1. Planning for improvingPlanning for improving
relationships in yourrelationships in your
classroom, your school orclassroom, your school or
your community.your community.
Peer Assessment TwoPeer Assessment Two

2. The importance of parent involvement forThe importance of parent involvement for
student successstudent success
Teachers and parents must become strategic
allies and participate in meaningful, two-way
communication that supports student learning both
inside and outside the classroom.

3. Communication between teachers and parents is no longer
an option; it’s a requirement. As the Goals 2000 Education
American Act states, “it [parent communication] is not an
option for federally funded schools,” writes Lisa Lyons in An
Assessment of Classroom Communication with Ethnically
Diverse Parents.

4. …“Schools must reach out to parents and
seek to promote partnership with them.
Since it is a requirement, schools and
teachers must figure out a way to best
communicate with parents and families.”

5. Effectively engaging parents and
families in the education of their children
has the potential to be far more
transformational than any other type of
education reform.

8. It’s tough for teachers to take on any more tasks than they
already have. Wearing so many different hats –
psychologist, nurse, guidance counselor, behavior
specialist, bathroom monitor – creates tremendous stress
and often hinders effective communication with anything
that’s not an emergency. Fortunately, implementing
effective communication between parents and teachers not
only solves a number of classroom issues but also helps
prevent problems from happening in the first place.
Educational transformation begins withEducational transformation begins with
effective parent-teacher communication.effective parent-teacher communication.
Teacher-parent communication is the missing ingredient of
successful student engagement. Without it, student
achievement suffers. With it, we can transform education!

10. Working with your colleagues
and school leaders

11. Working with your colleagues and schoolWorking with your colleagues and school
leadersleaders
Different Perspectives on SchoolDifferent Perspectives on School
ImprovementImprovement
1. People Change
2. Systems Change
3. Planned Change

12. Correlates of Effective SchoolsCorrelates of Effective Schools
- Safe & Orderly Environment -- Safe & Orderly Environment -
In the effective school, there is an orderly,
purposeful, business-like atmosphere that is free
from the threat of physical harm.
The school climate is not oppressive and is
conducive to teaching and learning.

13. Clear and Focused MissionClear and Focused Mission
In the effective school, there
is a clearly articulated
mission through which the
staff share an under-
standing of and a
commitment to the
instructional goals, priorities,
assessment procedures,
and accountability. Staff
accept responsibility for
students’ learnings of the
school’s essential curricular
goals.

14. Climate of HighClimate of High
Expectations for SuccessExpectations for Success
In the effective school,
staff believes and
demonstrates that all
students can master the
essential school skills
and that they have the
ability to help all
students attain that
mastery.

15. Opportunity to Learn &Opportunity to Learn &
Student Time on TaskStudent Time on Task
In the effective school, a
significant amount of
classroom time is
dedicated to instruction
in essential skills. For a
high percentage of this
time, students are
engaged in whole-class
or large-group, planned,
teacher-directed
learning activities.

16. Frequent Monitoring ofFrequent Monitoring of
Student ProgressStudent Progress
In the effective school,
student academic progress
is measured frequently
using a variety of
assessment procedures.
Results are used to
improve both individual
student performance and
instruction.

17. Positive Home-School RelationsPositive Home-School Relations
In the effective school,
parents understand and
support the school’s
basic mission and are
given the opportunity to
play an important role in
helping the school to
achieve this mission.