Even if they come from troubled or abusive homes, elementary students love their families. As school leaders, we cannot afford to ignore the significance of family in the life of a young student. Including family members in school events is a difficult, time-consuming task that takes extra work and planning. But because our elementary students depend on their families, we must seek ways to invite families—whatever character they take—into school activities.
At Gilmer Elementary School, we make a purposeful effort to establish strong connections with families in the first month of school. During this time, every staff member makes 22–30 specific, positive phone calls to students' family members. Each person on campus, from P.E. teachers to instructional paraprofessionals to administrators, is making and documenting these calls. The focus of the call does not have to be academic, but it must be specific—for example, praising the student who picked up a piece of trash on campus or who introduced himself to another child on the playground.
To build on the momentum of these informal connections with families, we have also instituted what we call "Parent Learning Walks." Authors Bagin and Gallagher (2001) found that families are often reluctant to ask if they may visit classrooms. However, when schools create open-door policies, like our Parent Learning Walks, "reluctance and shyness give way to natural curiosity," and in successful programs "parents are responsive" (p.125).
In Parent Learning Walks, the school principal invites a small group of family members to get to know one another, explains instructional objectives, and offers a short presentation on a few of the school's initiatives. Then, parents or guardians receive a checklist that serves as a type of treasure hunt inventory as they visit classrooms. For example, items on the checklist may include finding the instructional outcomes posted on the board or looking for how students are grouped. The key is to choose items that the family members can easily identify in most classrooms. Finding these items increases parent agency and feelings of inclusion in our school environment. At the end of the Parent Learning Walk, the principal holds a debrief session, where I elicit feedback from family members on their experiences, which helps us shape future interactions.
These learning walks build connections with families by opening our classrooms and also giving parents and guardians the tools to interact with our instructional design and learning objectives. We have found that this effort is well worth the time, puts our families at ease, and strengthens the school-to-home connection. Connecting with families is ongoing work but one that deserves priority, because our students enjoy the payoff.