Become a part of our Parent Involvement Team!
The Parents Involved Together Crew
Parents are busy.
Parent need help and support
We can do this for each other –together
Benefits of Joining the PIT Crew:
• Use the tools- just down load form our site (link)
• Join our Cause on Face book—Take back your child’s education (website)
• Become a fan of our face book page—
• Call the mentor Parent Helpline 800-899-6199
• Listen to great and participate in PIT Crew Conversations live or down load them from our BlogtalkRadio site
Build and contribute to a great community of involved parents when you:
• Host a PIT Crew Drive In viewing party for the documentary& Into to ILP
• Host a PIT Crew Conversation Party—to discuss local school issues to be resolved
• Host a PIT Crew ILP Workshop at school or local Library
• Host a Library Drive In event
• Test drive our new tool : Intrest and Abilities Map ( IAM)
• Participate on the parent or business Advisory Board
• Write a Blog
• Review websites
• Be a guest on our www.blogtalkradio.com/part-driven-schools radio show
Friday, July 3, 2009
Monday, April 20, 2009
Video Games, YouTube, and Learning
Imagination is more important than knowledge.
-Albert Einstein
Last year I did not know the meaning of the word “Avatar.” To me all of this belonged in the realm of the young. I have always been a bit of an opponent when it came to video games and YouTube. There is so much to complain about in this arena, the competition, the lack of physical activity, and the time taken away from reading being just a few of my complaints. I realize now that I lacked the imagination to understand that these things can actually be used as learning tools by the truly innovative.
Recently, I was fortunate enough to attend the four day annual convention of the National Council of Teachers of English. On any given day of the convention there were numerous sessions that in some way addressed multi-media, blogging, webbing, Wikipedia, and other approaches to technology in education. These educators were using their imaginations in incredible ways.
One session challenged my old concept of literacy. P.J. Haarsma is the author of two books, The Softwire: Virus on Orbis 1 and The Softwire: Betrayal on Orbis 2. His third book is due out this April. In order to reach “the most reluctant reader,” P.J. Haarsma has created a free online role playing video game based on his books. There are over 7,000 participants in twenty-five countries playing his game called The Rings of Orbis. In order to advance in the game the player needs to use the information he or she has read in the books. This is fun stuff and I find myself wishing that one of my children were still ten years old so that we could get into this series together. P.J. Haarsma has not stopped with his book series and video game. He also visits schools to encourage reading, writing, and creating.
Reading and writing and the internet can complement one another quite well. A computer is also a great tool when it comes to math. Last night I went on YouTube and learned how to simplify a square root with an algebraic equation in it. I wanted to find out if I could use Google to get some help in math. After a few clicks I found mathtv.com on YouTube. After that it was easy to navigate and to search for the type of help that I wanted.
Technology certainly is not the answer to everything. It is merely a tool which we can use to help us learn and to help others learn. Parents, students, and educators all need to be receptive to anything that can help us learn and perform at our best. Think of it as a desk lamp. Can you see better tonight with it on or does the glare from it distract you? Nothing beats a great book and sometimes a simple tablet and pen in the backyard can lead to great thoughts.
Of course, we could use a Smart Pen. It is a pen which records while one is taking notes in class. Afterwards, the student can touch any word with the pen in their notes and hear the lecture from that point. It also translates words into other languages and will even play a keyboard that is drawn on paper. I know all this because I researched it all last night and watched the tutorials on YouTube. I’ve been using my imagination.
Ruth Ann Geron
-Albert Einstein
Last year I did not know the meaning of the word “Avatar.” To me all of this belonged in the realm of the young. I have always been a bit of an opponent when it came to video games and YouTube. There is so much to complain about in this arena, the competition, the lack of physical activity, and the time taken away from reading being just a few of my complaints. I realize now that I lacked the imagination to understand that these things can actually be used as learning tools by the truly innovative.
Recently, I was fortunate enough to attend the four day annual convention of the National Council of Teachers of English. On any given day of the convention there were numerous sessions that in some way addressed multi-media, blogging, webbing, Wikipedia, and other approaches to technology in education. These educators were using their imaginations in incredible ways.
