I am so intimidated by the school. I want to be involved and I’d do anything they ask. I just made my second phone call re: “How do I volunteer?” and finally got the info about getting fingerprinted so I can be approved.
As a new parent to the school system I’d recommend the schools give parents the info on how they can become volunteers (some schools offer classes, ours doesn’t) and then ask for the help.
Districts/schools seem to vary greatly on how “volunteer friendly” they are.
Our district doesn’t require fingerprinting for parents who aren’t going to be left unsupervised with kids, and generally at the first PTA meeting and at back-to-school night there are sign-up sheets and lots of encouragement.
But I’ve heard of schools in other states that don’t allow parents to volunteer.
OK, OK, we know where this is going. Some people don’t have telephones, although with the advent of the cell phone this has changed a bit (one of the big barriers in the past were the big deposits and installation costs on land lines) in low-income neighborhoods. But, you are missing the point. I have spent considerable time organizing folks in low-income neighborhoods and the power of invitation is an important one. Not only is no one psychic and likely to offer services towards an undiscovered need, but many folks are very willing to help out when asked.
One might also think about how different it is to be asked to help because someone values your contribution to being required to show up, especially is someone has determined that you (or your child) has done something bad and needs to be fixed.