Guest Post by Joe Mazza:

Next #PTchat – 3/21/12 9PM EST / 6 PST

Extreme School Lobby Makeover – Welcome, Honor & Connect Edition

What does your school do to create a trusting and respectful relationships with parents?

Karen Mapp, a leading researcher on family engagement and consultant to the U.S. Department of Education has found that we should be welcoming, honoring and connecting our families. Mapp has found that high-performing, low-income schools welcome, honor, and connect families with what’s happening in class. She calls this “The Joining Process” and found that it creates a school where “everyone feels like members of a family.”

This Wednesday, 3/21/12 #PTchat continues as we take a look at the “welcoming and supportive environments” we have set up in our schools for families. We will share and gather ideas on how to take your school lobby to the next level in terms of welcoming, honoring and connecting. 

For more information, please visit Joe Mazza’s eFACE Today Blog. #PTchat is a weekly chat where parents and teachers around the world come together using the hashtag #PTchat. The goal behind #PTchat is to encourage a transparent and collaborative dialogue between parents and educators. All #PTchats are archived here.