One session challenged my old concept of literacy. P.J. Haarsma is the author of two books, The Softwire: Virus on Orbis 1 and The Softwire: Betrayal on Orbis 2. His third book is due out this April. In order to reach “the most reluctant reader,” P.J. Haarsma has created a free online role playing video game based on his books. There are over 7,000 participants in twenty-five countries playing his game called The Rings of Orbis. In order to advance in the game the player needs to use the information he or she has read in the books. This is fun stuff and I find myself wishing that one of my children were still ten years old so that we could get into this series together. P.J. Haarsma has not stopped with his book series and video game. He also visits schools to encourage reading, writing, and creating.
Reading and writing and the internet can complement one another quite well. A computer is also a great tool when it comes to math. Last night I went on YouTube and learned how to simplify a square root with an algebraic equation in it. I wanted to find out if I could use Google to get some help in math. After a few clicks I found mathtv.com on YouTube. After that it was easy to navigate and to search for the type of help that I wanted.
Technology certainly is not the answer to everything. It is merely a tool which we can use to help us learn and to help others learn. Parents, students, and educators all need to be receptive to anything that can help us learn and perform at our best. Think of it as a desk lamp. Can you see better tonight with it on or does the glare from it distract you? Nothing beats a great book and sometimes a simple tablet and pen in the backyard can lead to great thoughts.
Of course, we could use a Smart Pen. It is a pen which records while one is taking notes in class. Afterwards, the student can touch any word with the pen in their notes and hear the lecture from that point. It also translates words into other languages and will even play a keyboard that is drawn on paper. I know all this because I researched it all last night and watched the tutorials on YouTube. I’ve been using my imagination.
Ruth Ann Geron
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Does Your Teen’s ILP Include Career Planning?
By: John G. Bendt
Is your high school teen seriously exploring career interests? Does she or he connect learning acquired in the classroom to the requirements and expectations of the workplace? Are opportunities to build valuable workplace soft skills acted upon?
If your teen is like most in America today, the answer to these questions is probably: No. Sadly, however, lack of career planning while in high school can handicap your child’s ability to compete in an increasingly competitive global economy, or in a recession like we are currently experiencing.
Why is this so? Because to succeed in the workplace, you need skills an employer values, and the more skill advantages one builds, the more successful one is likely to be. Career planning is a powerful tool, that not only can help your teen discover satisfying and fulfilling work, it helps your teen identify the skills that are required to be successful in the work. Think about it, how can you create workplace skill advantages, if you don’t know what you want to do, and what skills are required?
PDS’s Employability Report Card details an alarming degree of academic underachievement and a lack of preparation for one’s work life. Another study, Are They Really Ready To Work, published in 2007 by The Conference Board (a business membership research organization), also reported that employers are not satisfied with the skill level of new entrants into the workplace. Incorporating career planning in your teen’s ILP will ensure he or she is fully prepared to enter the workplace when that time comes.
You may be thinking: Okay that makes sense, but what are the elements of a good career planning program? I would like to offer four basic elements for your consideration.
First, the program should teach your teen how to identify career interests and how to follow a process to eventually select a career path. Second, it should teach him or her the role competition plays in the workplace, and which skills are valued by employers for the occupations your teen is exploring. Third, it should show your teen how to identify and practice valuable workplace soft skills while participating in extra-curricular activities and part-time jobs. Lastly, it should educate your teen in the basic principles of how to market oneself to prospective employers.
The ultimate goal of an effective career planning program for teens should be to provide the tools that will empower them to take charge of their life to shape their destiny.
About The Author:
John G. Bendt is the author of A Roadmap to Career Success --- 25 Tips for College Bound Students. Combining 40 years of professional business experience with his passion for mentoring young people, he has established himself as an expert on advising students about career planning. He can be reached through his website: www.roadmaptocareersuccess.com
Is your high school teen seriously exploring career interests? Does she or he connect learning acquired in the classroom to the requirements and expectations of the workplace? Are opportunities to build valuable workplace soft skills acted upon?
If your teen is like most in America today, the answer to these questions is probably: No. Sadly, however, lack of career planning while in high school can handicap your child’s ability to compete in an increasingly competitive global economy, or in a recession like we are currently experiencing.
