Dealing with Differences: Addressing Diversity in Family Engagement

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Dealing with Differences Addressing Diversity
in Family Engagement

• Presented by Pamdora Williams
• LaSPDG Staff

_at_laspdg
www.laspdg.org
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Roll Call

• If you have not already done so, please use your
  chat pod and type your district/LEA that you are
  representing
• If multiple people are in the room with you
  viewing this webinar, please type their names as
  well

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Considerations

• This webinar is being recorded and will be
  available for viewing at www.laspdg.org under
• Family Engagement Webinars
  2014-2015
• If you need to ask a question, please use the
  Chat Pod on your screen (NOTE everyone can see
  your question)
• You can download all of todays materials in the
  FILES 2 Pod on your screen at any time during the
  presentation
• Click on the selected file
• Choose SAVE TO MY COMPUTER
• Select the destination where you would like to
  save the file

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People First Language
People First Language puts the person before the
disability and describes what a person has, not
who a person is.
Full People First Language webinar available at
www.laspdg.org under Inclusive Practices
Webinars 2012-2013
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Lets Chat!

• Using the Chat Pod
• share the types of diversities represented in
  your district, classroom or in your school.

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Family Engagement is A Shared
Responsibility Schools and other community
organizations and agencies are committed to
working with families in meaningful
and culturally respectful ways, and families are
committed to actively supporting their
childrens learning and development. Cradle to
Career From birth to college and career Across
Contexts Throughout contexts in which children
learn at home, in schools, in afterschool
programs, in faith-based institutions, and in
community programs and activities.
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Shifts in Perspectives about Family Engagement
Old Lens
Individual Responsibility
Deficit-Based/ Adversarial
Random Acts
Add-On
Events Driven
Compliance
One- Time Project
Current Lens
Shared Responsibility
Strength- Based/ Collaborative
Systemic
Integrated
Outcome Driven
Ownership Continuous Improvement
Sustained
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Domains of Family Engagement
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Quality Indicators

• Family Support strategies and
  practices that
• acknowledge and respect diversity of families.
• aid families in supporting academic needs

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Quote

• It is time for parents to teach young people
  early on that in diversity there is beauty and
  there is strength.
• -Maya Angelou

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Addressing Diversity

• Helps build relationships
• Misconceptions are addressed
• Conflicts are minimized
• Improves morale of families that may feel
  marginalized
• Creates an inclusive and culture rich learning
  environment for all

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Diversities to Consider

• Cultural Diversity
• Ethnic Diversity
• Language Diversity
• Religious Diversity

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Strategy 1 Time to Reflect

• People would like to see our diversity problem
  disappear. And the way they think its going to
  disappear is by not talking about it. But the
  real way you make it disappear is by talking
  about it, learning about it, and understanding
  it, and then youll see a change, not just by
  ignoring it.
• a 12th grade student

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Revisit Family Engagement Policy
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Reflect on Personal Assumptions
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Communicate using plain terminology and
sensitivity

• Insert pic
• http//www.youtube.com/watch?vWsIW6mRgcWk

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Communicate using plain terminology and
sensitivity
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Strategy 2Differentiate Initiatives

• Acknowledging and valuing diversity means more
  than celebrating food or holidays. It means
  making room for a range of voices, perspectives
  and resources, and styles of interacting.
• -Adger, 2001, Lopez, Sanchez and Hamilton 2000

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Tiered Approach to Planning Events
Special efforts for a few families.
Additional supports to boost some or smaller
groups of families.
Opportunities afforded to all families.
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Tiered Approach Planning Template
Name of the event or activity. Name of the event or activity. Name of the event or activity. Name of the event or activity.
Purpose or objective of the event or activity. This should be a concise sentence that tells the single most important reasons for holding the event or activity. Purpose or objective of the event or activity. This should be a concise sentence that tells the single most important reasons for holding the event or activity. Purpose or objective of the event or activity. This should be a concise sentence that tells the single most important reasons for holding the event or activity. Purpose or objective of the event or activity. This should be a concise sentence that tells the single most important reasons for holding the event or activity.
Outcomes of the event or activity. This should be a short list of specific things parents know or will be able to do as a result of participating in the event or activity. You might want to put them in priority order. Outcomes of the event or activity. This should be a short list of specific things parents know or will be able to do as a result of participating in the event or activity. You might want to put them in priority order. Outcomes of the event or activity. This should be a short list of specific things parents know or will be able to do as a result of participating in the event or activity. You might want to put them in priority order. Outcomes of the event or activity. This should be a short list of specific things parents know or will be able to do as a result of participating in the event or activity. You might want to put them in priority order.
Tier 1 Example Tier 2 Example Tier 3 Example
How will the outcomes be achieved?
Where will the event or activity be held?
Who is the intended audience for this event or activity?
What materials will be provided?
What, if any, special accommodations will be provided?
How will you know if and when the outcomes have been achieved?
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(No Transcript)
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Is family engagement more effective when
personalizing strategies?

• Conducting Home Visits
• http//www.pthvp.org/index.php/trainings-a-events/
  watch-our-video

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Is family engagement more effective when
personalizing strategies?

• Capitalize on family strengths
• http//www.youtube.com/watch?vYf1rlf2myCA

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Is family engagement more effective when
personalizing strategies?

• Individualize Outreach Efforts
• http//www.youtube.com/watch?vLxhFeQ79bjw

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Poll

• Which is a tier one activity?
• Back to School Meet and Greet
• Donuts with Dads
• ESL Family and Friends

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Poll

• Select which tier?
• -Lunch and Learns by grade level
• -Behavior strategies for parents of students with
  disabilities
• -Understanding Common Core workshop
• -Community outreach at a local churches
• -Follow-up phone call(s) after a literacy night
• Tier one
• Tier two
• Tier three

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Strategy 3 Evaluate outreach efforts

• School is where children learn to
• appreciate, respect, and collaborate with
• people different from themselves.
• - Arne Duncan, United States Secretary of
  Education3

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Feeling welcomed motivates families to become
engaged!

• Families feel welcome when
• The welcome mat is out
• Family is included in the school community
• The school feels warm and friendly
• People are accessible
• Balance of big events and small events

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How Welcoming is Your School ?
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Poll

• True or False?
• Addressing diversity will help build
  relationships with families.

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Improving family and school partnerships require
a shift in how schools think about family
engagement.
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Building Capacity

• When you leave today, what will you do with this
  information?
• How will you share it with others in your
  district?
• When will you share it? (Timeline)
• Note If you are on the district leadership
  team, this information will be useful in
  completing your districts LASPDG 5 Year Plan

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Questions?

• Please use your chat pod if you have questions
  related to this presentation
• After this webinar, you may email questions to
  Pamdora Williams pwilli_at_lsu.edu

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Reminder(s)

• Virtual Bookshelfhttp//www.laspdg.org/content.cf
  m?id198
• Archived webinars
• Missed Webinar Wednesday?
• http//www.laspdg.org/content.cfm?id308
• Next Webinar Wednesday for Family Engagement
• March 4, 2015 at 1000

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We Want Your Feedback!

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  sityOct2014

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The contents of this PowerPoint presentation were
developed under a grant from the US Department of
Education, H323A110003. However those contents
do not necessarily represent the policy of the US
Department of Education, and you should not
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