Type 6 - Collaborating with the Community

Today we conclude our 6 Types of Involvement discussion. If you have been following us, we have talked about 5 of Epstein's 6 Types of Involvement.

Type 1 - Parenting
Type 2 - Communicating
Type 3 - Volunteering
Type 4 - Learning at Home
Type 5 - Decision Making
Type 6 - Collaborating with the Community

These leaves us with Type 6, collaborating with the community. Ask yourself, how does my technology center collaborate with the community?

• How does your technology center coordinate resources and services from the community?
• How does it provide resources for families, students, and the school?
  
• How does it provide services to the community?

In today's tough economic times their are opportunities everywhere to partner with your community like hosting job fairs and soft skill workshops to help displaced workers.

Other ideas to work with your community and questions to ask may include....

• Are your business partners active in providing student scholarships through your foundation?
  
• How about getting the local Rotary or Lions Clubs to start a Student of the Year program?
• Have you held a student organization day like Scouting CareerTech?
• Do your CTSO's participate in community events like Adopt a Highway?
• Have you considered hosting a community wide Thanksgiving Meal?
• Maybe invite your community members to a Health and Fitness Night?
  

There are many ways that you can get involved in the community and for the community to get involved with your technology center. These are just a few thoughts and ideas, where will your creativity take you?

I hope that the 6 Types of Parental Involvement have inspired you to start a conversation about how to get parents involved in your students' education. This is not the end of the conversation on this Blog, and I hope it marks the beginning of your conversation with decsion makers on your campus.

By working with and including parents in the educational process, we become more succesful as we transtion students to college and career.

The 6 Types of Parental Involvement were developed by, Dr Joyce Epstein, Director of the National Network of Partnership Schools at John Hopkins University.

Type 5 - Decision Making

How does your technology center include families as participants in technology center and district decisions?

• Do you have parents that sit on advisory committees for the technology center?
  
• Do they sit on advisory committees for career majors?
  
• Does your technology center have a parent committee like a PTO or PTA that gives input into what is happening on campus?

How do you develop parent leaders and representatives?

• Do your involved parents represent the ethnic and economic diversity that is present in your district?
  
• What type of information is shared on your website?
  
• Does it help parents understand what is happening at the technology center or at Board meetings?
  

How "Family Friendly" is your technology center? By developing a culture that embraces the family, you open the possibility for dialogue to exist that will result in parents sharing their concerns, leading to a better learning environment for our students.

FIRST Robotics

Type 4 - Learning at Home

We continue to discuss Epstein's Six Types of Involvement with Learning at Home.

How do you involve families with their children on homework and other curriculum-related activities and decisions?

• Do you give parents information on how they can help their student with "homework" when they bring it home?
  
• Do you prepare a summer learning packet for students? Maybe a summer project that they could design and build over the break?
  
• When was the last calendar of events sent home? Did it include activities that parents can do with their student to reinforce what is being learned in the classroom? (Maybe a trip to the Steam and Gas Engine Show for a historical look at engines and power?)
• Do you let parents know what their students deficiencies are before the Parent Teacher Conference?

What ways are you helping parents assist in the learning process at home?