Why is this so? Because to succeed in the workplace, you need skills an employer values, and the more skill advantages one builds, the more successful one is likely to be. Career planning is a powerful tool, that not only can help your teen discover satisfying and fulfilling work, it helps your teen identify the skills that are required to be successful in the work. Think about it, how can you create workplace skill advantages, if you don’t know what you want to do, and what skills are required?
PDS’s Employability Report Card details an alarming degree of academic underachievement and a lack of preparation for one’s work life. Another study, Are They Really Ready To Work, published in 2007 by The Conference Board (a business membership research organization), also reported that employers are not satisfied with the skill level of new entrants into the workplace. Incorporating career planning in your teen’s ILP will ensure he or she is fully prepared to enter the workplace when that time comes.
You may be thinking: Okay that makes sense, but what are the elements of a good career planning program? I would like to offer four basic elements for your consideration.
First, the program should teach your teen how to identify career interests and how to follow a process to eventually select a career path. Second, it should teach him or her the role competition plays in the workplace, and which skills are valued by employers for the occupations your teen is exploring. Third, it should show your teen how to identify and practice valuable workplace soft skills while participating in extra-curricular activities and part-time jobs. Lastly, it should educate your teen in the basic principles of how to market oneself to prospective employers.
The ultimate goal of an effective career planning program for teens should be to provide the tools that will empower them to take charge of their life to shape their destiny.
About The Author:
John G. Bendt is the author of A Roadmap to Career Success --- 25 Tips for College Bound Students. Combining 40 years of professional business experience with his passion for mentoring young people, he has established himself as an expert on advising students about career planning. He can be reached through his website: www.roadmaptocareersuccess.com
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Has The Financial Crisis Devastated Your College Fund Investments?
Has The Financial Crisis Devastated Your College Fund Investments?
By John G. Bendt
Have the investments you were counting on to fund your child’s college education been seriously eroded? Are you making it worse by committing an error of omission that could more than double the cost of a four-year college degree?
The error of omission many parents commit is failing to teach their high school age children how to prepare for their work life. It’s paradoxical that college-bound students and their parents put so much energy into selecting and gaining admission to a good college, yet give only minimal thought to such tasks as selecting a future occupation and learning the workplace skills required to compete in a competitive global job market. Many students thus enter college with little career direction, and have no clue what skills will be needed to compete successfully in the workplace. This often results in requiring more time to complete a four-year degree.
One extra year of college can cost $64,400 to $83,100 when college costs and missed income are considered. The four-year average cost for a public college is $54,400, so taking just one extra year to graduate can increase the total cost of college by 118%. The following chart details these costs:
5 Years To Graduate PUBLIC COLLEGE PRIVATE COLLEGE
Annual Cost $13,600 $32,300
Missed Income $50,800 $50,800
TOTAL $64,400 $83,100
6 Years To Graduate PUBLIC COLLEGE PRIVATE COLLEGE
Annual Cost $27,200 $64,600
Missed Income $101,600 $101,600
TOTAL $128,,800 $166,200
Source: Average 2007-2008 average annual college costs from The College Board.
Average of 2008 starting salaries for Business, Engineering, Computer Science, Liberal
Arts bachelor degrees from National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE).
This dramatic increase in the cost to complete a four-year college degree is not the only consequence of failing to provide the coaching teens need to prepare for their worklife. Lack of preparation can seriously handicap your child’s ability to compete, when she or he is looking for a job after graduation. In today’s very competitive global economy, especially during times of recession, our children need to learn how to take charge of their life to shape their destiny. Thus it is vitally important for parents to include career planning in their teen’s individual learning plan, and provide the coaching that will enable their child to identify career interests, select a career path, understand workplace expectations, develop skills employers value, and learn how to market themself.
Get started by contacting your child’s high school guidance counselor to discuss the career planning tools the school makes available. Search the internet for articles and books that provide career planning advice for teens. Remember it’s not likely your child will initiate career planning activities without encouragement and coaching. Teens tend to live in the present, and it’s often difficult for them to see the need to make choices now that will help them improve their life in the future. Additionally, they lack a big picture understanding of how the workplace functions, and thus are missing perspective to guide them in preparing for their future work life. Given these realities, your leadership is essential!
