This presentation was given at the FutureSchools conference in Sydney 2016. Aimed at educators (particularly those in primary/elementary years) it explores how parents can be used in the classroom to provide a richer learning experience for students.

1. PARENTS AS COLLABORATORS IN THE CLASSROOM | THE SCHOOLHOUSE CENTRE FOR PROGRESSIVE EDUCATION | 1
PARENTS AS
COLLABORATORS
IN THE CLASSROOM

2. PARENTS AS COLLABORATORS IN THE CLASSROOM | THE SCHOOLHOUSE CENTRE FOR PROGRESSIVE EDUCATION | 2
powerful classroom
technology
empoweringdevice forteachers

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Bringing parents into your
classroom as collaborators can
change the way you teach -
and the learning experiences
you create for your students.

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Building parents skills is a
significant investment of time
and effort - but it pays off over
the long term, in your class, in
future classes, and at home.

5. PARENTS AS COLLABORATORS IN THE CLASSROOM | THE SCHOOLHOUSE CENTRE FOR PROGRESSIVE EDUCATION | 5
Brett Rolfe
The Schoolhouse Centre for
Progressive Education
schoolhouse.edu.au
@schoolhouse_au

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TODAY
Who currently volunteers in our classrooms?
What does the research tell us?
What does best practice look like?
What can you do differently on Monday?

8. PARENTS AS COLLABORATORS IN THE CLASSROOM | THE SCHOOLHOUSE CENTRE FOR PROGRESSIVE EDUCATION | 8
WHO CURRENTLY
VOLUNTEERS
IN OUR CLASSROOMS?

9. PARENTS AS COLLABORATORS IN THE CLASSROOM | THE SCHOOLHOUSE CENTRE FOR PROGRESSIVE EDUCATION | 9
35%
65% 61%
39%
MUMS DADS
Lots of parents* volunteer at some point.
*AND GRANDPARENTS ETC.

10. PARENTS AS COLLABORATORS IN THE CLASSROOM | THE SCHOOLHOUSE CENTRE FOR PROGRESSIVE EDUCATION | 10
0%
12.5%
25%
37.5%
50%
Occasional <1hr/wk About 1hr/wk 2-3 hr/wk 4+ hr/wk
MUMS
DADS
Mums generally volunteer more time.

11. PARENTS AS COLLABORATORS IN THE CLASSROOM | THE SCHOOLHOUSE CENTRE FOR PROGRESSIVE EDUCATION | 11
CURRENT VOLUNTEERS
Only about 1 in 8 primary school parents currently volunteer,
mostly for less than an hour a week.
12%

12. PARENTS AS COLLABORATORS IN THE CLASSROOM | THE SCHOOLHOUSE CENTRE FOR PROGRESSIVE EDUCATION | 12
0%
12.5%
25%
37.5%
50%
18-29 30-39 40-49 50-59 60+
Current volunteers are generally 30-49.

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Postgrad
15% Undergrad
46%
TAFE
27%
High school
12%
Most current volunteers have tertiary education.

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READING
ART&CRAFT
MATERIALSPREP
EXCURSIONS
SPORT&PE
MATHS
1:1TUTORING
CLASSLOGISTICS
CO-TEACHING
TECHEXPERTISE
BEHAVIOURMGT
GENERALHELP
PASTORALCARE
GAMES&PLAY
RELIGIOUSED
SPECIALNEEDS
COOK&SEW
Reading is the most popular of a wide range of activities

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NET PROMOTER SCORE: HOW LIKELY WOULD YOU BE TO RECOMMEND
VOLUNTEERING IN THE CLASSROOM TO ANOTHER PARENT?
0 10 20 30
HEALTHINSURANCE
(+12)
ISP(-3)
SMARTPHONE(+40)
CURRENT
VOLUNTEERS(+34)
EVERVOLUNTEERED(+26)
ALLPARENTS(-9)
Many parents don’t see the benefits of
volunteering in their child’s classroom.
SOURCE: SATMETRIX 2015 CONSUMER NET PROMOTER BENCHMARKS

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Kids today.
They’re not like
they used to be.
It’s not my
place to
interfere.
I don’t ask teachers
to come to my work
and help me.
What reasons do parents
give for not volunteering
in the classroom?

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It’s personally
rewarding, and
connects you to
your child’s life.
Children
benefit from
their parents’
involvement.
It helps teachers,
kids, the school and
the community.
What reasons do parents
give for volunteering in
the classroom?

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WHAT DOES THE
RESEARCH
TELL US?

