As a teacher it is important to not only get to know and build a relationship with each of your students as individuals, but it is also imperative to do this with the stakeholders in their lives. Engaging the families and communities of one’s students helps teachers gain a better understanding about whom their students are outside in the real world. This knowledge helps teachers better deliver instruction or manage their classrooms because they have a good sense about where their students are coming from and what each child’s individual needs may be. Pan American Academy Charter School strongly believes that a major way to improve our classrooms is to increase our parental engagement. For this reason, all teachers are required to visit the homes of their students before the start of the school year and discuss with both parent and child in their home what their expectations for the school year are. Although after home visits are over many teachers do not stay as engaged with the families, I make it a point to call every parent on my caseload within a marking period to tell them something positive about their child and talk about their progress towards their goals. Additionally, many of my students’ parents come into the schoolyard at dismissal and I have found this to be a great opportunity for small conversations about the road to success of their child.
In respect to my plan to engage with the community in an effort to increase the interest in the success of my students, I attend at least one event a month that is hosted by our partner organization, Congreso. This organization is a non-profit that seeks to improve the lives of Hispanics in the Philadelphia region. A large number of my children’s families as well as other members outside of the Pan American family attend many of the events hosted by Congreso. This allows me to get to know the community that my students live in as well as help increase community interested into the academic success of my students. Family and community involvement helps me to get to know my students on a more personal level. I have found that knowing my students outside of the Pan American walls has been incredibly beneficial to my success inside the classroom.
In respect to my plan to engage with the community in an effort to increase the interest in the success of my students, I attend at least one event a month that is hosted by our partner organization, Congreso. This organization is a non-profit that seeks to improve the lives of Hispanics in the Philadelphia region. A large number of my children’s families as well as other members outside of the Pan American family attend many of the events hosted by Congreso. This allows me to get to know the community that my students live in as well as help increase community interested into the academic success of my students. Family and community involvement helps me to get to know my students on a more personal level. I have found that knowing my students outside of the Pan American walls has been incredibly beneficial to my success inside the classroom.