About The Author:
John G. Bendt is the founder and owner of Career Mentor Press, LLC and author of A Roadmap to Career Success --- 25 Tips for College Bound Students. Combining 40 years of professional business experience with his passion for mentoring young people, Bendt has established himself as an expert on advising students about career planning. He can be reached through his Web site at www.roadmaptocareersuccess.com.
By John G. Bendt
Have the investments you were counting on to fund your child’s college education been seriously eroded? Are you making it worse by committing an error of omission that could more than double the cost of a four-year college degree?
The error of omission many parents commit is failing to teach their high school age children how to prepare for their work life. It’s paradoxical that college-bound students and their parents put so much energy into selecting and gaining admission to a good college, yet give only minimal thought to such tasks as selecting a future occupation and learning the workplace skills required to compete in a competitive global job market. Many students thus enter college with little career direction, and have no clue what skills will be needed to compete successfully in the workplace. This often results in requiring more time to complete a four-year degree.
One extra year of college can cost $64,400 to $83,100 when college costs and missed income are considered. The four-year average cost for a public college is $54,400, so taking just one extra year to graduate can increase the total cost of college by 118%. The following chart details these costs:
5 Years To Graduate PUBLIC COLLEGE PRIVATE COLLEGE
Annual Cost $13,600 $32,300
Missed Income $50,800 $50,800
TOTAL $64,400 $83,100
6 Years To Graduate PUBLIC COLLEGE PRIVATE COLLEGE
Annual Cost $27,200 $64,600
Missed Income $101,600 $101,600
TOTAL $128,,800 $166,200
Source: Average 2007-2008 average annual college costs from The College Board.
Average of 2008 starting salaries for Business, Engineering, Computer Science, Liberal
Arts bachelor degrees from National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE).
This dramatic increase in the cost to complete a four-year college degree is not the only consequence of failing to provide the coaching teens need to prepare for their worklife. Lack of preparation can seriously handicap your child’s ability to compete, when she or he is looking for a job after graduation. In today’s very competitive global economy, especially during times of recession, our children need to learn how to take charge of their life to shape their destiny. Thus it is vitally important for parents to include career planning in their teen’s individual learning plan, and provide the coaching that will enable their child to identify career interests, select a career path, understand workplace expectations, develop skills employers value, and learn how to market themself.
Get started by contacting your child’s high school guidance counselor to discuss the career planning tools the school makes available. Search the internet for articles and books that provide career planning advice for teens. Remember it’s not likely your child will initiate career planning activities without encouragement and coaching. Teens tend to live in the present, and it’s often difficult for them to see the need to make choices now that will help them improve their life in the future. Additionally, they lack a big picture understanding of how the workplace functions, and thus are missing perspective to guide them in preparing for their future work life. Given these realities, your leadership is essential!
About The Author:
John G. Bendt is the founder and owner of Career Mentor Press, LLC and author of A Roadmap to Career Success --- 25 Tips for College Bound Students. Combining 40 years of professional business experience with his passion for mentoring young people, Bendt has established himself as an expert on advising students about career planning. He can be reached through his Web site at www.roadmaptocareersuccess.com.
Friday, December 19, 2008
Creating the ILP
Parent Driven Schools is a grass roots organization and website to support parents, teachers, and business who want to create life long learners. One way to increase engagement is to create an Individual Learning Plan (ILP) There are 5 points to developing an ILP (go to www.parentdrivenschools.org to review all 5 components of the ILP)
Point #3 states:
‘The ILP should be a working document. Progress should be measured against the contents of the plan. Amendments should be made to the plan on an as-needed basis.’
What is a working document and how can a busy parent keep track of this? A working document is created between parent, child, and teacher. The document puts into descriptive words the learning goals of the child. It recognizes who all the players involved are and what parts of the team they will play. It is designed with the individual in mind – hence Individual Learning Plan. It is different for every parent and child. The term working means it is always in progress and changing. It is not written once and put in a folder to be forgotten. It is written with SMART Goals: specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and timely goals. The goals have deadlines. The document is revisited periodically to chart the progress toward the goals and make adjustments as necessary.
