5 ideas to strengthen the home-school connection in the 1:1 classroom

This article originally appeared at Partners in Learning - 1:1 Hot Topics. 

Family involvement is important to student success in every classroom. In 1:1 classrooms, the traditional note home in the backpack can be replaced with new methods allowing innovative educators to access a whole new set of tools that can strengthen the home-school connection. If you’re still connecting with parents the way you always have, here are some ideas to update your practice.

1) Open Access  

• Make sure you provide time for parents to access computers and the internet at your school. There are plenty of computers and they’re not always in use. Be creative. Work with the school’s PTA and provide access for parents who need it.

2) Student-led parent workshops 

• Your students are learning some awesome new things in a 1-to-1 environment. Have them share with parents via student-led workshops showcasing their work.

3) Livestream

• Invite parents into your child’s classroom via livestreaming using services like Google Hangout, UStream, and Livestream. Maybe a parent can help with a lesson or just watch some student presentations. Maybe you have parent volunteers work as tutors at certain times via livestream and set up a virtual tutoring station.

4) Facebook 

• Start a Facebook group or page to give parents a window into their child’s classroom. Have students do the updates. Not only is this a great way for parents to stay in the loop about what is going on, it also gives students a chance to publish for a real audience. See how Ms. Schoening did this with her first-grade class here.

5) Twitter

• Give parents a live ticker into what is happening in class via Twitter which can be embedded in any online space like a website, blog, or wiki or delivered right to their phone using Twitter Fast Follow.
  
  See how educators are using Twitter Fast Follow to stay connected with families here.

These are just some ideas for getting parents involved in their child’s education. Which of these ideas would you consider trying? Do you have some ideas that are not listed here? If so, please share.

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The hottest posts everyone's reading

Here’s the roundup of what's been popular on The Innovative Educator blog. Below you’ll see the top posts along with the number of page views. I hope there's something that looks of interest to you.  If it does, check it out. If you’re inspired use one of those icons below the post to share it with others and/or leave a comment.

Entry	Pageviews
If you're not preparing your students to use social media... Oct 29, 2013,	5639
Stop trying to figure out if screentime is good for kids ... Oct 30, 2013,	3491
Think before you send or post Nov 1, 2013,	2790
5 Ways To Open Up Learning & Engage Students Oct 15, 2013,	1951
Does Twitter have a minimum age requirement? Jun 13, 2013,	1592
When and How Should Kids Learn to Type? Feb 8, 2011,	1350
Tasting in Technicolor - A Story of Learning Diffe... Nov 3, 2013,	1256
Has Google replaced teaching? Oct 22, 2013,	1225

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What if we let students design their own schools?

What if we let students design their own schools? That's exactly the question that was explored with The Independent Project. The program provides a model that empowers students to design and learn in their own school. The project was proposed by students. Their principal agreed to allow students to create and attend this school within a school located  Monument Mountain Regional High School, a public school in Massachusetts. In this video teens share how this model worked well for them. Especially those who weren't thriving in a traditional setting.  

Want to learn how they did it? Here is The White Paper.pdf, a formal document outlining the details of The Independent Project. It was created as a guide for others interested in bringing a version of the model to their own schools.  

Interested? Watch this video too.

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The principalship: 6 ways smartphones have changed the landscape

Guest post by John Falino. Cross posted at ON PRINCIPAL

As noted in the “The Principalship: What’s Most Important?” (Post: 9/13), the nature of the Principalship has changed dramatically in a very short period of time. As the demands continue to increase due to the CCSS, standardized exams, and new teacher evaluation systems, perhaps the greatest “game changer” for Principals is the high level of accessibility and connectedness that is now possible due to technology and social media. In fact, a whole new skill set is now required for Principals as the position has quickly become a 24/7 endeavor. Though there is plenty of room for debate on whether this level of access is necessary (or healthy!), the bottom line is that Principals need to be prepared for anything at all hours. There is no such thing as an “off” switch.

While many technological innovations have undoubtedly transformed the position in a relatively short period of time, perhaps there is none greater than the advent of the Smartphone. Since making the switch a little over a year ago to the iPhone, my ability to stay connected to the school community has reached new heights. In fact, this small device is in many ways the mobile “hub” of the school as information on all aspects of building operations comes my way both day and night. It is singularly the most powerful device that a Principal can have.

Here’s why…

I want more »

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Tasting in Technicolor - A Story of Learning Differences from a Teen with Synesthesia

Guest post by Rylie VanOrsdol

When I was in early elementary school, I thought everyone experienced the world the way I did.  Then, in 5th grade while working with a group of kids on math at school, the answer to the problem was 30.  I commented, “Well that’s a nice red number.”  You can imagine the ridicule and chaos that ensued.  I decided to start keeping things to myself.  In retrospect I should have taken a hint from my third and fourth grade public school teachers, who chastised me for coloring around the numbers and letters I had written in pencil on my worksheets in “their” color, when I was finished early in class.  I was a well behaved student and didn’t understand why this angered them so much.  I didn’t want to be “bad”.

When I was being home schooled in 6th grade, I abruptly came to my mom crying and very upset.  It startled and scared her because I didn’t have outbursts like that.  She was worried something was seriously wrong.  I asked through my sobs, “If something was wrong with me, would you tell me?”.  My mom was so surprised by my questions because I was a “great student, well liked by my peers and an all around terrific kid”.  I continued, “Do I have a disability that you are hiding from me?”.  She reassured me that I was more than fine.  The conversation ended.

I want more »

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The hottest posts everybody's reading

Here’s the roundup of what's been popular on The Innovative Educator blog. Below you’ll see the top posts along with the number of page views. I hope there's something that looks of interest to you.  If it does, check it out. If you’re inspired use one of those icons below the post to share it with others and/or leave a comment.

Entry	Pageviews
If you're not preparing your students to use social media... Oct 29, 2013,	4641
What's your digital footprint? Take this quiz  ... Apr 9, 2013,	2929
5 Ways To Open Up Learning & Engage Students Oct 15, 2013,	1981
5 ideas for #ConnectedEducators to connect student... Oct 4, 2013,	1695
Does Twitter have a minimum age requirement? Jun 13, 2013,	1602
Stop trying to figure out if screentime is good ... Oct 30, 2013,	1487
Junk isn't only for mail. 8 Types of posting ... Oct 6, 2013,	1486
When and How Should Kids Learn to Type? Feb 8, 2011,	1349

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Think before you send or post

This poster from Edutopia provides a simple acronym to guide innovative educators, their students, and families in both online and face-to-face conversations.     



Here are some more resources from Edutopia for teaching digital citizenship http://bit.ly/17vs59G.

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