
Category Archives: Uncategorized


May’s (2020) Useful Parent Engagement Resources – Part One
Building Positive Conditions for Learning at Home: Strategies and Resources for Families and Caregivers is from The American Institutes For Research.
Rethinking Family Engagement During School Closures is from Teaching Tolerance.
Children are autonomous learners – Thank you, @pfagell , for posting this! Turn Your Demanding Child Into a Productive Co-Worker https://t.co/PikxIFjqZC
— Rick Wormeli (@rickwormeli2) May 2, 2020
Blast from Past: Parents Helping Their Kids with Reading https://t.co/a3c9tsZBpl pic.twitter.com/Vmi4wcmR6o
— Timothy Shanahan (@ReadingShanahan) April 25, 2020
Our kids’ teachers didn’t have to bribe them with cookies or electronics, so why do we have to? @nytparenting has tips from experts on how to get your kid to treat you like their teacher. https://t.co/sq1Cy9Ywhy
— The New York Times (@nytimes) April 26, 2020

April’s (2020) Useful Parent Engagement Resources
Parents as Emergency Teachers? The Research Offers Cautions and Opportunities for Schools is from Ed Week.
5 ways parents can motivate children at home during the pandemic – without nagging or tantrums is from The Conversation.
Learning at home: Engaging with parents is from The Education Hub.
6 tips for parents who home-school is from The Conversation.

“Spanish-Language Visualization: ‘7 Tips for Parents Supporting Remote Learning'”
Spanish-Language Visualization: ‘7 Tips for Parents Supporting Remote Learning’ is the headline of my latest Education Week Teacher column.
As regular readers know, three educators have worked to create several English- and Spanish-language visualizations and infographics of the key points I’ve made in various videos.
Thanks to Wendi Pillars, Xatli Stox, and Lindsay Kuhl for their amazing work, which can be found at these previous posts:
Infographic: ‘7 Tips for Remote Teaching’
Spanish-Language Infographic: ‘7 Tips for Parents Supporting Remote Learning’
Visualization of ‘7 Tips for Parents Supporting Remote Learning’
Infographic: ‘7 Tips for Parents Supporting Remote Learning’
Now, Wendi and Xatli have collaborated to create yet another amazing vizualization – a Spanish-language version of the English one Wendi did earlier of “7 Tips For Parents Supporting Remote Learning.” I’ve embedded the video below it (Xatli has made all the Spanish-language versions of these infographics available for download here):

“Visualization of ‘7 Tips for Parents Supporting Remote Learning'”
Visualization of ‘7 Tips for Parents Supporting Remote Learning’ is the headline of my latest Education Week Teacher column.
Teacher Wendi Pillars shares a visual illustration of the points made in my video, “7 Tips for Parents Supporting Remote Learning.’

“Infographic: ‘7 Tips for Parents Supporting Remote Learning'”
My latest Education Week Teacher column is headlined Infographic: ‘7 Tips for Parents Supporting Remote Learning.’
In it, Lindsay Kuhl shares a great infographic she created illustrating the seven key points I spoke about in a recent video (which I’ve embedded below her infographic):
And here’s the video:

Video: “7 Tips for Parents Supporting Remote Learning”

March’s (2020) Useful Parent Engagement Resources – Part Two
I *just* finished writing this blog post on EL family engagement during coronovirus. It includes lists of resources can we offer EL/immigrant parents to support them in working with their children at home. #ellchat #familyengagement https://t.co/CpwPUWqKWU https://t.co/oudtmhQqZx
— Laura Gardner (@lauragardner79) March 17, 2020
.@worcesterpublic schools has a good Family Project https://t.co/Xv8MMZzZN3 based on the question, What Makes Our Family Special? Seems like the right kind of thing to offer families as an activity… https://t.co/EhUpiukeQz
— Justin Reich (@bjfr) March 15, 2020
@Larryferlazzo we have a teacher-designed K-5 video library of every math, reading and writing concept for PARENTS. Just launched this fall and we'd love to share for free to help those impacted by #COVID19 Quick setup for #schools too! https://t.co/oZFfDgHrm4
— Cohesion Education (@CohesionEd) March 13, 2020
Tips on what to do when the schools close @parent_phd https://t.co/igFlZEumST
— Vincent Cho (@profvinnycho) March 12, 2020
Stanford education researchers find that literacy efforts involving home and community interventions alongside teacher training are most effective at improving children's literacy in developing countries. #NationalReadingMonthhttps://t.co/p0ZsPtwo0X
— Stanford Education (@StanfordEd) March 10, 2020

