Make Parents Your Partners Today!

Traditionally, parental involvement in students' lives drops off a great deal between middle and high school. What emerges are the extremes: the "helicopter" parents who question the teacher on every grade and assignment and the "hands off" teachers who is not directly involved with their children's lives at schools.


Ideally, every teacher wants to work with parents who are collaborators, helpers, and advocates for themselves and their children, willing to partner with teachers for the overall success and growth of their child. This is the "happy medium" we would like every parent to embody. 


As someone who is considering a move from the middle to high school teaching level, I am already thinking of creative ways to productively involve my students' parents, especially those who are historically absent from their children's education.


I welcome your thoughts and input on how to achieve this ultimate balance and productive parental relationship.

February 2011 | Volume 53 | Number 2 

Make Parents Your Partners    

By Carole C. Hayward

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Full article available at: http://www.ascd.org/publications/newsletters/education-update/feb11/vol53/num02/ASCD-Community.aspx