Remember when your child was an infant and a trip to the doctor took place at regular intervals to check the physical and developmental progress of your child? Weight, height, growth was measured and charted. If the child was not on target, advice was given and steps were taken to ‘reach that goal.’ The ILP does just that for your child’s learning development. The only difference is you set the time line with your child and child’s teacher to meet the targets and goals.
Here is the key to the ILP—engagement. What does engagement mean? For the purposes of this writing and talking about an ILP, engagement really means an increased level of activity. What is the activity? The activities are ongoing behaviors and actions that lead to knowing more about what your child is doing and accomplishing in school. It needs to be planned and it needs to be intentional. It requires commitment. The destination: developing a life long learner that can go to work and be a productive member of the community. It is so worth the effort.
The ILP can help the student, parent, and teacher move through a year of progress successfully.
Think of it as a road map to educational success.
If you look at a road map of the United States you will see a lot of roads with many options to reach the same destination. Some are more desirable than others—but are they realistic? Can you drive through the Grand Canyon and visit Mount Rushmore all in one week?
The need to plan for progress needs to be outlined and organized. That is what the ILP will help you do. It may seem overwhelming to you as a busy parent to even begin the process but it is doable. Start by having a conversation with your student about what they would like to accomplish this year, next year, in five years.
Faced with a resistant learner? A great book resource is available titled: The Resistant Learner by Lawrence J. Greene (St. Martin’s Griffin, NY). It contains scripts and worksheets ready to copy and use. It is like a personal coach to help you start the process of conversation and action with your student. The discussion around each concern/issue is identified by chapter title. You could open the book to an issue that specifically addresses your student’s needs, read the ‘directions’ and begin to have a conversation.
The only way you will get this accomplished is to begin. Take a step towards creating a great 2009 and investing in the process of developing your life long learner—their lively hood and economic outlook depend on it.
Point #3 states:
‘The ILP should be a working document. Progress should be measured against the contents of the plan. Amendments should be made to the plan on an as-needed basis.’
What is a working document and how can a busy parent keep track of this? A working document is created between parent, child, and teacher. The document puts into descriptive words the learning goals of the child. It recognizes who all the players involved are and what parts of the team they will play. It is designed with the individual in mind – hence Individual Learning Plan. It is different for every parent and child. The term working means it is always in progress and changing. It is not written once and put in a folder to be forgotten. It is written with SMART Goals: specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and timely goals. The goals have deadlines. The document is revisited periodically to chart the progress toward the goals and make adjustments as necessary.
Remember when your child was an infant and a trip to the doctor took place at regular intervals to check the physical and developmental progress of your child? Weight, height, growth was measured and charted. If the child was not on target, advice was given and steps were taken to ‘reach that goal.’ The ILP does just that for your child’s learning development. The only difference is you set the time line with your child and child’s teacher to meet the targets and goals.
Here is the key to the ILP—engagement. What does engagement mean? For the purposes of this writing and talking about an ILP, engagement really means an increased level of activity. What is the activity? The activities are ongoing behaviors and actions that lead to knowing more about what your child is doing and accomplishing in school. It needs to be planned and it needs to be intentional. It requires commitment. The destination: developing a life long learner that can go to work and be a productive member of the community. It is so worth the effort.
The ILP can help the student, parent, and teacher move through a year of progress successfully.
Think of it as a road map to educational success.
If you look at a road map of the United States you will see a lot of roads with many options to reach the same destination. Some are more desirable than others—but are they realistic? Can you drive through the Grand Canyon and visit Mount Rushmore all in one week?
The need to plan for progress needs to be outlined and organized. That is what the ILP will help you do. It may seem overwhelming to you as a busy parent to even begin the process but it is doable. Start by having a conversation with your student about what they would like to accomplish this year, next year, in five years.