March’s (2020) Useful Parent Engagement Resources – Part One
Check out the School Community Network.
‘Parentese’ helps parents, babies make ‘conversation’ and boosts language development is from Science Daily.
Just noticing the UNC proxy on the link above. You can also access the paper here:https://t.co/BqOMMmDhgU
— Brittany C. Murray (@BrittanyCMurray) March 3, 2020
*NEW research featured in @ccf_families*
1. Inadequate, unequal funding leads public schools to rely on privileged “helicopter” parents for financial/logistical support. To avoid conflict with those parents, teachers exempt them and their kids from rules.https://t.co/BufOSF27fp— Jess Calarco (@JessicaCalarco) March 3, 2020
How some schools are taking steps to encourage family engagement https://t.co/M6373UgIuK
— Larry Ferlazzo (@Larryferlazzo) March 3, 2020
For schools eager to bolster parental involvement, it’s a family affair https://t.co/41e86aeXoy
— Larry Ferlazzo (@Larryferlazzo) March 1, 2020

February’s (2020) Useful Parent Engagement Resources
Personal Touch Beats Technology for Parent-School Communication, Survey Finds is from Ed Week.
Home Visits Are Effective. Here’s Why They Still Make Some Teachers Uneasy. is from Ed Surge.
Interesting new descriptive study out by @amprog @EdProgress that suggests we are making some progress on improving school communication with parents.https://t.co/OUCnIbc2C3
Great overview in @educationweek w/ a few bonus comments by me. https://t.co/jCkYAs8dHF
— Matthew A. Kraft (@MatthewAKraft) February 21, 2020
How Parents Can Help Middle Schoolers Build Confidence and Character https://t.co/BYwwWQRqfN #edchat
— Lisa Stringfellow (@EngageReaders) February 11, 2020
We asked teenagers whether their parents should worry about how much time they spend on their devices. Over 300 students responded. Here is what they said. https://t.co/fliMFI0CYt
— NYT Learning Network (@NYTimesLearning) February 7, 2020
A2: @rickwormeli2 Response To parent about retakes was an earth mover https://t.co/7nbElvpNcZ #masterychat
— ℂ ℝ (@cradisch_wc) February 7, 2020
“What I find is parents saying, ‘I have to do what’s best for my child.’ I think we’re trying to move parents a little bit on this: Integration often is what’s best for your child.” https://t.co/sXIKiTWb6s
— dan reed, blake high school class of 05 (@justupthepike) February 4, 2020

