Building strong, respectful, and trusting relationships is a critical component of student achievement. According to the Scholastic Teacher & Principal School Report, 99% of educators agree that “it is important to student success that families be involved in their children’s learning,” yet 74% say they need help engaging the families of their students.
Dr. Karen Mapp, a senior lecturer on education at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, and the faculty director of the Education Policy and Management Master’s Program, teamed up with Scholastic for a 5-part webinar series designed to help school practitioners understand how to partner with families to support student learning at home and how to sustain the children’s development right now while many schools remain closed.
In each webinar, Dr. Mapp provides insights and practical tools for family engagement, centered on key themes and focus areas and featuring special guests. In case you missed the live webinars, watch each recording below!
Part 1: Building Partnerships with Families: Where Do We Start?
- Special Guests:
- Sarah Friedman, Co-Director, Co-Founder The Learning Community
- Lynn Lotierzo, 1st grade teacher, The Learning Community
- Maria Duque, Administrative Manager, The Learning Community
- Claudia Guarin, mother of student at The Learning Community
Part 2: Virtual Meetings, Gatherings and Publishing Parties
- Special Guests:
- Ilene Carver, co-author of Powerful Partnerships
- Tracy Curtin, 3rd grade teacher, PA Shaw Elementary
- Latoya Jones, parent of a 3rd grader at PA Shaw Elementary
- Raoul Coulanges, parent of a 3rd grader at PA Shaw Elementary
Part 3: Tips and Tools for Effective Family Communication
- Special Guest: Dr. Todd Rodgers, professor of public policy at the Harvard Kennedy School
Part 4: Family Engagement Phone Calls
- Special Guests:
- Katie Mallon, elementary school teacher in Boston Public Schools
- Chantei Alves, early childhood teacher in Boston Public Schools
- Ilene Carver, co-author of Powerful Partnerships
- Rosa Esparza, bilingual teacher at the Umana School in East Boston
Part 5: Connecting with Families with Special Needs Children
- Special Guests:
- Emma Fialka-Feldman, 2nd grade teacher
- Sophia Johansson, mother
To learn more about Karen Mapp’s approach to building effective, lasting relationships with families, discover her book Powerful Partnerships: A Teacher's Guide to Engaging Families for Student Success.
And stay tuned for Dr. Mapp's next webinar series!