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Children’s attitude and achievement
benefit from parental engagement
with school, particularly for students
from disadvantaged backgrounds.“BORGONOVI, F. AND G. MONTT (2012) PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT IN SELECTED PISA COUNTRIES AND ECONOMIES. OECD EDUCATION WORKING PAPERS, NO. 73, OECD PUBLISHING.
EPSTEIN, J. L. (1992) SCHOOL AND FAMILY PARTNERSHIPS. IN M. AKIN (ED.), ENCYCLOPEDIA OF EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH (2ND ED., PP. 1139-1151). NEW YORK: MACMILLAN.
PUSHOR, D. (2007). PARENT ENGAGEMENT: CREATING A SHARED WORLD. ONTARIO MINISTRY OF EDUCATION.

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Teachers aides and smaller class
sizes provide significant benefits
- if teachers adapt their
way of teaching.
ANDERSON, L. W. (2000). WHY SHOULD REDUCED CLASS SIZE LEAD TO INCREASED STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT? IN M. C. WANG, & J. D. FINN (EDS.), HOW SMALL CLASSES HELP
TEACHERS DO THEIR BEST. PHILADELPHIA: TEMPLE UNIVERSITY CENTER FOR RESEARCH IN HUMAN DEVELOPMENT.
EVERTSON, C. M. (2000) PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF CLASS SIZE REDUCTION. IN M. C. WANG, & J. D. FINN (EDS.), HOW SMALL CLASSES HELP
TEACHERS DO THEIR BEST. PHILADELPHIA: TEMPLE UNIVERSITY CENTER FOR RESEARCH IN HUMAN DEVELOPMENT.
MOLNAR, A., SMITH, P. AND ZAHORIK, J. (1999) EVALUATING THE SAGE PROGRAM: A PILOT PROGRAM IN TARGETED PUPIL-TEACHER REDUCTION IN WISCONSIN. EDUCATION
AND POLICY ANALYSIS. PP. 165-177.
“

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Working with parents as
collaborators requires significant
investment of time and a willingness
to challenge pre-existing ideas.
WILLIS, L. (2009). A MULTILITERACIES PROJECT IN THE MIDDLE SCHOOL: PARENTS AS COTEACHERS. WILLIS, L. (2013) PARENT-TEACHER ENGAGEMENT: A COTEACHING AND
COGENERATIVE DIALOGUING APPROACH. (DOCTORAL DISSERTATION, QUEENSLAND UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY) RETRIEVED FROM HTTP://EPRINTS.QUT.EDU.AU/63306/1/
LINDA-DIANNE_WILLIS_THESIS.PDF
WILLIS, L. (2013) PARENT-TEACHER ENGAGEMENT: A COTEACHING AND COGENERATIVE DIALOGUING APPROACH. (DOCTORAL DISSERTATION, QUEENSLAND UNIVERSITY OF
TECHNOLOGY) RETRIEVED FROM HTTP://EPRINTS.QUT.EDU.AU/63306/1/LINDA-DIANNE_WILLIS_THESIS.PDF
“

22. PARENTS AS COLLABORATORS IN THE CLASSROOM | THE SCHOOLHOUSE CENTRE FOR PROGRESSIVE EDUCATION | 22
Collaborating with parents results
in richer classroom experiences,
and broader impacts on
community attitudes.
SYMEOU, L. (2002) VALUING PARENTS AS CO-EDUCATORS: A TEACHER-PARENT PARTNERSHIP PROJECT IN CYPRUS. RETRIEVED FROM HTTP://WWW.HFRP.ORG/PUBLICATIONS-
RESOURCES/PUBLICATIONS-SERIES/FAMILY-INVOLVEMENT-RESEARCH-DIGESTS/VALUING-PARENTS-AS-CO-EDUCATORS-A-TEACHER-PARENT-PARTNERSHIP-PROJECT-IN-
CYPRUS
WILLIS, L. (2013) PARENT-TEACHER ENGAGEMENT: A COTEACHING AND COGENERATIVE DIALOGUING APPROACH. (DOCTORAL DISSERTATION, QUEENSLAND UNIVERSITY OF
TECHNOLOGY) RETRIEVED FROM HTTP://EPRINTS.QUT.EDU.AU/63306/1/LINDA-DIANNE_WILLIS_THESIS.PDF
“

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WHAT DOES
BEST PRACTICE
LOOK LIKE?

