The Harvard Family Research Project separated from the Harvard Graduate School of Education to become the Global Family Research Project as of January 1, 2017. It is no longer affiliated with Harvard University.
Webinar—The Teacher–Parent Relationship: Using Professional Development to Improve Family and Community Engagement
November 1, 2010
Webinar date: November 18, 2010, 2:00–3:30 p.m. (EDT)
Strong parent–teacher relationships are invaluable. They contribute to a positive school climate, family engagement in student learning, improved student performance, and the retention of high quality teachers. Providing teachers with the resources they need to effectively connect learning in the classroom to learning at home is a challenge that many districts are struggling to address.
Family engagement must be a core element of any professional development system. It is not enough to offer random, one-time workshops—family engagement must be embedded in pre-service curricula, professional standards, teacher certification, and assessments for learning and accountability. Furthermore, all school personnel, from principals to receptionists, must have access to high quality professional development that reinforces family engagement as an essential strategy for improving student performance.
This webinar will examine practical examples of how states can embed family engagement into their professional development systems and how teacher education programs can systematically include family engagement in teaching and learning. The webinar will also discuss promising practices in higher education, including partnerships with Parental Information and Resource Centers (PIRCs) to build the capacity of family coordinators.
Featured speakers include:
- Beatriz Ceja, Program Manager, School Leadership Program, U.S. Department of Education
- Charles J. “Chuck” Saylors, President, National PTA
- Mishaela Durán, Director of Government Affairs, National PTA
- Susan Walker, Associate Professor, University of Minnesota
- Jane Groff, Director, Kansas State PIRC
- Katharine Mora, Education Coordinator, Columbia University Head Start and Adjunct Professor, Bank Street College of Education
ARCHIVE AND RESOURCES
Click here to access links to the webinar archive, slide presentation, and related resources.
ABOUT THE WEBINAR SERIES
The Achieving Excellence and Innovation in Family, School, and Community Engagement webinar series aims to provide opportunities for stakeholders representing national, regional, and local organizations to learn about family, school, and community engagement research and innovations, as well as best practices from the field. The series kicked off in April 2010 and will run through September 2011.