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This is a great topic to open up for this group.  It is a question we as educators ask ourselves every day, “How do we engage our families so that they become an integral part of their child’s educational success?”  We have found that regardless of culture, language barriers, socioeconomic status, having minimal/maximum or no education at all, students will not have academic success unless their families are involved in their children’s academic process. 

Many of our families feel like they are unable to help their children due to either one or more of the following:  not finishing school themselves (sometimes the 3^rd grade is the highest they have attended); unable to read the language of the books; not understanding how the work is to be completed; and /or needing to work several jobs to keep the family “afloat” and not being home to help out with class work. 

So how do we engage our families?  Through school-to-home correspondence, teacher/parent conferences, emails/phone calls, after school activities, and in-school volunteer opportunities.  We work with families to teach them on how to set up an environment in their own home that creates centers for learning.  It may be just as simple as showing parents how a short break of play and snacks right after their child gets home from school, then setting up a quiet place in the home that is where all home work is completed, that sets up a routine for daily learning.  For parents who work many hours and are not home to help with class work?  Their children can stay after for homework club, or individual-group tutoring during their recess or lunch time during the school day.  After school activities, after 5:00 p.m., that engages families and their children to the learning process.  Activities such as reading nights, math nights, bingo games, etc…   These activities allow teachers to engage with their student’s families to help them understand the process of working together and how that leads to academic successes.   We have also made home visits in the evening to help engage families, or to make calls home later on in the evening to talk with parents personally. 

When students know that their parents/guardians are working closely with their teachers, students will work harder to be successful when the school and home have the same expectations of them.