Faced with a resistant learner? A great book resource is available titled: The Resistant Learner by Lawrence J. Greene (St. Martin’s Griffin, NY). It contains scripts and worksheets ready to copy and use. It is like a personal coach to help you start the process of conversation and action with your student. The discussion around each concern/issue is identified by chapter title. You could open the book to an issue that specifically addresses your student’s needs, read the ‘directions’ and begin to have a conversation.
The only way you will get this accomplished is to begin. Take a step towards creating a great 2009 and investing in the process of developing your life long learner—their lively hood and economic outlook depend on it.
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
The Indvididual Learning Plan ( ILP) a lasting gift for the life long learner
In the days after the holidays, when the dust is settling, and we think about the lovely gifts we have gotten, let us not forget about the non-material gifts we can give our children all year long: the gifts of support, encouragement, and love. We also give them the gift of becoming a life-long learner. As the New Year approaches we think about how we can be better people and ways to accomplish improving our lives.
What would we like to accomplish this year? What would our children like to accomplish this year? It is never too early to ask this question of your children and help them to learn to set goals. It opens a child’s eyes to where they fit in the world.
When asking your child what he/she would like to accomplish this year, ask what they want to learn this year. Ask what they would like to have accomplished in school by the end of this school year. Do they know that they need to learn this year’s vocabulary or history so that they can build on that knowledge?
So your child has stated some ideas about what they would like to learn and accomplish. How do you transfer this information to the other partner in the education process --- the teacher? Start with an ILP: Individual Learning Plan.
Ask your child’s teacher: Have they heard of an ILP? Do they know what my child wants to accomplish? Would you please review my child’s ILP with me and my child?
Reviewing an ILP with a teacher can be done numerous ways: after school, by email, over the phone, and even by letters taken to school and returned by the child. There are many ways to connect with your child’s teacher.
Many school systems have grades and lesson plans you can access on line to gain more information about your student’s progress. The ILP is more than half way done if you gather information from the sources already available to you. The big step here is for you as a parent to take some time to read the school’s and district’s web sites.
Do you talk to your child about the information on the school/district website about graduation requirements (required credits)? Do you talk about how to meet those requirements year by year, step by step? If your child is not in high school yet, it is not too early to actually look at those requirements so they can plan their elementary and middle school goals to be more successful when they get to high school.
Write down the goals and the steps to reach those goals. Creating an ILP can really assist with the process of reaching goals. It needs to be written down. Research has proven that people who write down their goals have a higher rate of accomplishing those goals. Remember: ink it…don’t just think it.
Share the ILP with family members, school staff and friends. Invite them into the support and accountability process. Remember to celebrate when your child has met the goal or accomplished the learning process. Celebrating the accomplishment lays the foundation for success and stretching for the next ILP. It is a life long activity—setting goals about what to learn or accomplish next and then working the plan to get there. The ILP is the best gift a parent can give their student.
What would we like to accomplish this year? What would our children like to accomplish this year? It is never too early to ask this question of your children and help them to learn to set goals. It opens a child’s eyes to where they fit in the world.
When asking your child what he/she would like to accomplish this year, ask what they want to learn this year. Ask what they would like to have accomplished in school by the end of this school year. Do they know that they need to learn this year’s vocabulary or history so that they can build on that knowledge?
So your child has stated some ideas about what they would like to learn and accomplish. How do you transfer this information to the other partner in the education process --- the teacher? Start with an ILP: Individual Learning Plan.
Ask your child’s teacher: Have they heard of an ILP? Do they know what my child wants to accomplish? Would you please review my child’s ILP with me and my child?
Reviewing an ILP with a teacher can be done numerous ways: after school, by email, over the phone, and even by letters taken to school and returned by the child. There are many ways to connect with your child’s teacher.
Many school systems have grades and lesson plans you can access on line to gain more information about your student’s progress. The ILP is more than half way done if you gather information from the sources already available to you. The big step here is for you as a parent to take some time to read the school’s and district’s web sites.
Do you talk to your child about the information on the school/district website about graduation requirements (required credits)? Do you talk about how to meet those requirements year by year, step by step? If your child is not in high school yet, it is not too early to actually look at those requirements so they can plan their elementary and middle school goals to be more successful when they get to high school.
