Engaged Families Drive Student Success

The following is a resource list for our community written by Head of Educator Innovation Jornea Armant.

There’s no doubt about it: Family engagement is one of the biggest contributors to student success. That’s because families are an integral part of the planning, decision-making, and implementation of ideas that drive student learning. 

 

To help families help their children, I’m excited to share a few simple ideas that are accessible for all. 

1. Get to know the family with introductions

Make sure families are welcomed to your classroom community with introductions. It can be as simple as asking about their favorite foods or how they like to spend time together — anything to help them open up and feel comfortable. You can even add a guest password so families can join your topic with ease. This can be shared by link or QR code.  

 

2. Publish a class newsletter

This isn’t a new tactic, but making your newsletter digital makes it more accessible. You can update your learning goals, objectives, resources, and news of the week. And best of all, students can be involved in the whole process. You can also moderate comments so families have a safe space to ask questions or get feedback. 

 

3. Host family learning nights

Family learning nights help families understand the content that’s being taught. Even more important, these informal get-togethers can give families the strategies they need to help their students succeed. To work around busy schedules and boost participation, you can create the events for families to participate in at any time — and in their own environments.  

 

4. Reimagine student-led conferences

Inspire students to lead their own learning! Student-led conferences allow students to share their work and discuss progress with both families and teachers. Best of all, they can happen all year long — not just at one or two pre-determined times. Make it fun by creating a mix tape for (and with) each student, or by partnering with students to select videos that showcase their learning. 

 

More family engagement resources to check out:

For more resources on family learning and engagement, check out this #FlipgridForAll Community Conversation and let us know how we can help you to empower every voice in your learning community. Please tag us @Flipgrid or use the hashtag #FlipgridForAll and let us know how you are helping students by engaging their families in the learning journey.