This document discusses using social media to engage families in education. It suggests schools meet parents where they are, including utilizing popular tools like Twitter, Facebook, blogs and Skype. Examples are given of a principal who connected with parents through these channels and increased attendance at meetings. Benefits mentioned include keeping parents informed of school events and lessons, and strengthening home-school relationships. The document advocates for ongoing training of parents and teachers and tailoring communication strategies to best reach each family.

1. Joe Mazza, Ed.D.
Social Media To Engage Families
Twitter: @Joe_Mazza
Voxer: Joe_Mazza
Web: leadlearner.com / gse.upenn.edu/midcareer
Skype: leadlearner
Email: mazzajos@gse.upenn.edu

2. Today’s Agenda
Shared problem
Shared action plan
Research shared with all stakeholders
Shared actions
Shared next steps
Parents’ perspectives shared

3. SHARED
Collaborative
Transparent
Partnership
Relationship
Relational trust
Implemented with (not to)

4. Image credit: http://www.secularstudents.org
Family engagement insanity = continuing
to expect parents to come to us...

5. Schools Must Meet Parents Where They
Are If They Are Committed to Building &
Maintaining Partnerships
460,000 people sign up for Twitter accounts each day. 70% of these sign-ups
are aged 18-35. (Pew Internet Study, 2013) What is the significance?
Supporting Post - Case for eFACE

6. Where to begin?

7. Invest in Communication Without Technology
Talk to parents about what they need to become partners with the school.
Surveys, meetings, research sharing. (Epstein, 2011)

8. Invest in face to face two-way
communication - A foundation or home
button for home-school partnerships
Image credit: inspiredmamadesigns.blogspot.com
Supporting Post: Leadership “Home Button”

9. Using tech tools to
build a connected
learning community.
Our “Size” @KnappElementary
•Students: 600, K-6
•Home languages: 23
•Free/reduced lunch: 43%
•Many other * facets to consider
Community is not
one size fits all.
Supporting Post - Building a connected learning community

10. Joined Twitter Summer 2011
as “@Joe_Mazza”
Began following 10
@NMHS_Principal
@LarryFerlazzo
@ShellTerrell
@ChrisWejr
@GCouros
@Cybraryman1
@TomWhitby
@ChrisLehmann
@webclassroom
@l_hilt
Image credit: coroflot.com
Supporting Post - Parents’ Guide to Twitter

11. Social media based PD is now
available where teacher preparation
and educational leadership
programs miss the mark.
Three areas educators tell us they need
more support:

12. Family engagement
Technology integration
Collaborative transparency

13. FACE
Family And Community Engagement
Dr. Joyce Epstein Dr. Karen Mapp Dr. Anne Henderson Dr. Steve Constantino
Many years of action research

14. Epstein’s 6 Types of Involvement
Image credit: http://www.csos.jhu.edu/p2000/nnps_model/school/sixtypes.htm

15. Family Engagement Core Values
1) All parents have dreams for their children and want the best for them.
2) All parents have the capacity to support their children's learning.
3) Parents and school staff should be equal partners.
4) The responsibility for building partnerships between school and home rests
primarily with school staff, especially school leaders.
(Henderson & Mapp, 2006)
Supporting Post - How to do you know you’re open to partnership?

16. FACE
Family And Community Engagement
Dr. Joyce Epstein Dr. Karen Mapp Dr. Anne Henderson Dr. Steve Constantino
Many years of action research

17. eFACE
electronic Family And Community Engagement
voicemail
Email
fax machine
P.A. system
460,000 per day (Pew Internet Survey)

18. What is the impact of social media tools like
Facebook, Blogs & Twitter on home-school
partnerships?

19. Dissertation: Principals Use of Social Media
to Connect Home & School
-> 3 Principals
-> 3 Parent leadership groups
-> Actual social media evidence

20. Shared eFACE
Efforts Implemented
@KnappElementary

21. Supporting Post - Monthly Home & School 2.0 Meetings
Average parent-teacher-community attendance = 43 (pre live feed option = 13)
anymeeting.com

22. “Meet Families Where They Are”
What does that mean for your school?

23. Plant the seeds. Provide ongoing training for parents & teachers.

24. Supporting Post - 12 Reasons to Get your School Tweeting

25. Global Skype with other
classrooms full of students to
bring the learning alive
#MysterySkype @CoachYetter
@MrYettersClass
5th grade class in Iowa
Supporting post - 5 Ways...

26. “@KnappElementary: @MissMorrison’s students read their newly
published eBooks to 2nd grade buddies today & will share them
with their family tonight!”
dinner table
Tell me about this book
you published.
Supporting Post - 5 Ways Being Connected Helps My Students

27. Supporting Post: #EdCamp Comes to @KnappElementary

28. parentcamp.org
#EdCamp style PD comes to @KnappElementary

29. Ongoing Face to Face Two-Way Communications
Email Distribution ListFamily Engagement Wiki
Home & School 2.0Twitter
Text Alerts
“Knapp App”?
PollEverywhere
Timekiwi
Remind - Text Alerts
A “MENU” of eFACE efforts grown over time
Google Voice/Text line

30. Our “Menu” of Communications
!Face to Face
!Phone
!Send a note
!Zippslip
!Skype
!E-mail
!Google Text
!Twitter
!P-T Conferences
!Edmodo
!NEW “Knapp App”
!Home & School 2.0 Mtg
Supporting Post - “I’m Overwhelmed with all the technology here.”

31. Evolve your strategies
“Meet families where
they are”
School Facebook page (policy)
Google Voice/Text Line/Remind
Zippslip eCommunication interface
School Digital Family Summit
Student Voice Tweets/Learnings
#PTchat during Home & School Mtg
School hashtag (i.e. #TMSHawkChat)
Skype P-T Conference Options
Off-site tutoring program
#ParentCamp
Supporting Post - Digital Family Summit

32. Free online is now available where
teacher preparation and educational
leadership programs often miss the
mark.

34. Supporting Post - Evolution of Lead Learner by George Couros

35. pennfinn13.wordpress.com
facebook.com/pennfinn13
Learn how Finland uses social
media in education
2014 - Alaska
2015 - South Dakota

36. Family Engagement Wiki
knappwiki.wikispaces.com
Parent Perspectives
Image credit: akademifantasia.org
What are the top 5 Ways Using Social
Media has added to our school?

37. • “I can keep up w/events & activities”
• “I am able to follow along w/what is being taught in class/field
trips” (carrying conversation on at home)
• “It’s easier/more shared educational sites between parents & teachers”
• “I have better relationships with teachers that I might not have gotten to
know in passing at school”
• “Its another way to recognize positive things families & staff do for kids”

38. (family/staff bumper sticker)
SWAG

39. Twitter: @Joe_Mazza
Voxer: Joe_Mazza
Web: leadlearner.com / gse.upenn.edu/midcareer
Skype: leadlearner
Email: mazzajos@gse.upenn.edu