Engaging Families
Engaging families in your curriculum can help foster support for your program, improve student achievement, and improve the class environment. Find opportunities to communicate what you do in your class, why it is important, and how families can support your efforts. This can be done through class websites, newsletters, presentations, videos, social media, communication apps, and attending various school events. Here are some additional ideas:
- Assign homework activities that require participation from family members. Examples include: psychomotor tasks that require another person, physical activity logs that require a guardian's signature, family history reports that details genetic risk factors, etc.
- Contact families to praise student behavior!
- Host activities that incorporate family involvement such as a physical education showcases, "Family Fitness Nights," and field days. Family members can be involved as observers of student performances, volunteers, or through direct participation. Don't forget to thank them!
- Host free clinics for family members (or charge small fees as a part of a fundraiser) based on your expertise. The more active the family members are, the more active your students will be!
- Join your school's Parent Teacher Association (PTA) and become involved in the community.
- Remember to provide information in various mediums. Parents have different learning styles too!
Articles on Engaging Families
- 9 of the Biggest Parent Communication Mistakes
- A Guide to Engaging Parents in School Physical Education and Physical Activity
- Dealing with a Difficult Parent
- Family Engagement Articles (Edutopia)
- Framing Difficult Feedback for Parents
- How to Build A Parent Teacher Relationship That Will Help Students Succeed
- Improving Your Parent-Outreach Strategy
- Is Your School Parent-Friendly?
- Promoting Physical Activity Through PE: Increasing Parent Interaction
- Strategies for Involving Parents in School Health
- Teacher-Parent Communication Strategies to Start the Year Off Right
SHAPE America Appropriate Practices
- 2.1.1 Clear goals and objectives for student learning and performance are communicated to students, parents/ guardians and administrators.
- 3.8.1 Teachers plan events (e.g., charity events, student/parent play nights) so that every student can participate fully and can derive satisfaction and joy from the event.
- 4.5.2 The teacher provides regular reports of student progress to students and parents/ guardians using a variety of continuous formative evaluations and assessments (e.g., heart rate monitor printouts, pedometer step sheets).
- 5.3.1 The teacher informs parents/ guardians, administrators and the public regularly about the physical education program’s goals and activities.
