Resources for Educators
Family Engagement with Friday CAFÉ
Friday CAFÉ is a peer-to-peer learning network for any professional who supports family engagement in schools. Sessions take place one Friday morning each month during the school year in interesting locations across the state; attendance is free. Participants enjoy a brief talk on a given topic followed by facilitated discussion and networking. The opening talk is videotaped and posted online. Friday CAFÉ offers community, encouragement, uplift, and a platform to share emerging best practices. Visit the website for upcoming dates and to sign up for monthly notices. Sponsored by CSDE, CREC, SERC and our Advisory Group.
Families as Partners in Learning
Building Powerful Partnerships with Families:
Linking Family Engagement to Student Learning Goals. The CT State Department of Education worked with national experts to create a tool for parents and teachers that links school-family partnerships to goals of the school improvement plan. This online video coaching toolkit helps teachers and parents co-create grade-level home learning activities that are linked to classroom curriculum and key student achievement goals. The website includes sample templates and tools along with a step-by-step process developed with schools in Connecticut and now being used in other states. This model is consistent with the requirements for Title I School-Parent Compacts but is applicable to any school that wants to collaborate with families to align school and home learning for children's academic achievement.
National Family Engagement Resources For Educators related to COVID-19 and school closures
Engaging Families from a Distance
- Best practices for using strategic automated messaging to enhance communication to students and their families. Source: Proving Ground, Harvard University.
Messages that Motivate: How to Craft Great Messages for Parents
- Video presentation on how to create text messages and emails that motivate and empower families to leverage teachable moments at home. Source: Ready4K
Tools for Educators to Listen to and Learn from Families During COVID-19 School Closures
- This document provides guidance for educators to listen to families and learn how they and their school can be most supportive during COVID-19 school closures. It offers sample emails, call scripts, and post-conversation reflection and action. Available in English and Spanish. Source: The Metropolitan Center for Research on Equity and the Transformation of Schools at NYU
- This guide provides school staff with a framework to connect with families and to let families know that staff are thinking of them, concerned about them and are available as a resource. Source: Flamboyan Foundation
E-Learning Overload: 8 Tips Educators Can Give Frustrated, Anxious Parents
- Tips that educators can share with parents as the pandemic plays out. Source: EdWeek
Supporting Families and COVID-19: We’ve Got to Get This Right
- Ideas to help support families during the COVID-19 health crisis, especially those families most impacted and most vulnerable. Source: STEM Next Opportunity Fund.
The Parent Toolkit
The Parent Toolkit is a “one-stop shop” resource that was produced and developed with parents in mind. Produced by NBC News Learn and supported by Pearson and includes information about almost every aspect of your child’s development, because they're all connected.
Visit the Social Emotional Development Toolkit to get started