Write down the goals and the steps to reach those goals. Creating an ILP can really assist with the process of reaching goals. It needs to be written down. Research has proven that people who write down their goals have a higher rate of accomplishing those goals. Remember: ink it…don’t just think it.
Share the ILP with family members, school staff and friends. Invite them into the support and accountability process. Remember to celebrate when your child has met the goal or accomplished the learning process. Celebrating the accomplishment lays the foundation for success and stretching for the next ILP. It is a life long activity—setting goals about what to learn or accomplish next and then working the plan to get there. The ILP is the best gift a parent can give their student.
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Experts confirm it--Parents need to make their voice heard
The lead article in GOOD magazine- (www.goodmagazine.com) for the September/October Education Issue titled “In the Fight Over Education Is Anyone Wining?” by Gary S Stager, PhD, summarizes the various efforts going on to reform education. The one action /solution not fully activated is the voice of the parent. The solution seems to be so simple—and yet it is complex.
Each school needs the parents to be fully aware of and engaged in choice. What that means and what that looks like depends on the parent. One thing is clear—all parents must be vocal. All must show up and voice concerns at all levels from parent night meetings all the way up to the local administrators and politicians. And the vocalization can not just be a one time ‘token’ attempt’ —as the school districts will hope that you will forget and or get tired of waiting. Unfortunately, that is the state of our education systems they will not respond to first or second requests and inquiries. Rather ongoing vocal engagement will set the course for a successful learning environment change and reform—which means you must care, be informed and have a sense of what you want for your child and a specific outcome addressed in an Individual Learning Plan.
So now we recognize what we need to do, the real question is how do we go about this?
Parent Driven Schools is here to help each parent formulate a plan of action- it can be as simple or as complex as each parent needs. The plan of action will change according to the needs of the student, the parent and the issues at hand. This is where the Individualized Learning Plan will help organize your focus on the priorities.
First, make a commitment to making your voice about choice heard.
Second, identify ways to vocalize that will
• Define the problem
• Create the ability to speak up without sounding like a whining victim/ complainer
• Engage in solution-based conversations
Third, identify the individuals and groups with whom you need to engage in conversations. This will take some time to organize and identify. You do not have to do any of this by yourself. The internet is full of resources to identify the names and numbers of people who can help to get your voice heard.
Schedule a phone call in your calendar – and let your voice and choice be heard.
It is what makes you a powerful and engaged parent. You know you can do this. We know you can do this. We are driven to help you!
Stager, PhD, G. S. In the Fight Over Education Is Anyone Wining. Good Magazine. Sept/Oct. 2008
Each school needs the parents to be fully aware of and engaged in choice. What that means and what that looks like depends on the parent. One thing is clear—all parents must be vocal. All must show up and voice concerns at all levels from parent night meetings all the way up to the local administrators and politicians. And the vocalization can not just be a one time ‘token’ attempt’ —as the school districts will hope that you will forget and or get tired of waiting. Unfortunately, that is the state of our education systems they will not respond to first or second requests and inquiries. Rather ongoing vocal engagement will set the course for a successful learning environment change and reform—which means you must care, be informed and have a sense of what you want for your child and a specific outcome addressed in an Individual Learning Plan.
So now we recognize what we need to do, the real question is how do we go about this?
Parent Driven Schools is here to help each parent formulate a plan of action- it can be as simple or as complex as each parent needs. The plan of action will change according to the needs of the student, the parent and the issues at hand. This is where the Individualized Learning Plan will help organize your focus on the priorities.
First, make a commitment to making your voice about choice heard.
Second, identify ways to vocalize that will
• Define the problem
• Create the ability to speak up without sounding like a whining victim/ complainer
• Engage in solution-based conversations
Third, identify the individuals and groups with whom you need to engage in conversations. This will take some time to organize and identify. You do not have to do any of this by yourself. The internet is full of resources to identify the names and numbers of people who can help to get your voice heard.
Schedule a phone call in your calendar – and let your voice and choice be heard.
It is what makes you a powerful and engaged parent. You know you can do this. We know you can do this. We are driven to help you!
Stager, PhD, G. S. In the Fight Over Education Is Anyone Wining. Good Magazine. Sept/Oct. 2008
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