What Are The Best Ways To Increase Family Involvement In The Classroom?

by TeachThought Staff

Increasing family involvement in your classroom has probably been a goal of yours for years–especially if you teach anywhere beyond 7th grade.

While “literacy nights,” and related student showcases are great, improving the strength–and authenticity–of the connection between school and home could yield a staggering improvement in both academic and “whole child” progress.

By now you’ve seen the following block-style infographics from Mia MacMeekin that offer quick tips on a variety of teaching topics. The one below offers 27 ways to increase family involvement in the classroom. Some are a bit obvious (“Call home”), but several are very, very good, including:

1. Adding photos when possible

2. Text! (Seems simple, and won’t work for all parents, but some parents will be downright unreachable without it)

3. Be sensitive to busy families. Keep it short!

4. Ask parents to host specific events (take it off your plate!)

5. Incorporate: Integrate what the family does for a living into curriculum, projects, etc. (This one is our personal favorite.)

27 Ways to Increase Family Involvement In The Classroom