PARENT RESOURCES

• Document-Based Questions (DBQ)
  
• Grade 4 English Language Arts (ELA) test

• Document-Based Questions (DBQ)
  
• NYSUT Research Bulletins

• New York State Department of Education
  
• NYS Math Resources

Getting parents involved in their children's education can be frustrating at times. Faced with home and on-the-job stresses, some parents may have to relegate educational issues to the back burner. Other parents want to become involved, but feel they lack the skills to help their children.

Veteran teachers have evolved effective strategies to help parents become full partners in their children's education. Additionally, many local unions affiliated with New York State United Teachers are committing time and resources to initiatives that improve connections to parents. With new standards and new tests altering the educational landscape, "parents have more questions than ever before," says Antonia Cortese, NYSUT first vice president. "Teachers and their unions are committed to providing the answers and support parents need to help their children learn."

Accentuate the positive

Mary Ann Taylor, an instructional support teacher at Karigon Elementary School in Clifton Park and an instructor in NYSUT's Effective Teaching Program, chooses to accentuate the positive. "I like to call parents with good news, rather than bad news, about their children," said Taylor, a member of the Shenendehowa Teachers Association in Saratoga County. "Just a good news phone call to say, for example, 'Johnny had a really good day at school today. He learned to count by fives.'"

Taylor sets aside a portion of each day to write notes home recognizing students' accomplishments. However, when doling out compliments, she takes care not to give students a false sense of pride.

"You don't want to be falsely sweet," she said. "Students know when they've really done work and earned rewards."

To give parents a firsthand look at their children's world, Taylor regularly invites parents in for class visits beyond standard parent night events.

"For instance, we'll show them the fourth-grade language arts test," said Taylor. "Many parents will say, 'Wow, that's really hard,' when they see what their children have to do."

During these sessions, Taylor shares home-tutoring techniques such as using flashcards and comprehension questions and sends parents home with helpful material to reinforce classroom learning.

"We try to make it both fun and low stress for the parents and the kids," said Taylor. "We try to send home activities that will help parents and kids both bond and have fun."

Communication is the name of the game - and the more detailed, the better, agreed Neil Rothman, a science teacher at Schreiber High in Nassau County.

Rothman, a member of the Port Washington TA, sends home guidelines detailing not only supplies but also the prior knowledge students need for special classes such as labs. "I let parents know what is expected of their children when taking these types of classes," said Rothman, the Nassau County regional coordinator for the Effective Teaching Program. "I'm very specific, even down to the most mundane details, like saying they'll need a college-ruled notebook."

Programming for parents

A new program for parents developed by the statewide union is being launched this month by the Sachem Central Teachers Association and the Sachem Teacher Center on Long Island.

Systemic Training for Effective Parenting, or STEP, provides seven evening sessions on related topics, including "listening and talking to your child," "helping children cooperate" and "discipline that makes sense." The goal: mutual respect and more effective communication between parents and children. Participants in the ETP program have said they especially value the opportunity to share experiences and learn from others in the small discussion groups.

It is only the latest of a number of parent programs offered at the Sachem Teacher Center. "Parents are dying for this," said Ellen Burke, director of the teacher center and a SCTA vice president. "They really want the help, and they appreciate it so much."

Calling all parents

Thanks to a union-led effort at Ostrander Elementary School in Ulster County, the Classroom Connections system means parents are only a phone call away from an up-to-date source of infirmation.

The Wallkill TA took the lead in launching this technologically savvy initiative. Classroom Connections is a four-line voice-mail phone system housed on a central school computer that allows teachers to record homework assignments and other parent-geared messages on private voice mail boxes.

The Wallkill TA received support for the project from NYSUT's Local Action Project, which provides local unions with resources and training for community outreach and coalition building.

Feedback has been glowing. "Parents seem to really enjoy having a way to answer questions about their children's school work without going through the sometimes frustrating challenge of reaching a teacher who is busy with a class," said Wallkill TA President Ralph Flood, a special education teacher at the elementary school. "The system also allows teachers to record and distribute messages directly to students' homes.

"For instance, on report-card day, teachers can send a message home to alert parents," said Flood. "Eventually we may change the system to allow parents to leave messages, but right now it's just one-way."

Classroom Connections is up and running in Wallkill's kindergarten through sixth grades. "Our ultimate goal is to institute the program district-wide," said Flood.

- Kara E. Smith

Commack parent center offers insight on site

Teen troubles? Homework hassles? Strategies for parenting dilemmas abound at the Commack Parent Center. Housed on the grounds of the Commack Middle School, the center provides free child-rearing advice and support to area parents.

Opened in early 1999, the parent center has one staffer, is open daily and provides brochures and books on parenting topics, said Jane Mealy, president of the Commack Teachers Association and a teacher at the middle school. "The center also offers parents advice on issues like how to deal with their teens," she said.

"Family Math Night," another innovative parent-outreach program in Commack, was a hit with third-, fourth- and fifth-grade students and adults at the Mandracchia-Sawmill Intermediate School last fall. Students and parents developed better number sense by competing together for prizes in grade-appropriate workshops, games and contests.

"We decided to try it out for one night last year," said Marty Levinstein, a fifth-grade teacher. "It was a great success. Nearly 200 people turned out, and we heard some really positive feedback."

"I had students and parents construct kites out of geometric figures in my classroom," said Levinstein. "While the pairs constructed their projects, I gave a bit of background about the physics of flight.

"At the end of the session, students and parents received a spool of kite string and instructions on how to set up their kites for flight," he said.

Read all about it: Union publications offer answers to commonly asked questions

New York State United Teachers offers several new publications designed to strengthen school/family communications and provide useful information on state standards and tests.

Unless otherwise noted, NYSUT members may request a free single copy of any brochure listed below by writing to NYSUT Publications, attn. Julie Malec, Box 15008, 159 Wolf Road, Albany, N.Y. 12212-5008; e-mail nyteach@nysutmail.org; or call (800) 342-9810 ext. 6260 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Please specify the title and publication number of the brochure you want and enclose your name and address.

Larger quantities may be bulk ordered by local union presidents.

NYSUT info for parents:

• What is a DBQ? A brochure for parents of children grades K-12 explains Document-Based Questions. Publication No. 101. Free

• What you need to know about the Grade 4 ELA test. A brochure for parents of students from pre-K through Grade 4 tells what to expect, how to prepare for the new state English Language Arts test. Publication No. 102. Free

• Helping Your Child Learn to Read. This softcover book for parents is a joint project of the American Federation of Teachers, NYSUT's national affiliate, and the Department of Education. Note: There is a 50 cents per copy charge for this book. (See address above; request must include check or money order made out to NYSUT.) Publication No. 100.

• Ten Things You Should Never Do During a Parent Teacher Conference. This resource guide also offers suggestions for successful conferences. Publication No. 301. Free

• Minding their DBQs: Tips for Helping Your Students Master Document-Based Questions. A brochure with suggestions for K-12. Publication No. 201. Free.

For information on courses and workshops on improving communication and involvement with parents involved in the classroom, contact New York State United Teachers Effective Teaching Program at (800) 528-6208.