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DEL.ICIO.USMake way for room dads
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
I enjoyed this sweet story about the Dad’s Club at Russell Elementary in Smyrna. They are basically the male version of the traditional room moms, the women who help teachers, run events and organize class parties.
I’ve noticed more volunteer dads lately. It used to be that you saw them more at sporting events. Now I see them at PTA meetings, parent-teacher conferences and many school performances.
Still, these active dads are a rarity. Of the nearly 6 million people who belong to Parent Teachers Associations, only 500,000 are men, according to the national organization.
I’ve had some men tell me they’re met with resistance when they ask to help out. Teachers and principals ask if they’re serious when they offer to volunteer.
What benefit do kids and schools get from room dads? What can be done to get more of them?
UPDATE: I want to be sure that you saw that Gwinnett County school leaders posted more information about their plan to be exempt from state mandates.
Comments
By jim d
December 23, 2008 9:33 AM | Link to this
RE; UPDATE.
And i want to be sure everyone has the email address for Kathy Cox
state.superintendent@doe.k12.ga.us
Then there’s a fax number— 404) 651-8737
And if you are really ambitous you can call (404) 656-2800 to VOICE concerns
By jim d
December 23, 2008 9:45 AM | Link to this
BTW,
don’t know if anyone else has looked at it but when you do please note the improvements all take place in year one then level out rather than to show continued progress.
That being the case I am curious if they must only reach the goal by year five to meet contract requirements for improvement. Or if they fail to meet projected progress in year one do they fail in the 5 year contract?
By Bill Maddox
December 23, 2008 9:52 AM | Link to this
The Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education Bus Trip Across Georgia visited Rigdon Road Elementary School in Columbus last year. This is a 100 percent minority school that is knocking the socks off achivement numbers. One of the keys to their success is the FBI - Fathers Being Involved - and the GBI - Grandparents Being Involved. One of our bus riders took the idea back to her school, Mattie Lively Elementary School in Statesboro, and now has more than 40 dads actively involved at the school from welcoming children in the morning to helping in the classrooms and lunchroom to mentoring. Her program has now been replicated at four other Bulloch County Schools. These fathers are making a big difference in these achieving schools!
By Dr. Craig Spinks/Augusta
December 23, 2008 12:00 PM | Link to this
Bill, thanks for the information about Fathers Being Involved and Grandparents Being Involved. DADS IN ACTION, a partnership of the Richmond County Council of PTAs, the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office, and the Richmond County School System, will use this info in our efforts to make Richmond County public schools better.
By Tony
December 23, 2008 12:19 PM | Link to this
When parents set high expectations, value the importance of learning and education, and model these values by how they live, it is amazing what kinds of results can be achieved. You see, it does not matter whether the parents actually show up at the school to volunteer. It matters that the values are instilled in the child. Kids must SEE their parents words in action.
By jim d
December 23, 2008 1:03 PM | Link to this
Tony,
Indeed kids need to see parents involved
Parents and education can work well together. Although I will admit for some parents struggling to make ends meet it can be rather difficult. Not impossible—just difficult.
I wish more schools would open a bit early so parents could interact a bit. Maybe with a donuts for dads or muffins for mom type of thing to get parents involved with the schools and show their kids they are involved. Perhaps even do a brown bag lunch once a month to get parents to come set in the classroom for awhile and the one thing I’ve always wanted to see is an open library night maybe once a month so parents and students and sibblings could come read together. (snacks provided by parents groups would make a nice incentive)
Personally I think anything that gets parets into the school is worthwhile but some will require a bit more effort on part of the schools or a very active PTA type group.
By Tony
December 23, 2008 1:53 PM | Link to this
jim d, I don’t deny the importance of parental involvement in the schools. My point was simply that the most important part of a good education begins with the value placed on it by the parents and family.
It is fun to open the doors of the school to draw parents in. It builds trust and camaraderie amongst all the players - parent, teacher, student and principal. We have a very organized parent involvement program in our school and many dedicated parent volunteers. We have special nights throughout the year to promote parent/student partnerships in learning. Science night and math night are two of the biggest such events.
Our doors are always open for parents who wish to have lunch with their children. On any given day we have 20 to 30 such guests.
Schools that cannot (or do not) establish partnerships with parents are missing out on powerful opportunities to reinforce the importance of learning.
By jim d
December 23, 2008 2:14 PM | Link to this
Tony,
Kudo’s—sounds like you got it happening!
By Simple question
December 23, 2008 4:11 PM | Link to this
It was a simple question really. Has Alvin or any of his cronies ever contacted Laura and attempted to find information on Gwinnett teachers who oppose his plans on this blog?
Not sure why one wouldn’t be willing to address that. Seems like if one were promoting a forum where one could speak with more freedom than one can through official channels, one would want to address that for the benefit of the posters from Gwinnett who want to put the information about the plan out there.
By catlady
December 23, 2008 4:33 PM | Link to this
Tony, our school DIScourages parents from coming to eat—too much trouble, slows the line down too much. What a lost opportunity! We have3 parents (out of over 600 kids) who regularly volunteer. We are glad to see them when we have the book fair (before or after school only, not during the school day.) I feel very frustrated about it because I used to have an active parent/grandparent volunteer program for my room, but with the requirement for everyone to be fingerprinted/background checked—and they pay for it—plus other changes, it could never happen today. When our teachers specifically invite parents to come and help for a two hour special activity, many of the parents DO show up. I know many are thirsting for more contact. We draw less than 10 parents to PTA meetings, but when I have an educational meeting for the Latino parents, routinely over 100 adults and kids come. So I KNOW there is some untapped interest out there.
BTW, over the years I have not had much Daddy involvement (understandably, since many men have less flexible schedules), except recently from the Latino dads. They are much more likely to come to stuff than the “white” dads.
By Dr. Craig Spinks/Augusta
December 23, 2008 4:45 PM | Link to this
Our kids need their Dads AND OTHER COMMITTED MEN in their schools’ classrooms, hallways and restrooms as well as in their lunchrooms, PTA meetings and gyms. Our kids need to see that their fathers and other men value them, their academic potential and the daily classroom instruction which will help them achieve it.
By Tony
December 23, 2008 6:04 PM | Link to this
Catlady - I am very sorry to hear that your school system leaders have placed such barriers. Have you ever wondered where the money goes for the background checks that are required? I suspect the fees more than offset the costs.
Seriously, your principal and system leaders should find ways to open the doors of the school for parents. People other than parents are good volunteers, too.
You are so right about the Hispanic parents’ involvement. Many of these children in our school have both parents who attend meetings and participate. We have one of our local industries that allow the employees up to two hours (paid) a month to attend meetings at the school.
By jim d
December 24, 2008 10:27 AM | Link to this
RE: UPDATE OF IE2,
Somebody help me out here. Tony??
Am I reading this thing right? Is Gwinnett’s plan for increasing student achievement simply not going below a state level that they already exceed?
By Tony
December 24, 2008 11:28 AM | Link to this
Once I found the Gwinnett plan I gave it a cursory look. My first impression is that the baseline and goals are divided into two types: areas where there is an achievement gap and areas where the schools already exceed. The goals for improvement appear to be based on closing the achievement gap between the subgroups not performing as well. The goals are given as percentage of students scoring at the exceeds level in comparison with the state average.
In areas where the schools exceed the state averages, they are given a certain tolerance for variation. That is, a boundary is set just a little below current performance.
These are first impressions. After I read more details, I will share my thoughts. It will be after Christmas. For now, I am gearing up for an all out religious celebration of the birth of Jesus.