Involving Parents In Planning

[Guest]

Hi

I have put up a display board for parents to add ideas to using post it notes- to involve them in our 'shared planning'. I have put the children's suggestions on too for them to see. However, not one parent has added anything yet. I sent a note home explaining what it was (even said it's very informal and a chance for them to scribble ideas without worrying about handwriting etc)

 

Any ideas?

 

Thanks

[HappyMaz]

Hi Vaughantracy

 

I'm sure I haven't welcomed you to the forum before - so a warm welcome from me to begin with!

 

Is the idea that parents take a post-it and write it at the setting before adding it to the display? There are lots of reasons why parents might feel uncomfortable doing this, although it seems to me to be a good way of encouraging those parents who don't usually return forms, letters etc. We send home surveys for parents to fill in about what their child likes to do/is particularly interested in etc to use in our planning, and most parents do it because its focused on their own child.

 

How long has the display board been up? It may be that everyone is waiting for the first person to contribute. Could you approach a tame, friendly parent and ask him/her to write something up there to get the ball rolling? Or write something on there yourself?

 

Hard to get parents to contribute isn't it? I'll be interested to read everyone else's views!

[hali]

good advise from Maz.

 

I sent home learning journeys with the bit for parents to fill in at the bottom! most came back at the beginning of the term blank - so i handed them back to the parents and now all are back filled in!

[Guest]

would you be willing to share your parent surveys Happy maz?????????????

 

saki

[HappyMaz]

would you be willing to share your parent surveys Happy maz?????????????

Of course!

 

It should all be self explanatory!

 

Maz

 

PS I meant to say: I have two versions - one for a girl and one for a boy. They're identical, except one says 'his/he' and the other says 'her/she'. That way I can be sure that little Freddie's mother doesn't get a survey that says "Freddie will be having her superstar week.....". Sometimes I'm not too eagle eyed and these things get missed!

Blank_survey.doc

Edited September 18, 2008 by HappyMaz

[Guest Wolfie]

Oooh, that's a goody, thanks for that!

[Guest]

YOUR GOOD I LIKE THIS TOO,

just tweeked it a little but many thanks

xxxxx

[HappyMaz]

just tweeked it a little but many thanks

Out of interest Andrea, how did you tweak it and why? Just checking that I haven't missed something obvious!

[Guest jane heald]

Hi

 

At my school many of the parents struggle with literacy and writing on a post it on a display would be too threatening. We therefore give parents access to the children's special books. They write post its and stick them in their own child's book. This is usually to do with something their child has achieved at home. However I was thinking perhaps you could do something something similar for your planning idea perhaps a board is just to public a place for them to post their ideas, it leaves them with a feeling of being exposed.

 

Jay