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RELATIONSHIP EFFECTIVELY
COLLABORATING
WITH PARENTS IN
THE CLASSROOM
PEDAGOGY
SKILLS

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RELATIONSHIP EFFECTIVELY
COLLABORATING
WITH PARENTS IN
THE CLASSROOM
PEDAGOGY
SKILLS

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We need to move beyond parents as naive
customers and teachers as professional experts.
Teachers must be willing to let parents in, and to
trust and empower them (over time).
Parents must be ready to commit their time and
energy, to work and to grow.
IT TAKES TWO

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“[A] form of structured discourse in which teachers
and students engage in a collaborative effort to help
identify and implement positive changes in
classroom teaching and learning practices.”
MARTIN, SONYA. "WHERE PRACTICE AND THEORY INTERSECT IN THE CHEMISTRY CLASSROOM: USING COGENERATIVE DIALOGUE TO IDENTIFY THE
CRITICAL POINT IN SCIENCE EDUCATION." CULTURAL STUDIES OF SCIENCE EDUCATION 1.4 (2006): 693-720.
AN APPROACH:
COGENERATIVE DIALOGUING
(Wolff-Michael Roth & Kenneth Tobin)

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COGENERATIVE DIALOGUES
IN PRACTICE
• Leave the power dynamics at the door.
• Create a time and space for meaningful dialogue -
being conscious of the nature of the space.
• Agree to commit for a defined period (then review).
• Honest, open, constructive, two-way feedback.

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fruit cutters collaborators
vs.

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RELATIONSHIP EFFECTIVELY
COLLABORATING
WITH PARENTS IN
THE CLASSROOM
PEDAGOGY
SKILLS

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Shared learning plan.
Modelled, guided, independent.
Appropriate learning resources.
Feedback on performance.
APPRENTICING PARENTS

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Reading (individual and group).
Art. Maths. PE.
One-on-one tutoring. Group-work support.
SKILLS TO BUILD

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Organisations like PETAA and MANSW.
(Quality) online resources.
Your own learning materials.
RESOURCES TO PROVIDE

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RELATIONSHIP EFFECTIVELY
COLLABORATING
WITH PARENTS IN
THE CLASSROOM
PEDAGOGY
SKILLS

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One-on-one literacy support.
Reading groups, literature circles.
Individual support (maths, writing, art, research).
Group support (group projects, drama, music, PE)
DO THINGS BETTER

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RETHINK YOUR CLASSROOM
(going beyond simply ‘better’)

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SOCIAL EMOTIONAL SKILLS
45
communication
collaboration
creativity
critical thinking
empathy
resilience
initiative
awareness
21st CENTURY SKILLS
RICHER PEDAGOGY IN THE CLASSROOM

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MINDFULNESS EXERCISES
• TEACHING MEDITATION TO CHILDREN (DAVID FONTANA &
INGRID SLACK)
• THE MINDFUL CHILD (SUSAN GREENLAND)

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PHILOSOPHICAL INQUIRY
• TEACHING THINKING: PHILOSOPHICAL ENQUIRY IN THE
CLASSROOM (ROBERT FISHER)
• CHILDREN AS PHILOSOPHERS (JOANNA HAYNES)

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CRITICAL, REFLEXIVE GROUP WORK
• DESIGNING GROUP WORK (ELIZABETH COHEN & RACHEL
LOTAN)
• EFFECTIVE GROUP WORK IN PRIMARY CLASSROOMS: THE
SPRING APPROACH (PETER KUTNICK & PETER BLATCHFORD)

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EXPERIENTIAL MATHS
• LEARNING MATHS OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM (NCETM, UK)
• NATURALMATH.COM & LIVINGMATH.NET

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SELF-DIRECTED INQUIRY &
CREATIVITY PROJECTS
• THINKERTOYS: A HANDBOOK OF CREATIVE-THINKING
TECHNIQUES (MICHAEL MICHALKO)
• WILD CURIOSITY: HOW TO UNLEASH CREATIVITY AND
ENCOURAGE LIFELONG WONDERING (ERIK SHONSTROM)

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RELATIONSHIP EFFECTIVELY
COLLABORATING
WITH PARENTS IN
THE CLASSROOM
PEDAGOGY
SKILLS

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WHAT CAN YOU
DIFFERENTLY
ON MONDAY?

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1
Invite parents
to attend a
skill-building
event.
• FOCUS ON READING
• IMPROVE EXISTING ACTIVITY
• IDENTIFY POTENTIAL
COLLABORATORS

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2
Share self-
development
resources
with parents.
• DELIVER THROUGH EXISTING
CHANNELS - NEWSLETTERS,
INTRANETS, BLOGS ETC.

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3
Collaborate
to design a
project you
haven’t done
before.
• IDENTIFY POTENTIAL PARENTS
• WORK WITH ONE CANDIDATE

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4
Engage with
like-minded
colleagues.
• FORM A COLLECTIVE OF
EXPERIMENTERS IN YOUR
SCHOOL
• SHARE EXPERIENCES ONLINE
AND MAKE CONNECTIONS

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5
Join the
Progressive
Educators
Network.
PEN.SCHOOLHOUSE.EDU.AU
@SCHOOLHOUSE_AU
• ORIGINAL MONTHLY CONTENT
• SHARE YOUR EXPERIENCES OF
PARENTS IN THE CLASSROOM

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THANK YOU
AND HAPPY COLLABORATING!
PEN.SCHOOLHOUSE.EDU.AU | @SCHOOLHOUSE_AU