January’s (2020) Useful Parent Engagement Resources – Part Two
English Fluency Among Parents: Why It Matters for Student Success is from Ed Week.
Parent engagement, bilingual education and immigrant friendly schools are crucial to student success in LA, where 60% of children have at least one immigrant parent, new report finds is from LA School Report.
One-page handout for families on promoting young children's engagement with informational text at home, including through @MollyOfDenali !https://t.co/iM0kgGMwTL
— Nell K. Duke (@nellkduke) January 25, 2020
Poor parents have been sent to prison for using a relative's address to access a different school district. This piece profiles wealthy parents using address fraud and opportunity hoarding (rental apartment) to access an elite Houston public arts magnet, with few consequences… https://t.co/WQ6cuNJss7
— Mira Debs (@mira_debs) January 21, 2020
Can a mobile communicatons app improve parent engagement and student achievement? @MatthewAKraft & @abolves explore in research featured in our latest Reading List. https://t.co/9YGASgTINe
— FutureEd (@FutureEdGU) January 20, 2020
Panicking About Your Kids’ Phones? New Research Says Don’t https://t.co/keOwdzAOsU
— Larry Ferlazzo (@Larryferlazzo) January 19, 2020
Gearing up to launch a new family engagement pilot initiative at @UICLiteracy called the Read, Make, & Play Bag project, supporting family literacy, play, and co-learning. Here are some of the books that will be in the bags. pic.twitter.com/G37Dli9SlC
— Kira J. Baker-Doyle (@KJBD) January 15, 2020
My kid's school (62% poverty rate) raised $10,213 last year. One of her friends goes to a "public" school where a single parent donated $200,000 to the PTA. These are semi-private schools; there is no other word for them. https://t.co/DG5Csxbghu
— Jessica Winter (@winterjessica) January 13, 2020

January’s (2020) Useful Parent Engagement Resources – Part One
Parents aren’t powerless when it comes to sleep-deprived teenagers is from Eureka Alert.
Community Schools as an Effective School Improvement Strategy: A Review of the Evidence
New @REL_SE REL Tool complements and extends a @WhatWorksED practice guide by providing step-by-step guidance for teachers to support families in practicing foundational reading skills at home.https://t.co/LQABkQsTbf pic.twitter.com/RqoDQnP2qb
— IES Research (@IESResearch) January 6, 2020
Some educators spend little extra time in the communities where they teach. Doing so can pay real dividends. – @UrbanEdDJhttps://t.co/a5x6wUDKNT
— Alexander (@alexanderrusso) January 6, 2020
How do you plan to better engage your #ELs' parents and families in the new year? These tips from @edutopia are a good starting point. https://t.co/uABOymKsEo
— Seidlitz Education (@Seidlitz_Ed) January 3, 2020
Did you know that the secret to healthy baby brain development is YOU? No fancy toys required. Sing, read, talk and interact with your baby from birth. Learn more with Dr. Anita Chandra’s Tips for Kids. https://t.co/ljPCEJtO9v
— Reach Out and Read (@reachoutandread) December 27, 2019

December’s (2019) Useful Parent Engagement Resources – Part Two
Reframing Family, School, and Community Engagement is from NAFSCE.
“It wasn’t until I switched roles and started to visit classrooms in other schools that I began to see things from a different perspective.” https://t.co/74RQqXxJbm
— Sawsan Morrar (@sawsan24) December 18, 2019
NEW: Boosting MS Parent & Family Engagement. #mschat #middleschool #leadupchat @amle #JoyfulLeaders #PTA
Family-school engagement is tougher in middle school but the payoff is huge. Dr. @CurtisChandler6 recommends strategic planning and really good tech.https://t.co/jalxgKhrm9 pic.twitter.com/ooW6MP1vXT— MiddleWeb (@middleweb) December 16, 2019
This is top notch, friends—might be the most useful post I’ve read this year (and that’s saying something because my moving writers buddies are ALWAYS killing it!) https://t.co/AzRJ5fBStg
— ZigThinks (@ZigThinks) December 16, 2019
If you’re seeking ways to dial back screen use among children 6 and under, here are a few tips from @NYTParenting https://t.co/5ml2wXvdsQ
— The New York Times (@nytimes) December 16, 2019

December’s (2019) Useful Parent Engagement Resources – Part One
How to make your kindergartener a book worm is from Teach Learn Grow.
The Psychological Benefits To Hearing Family Stories This Thanksgiving is from NPR.
The Myth of the Two-Parent Home is from The NY Times.
What’s Lost When Black Children Are Socialized Into a White World is from The Atlantic.
Among the reasons parents can avoid disputing their child's special education services
-Resource imbalance
-Inability to get time off work to attend mediation
-Language barriers
-Fear of encountering relevant parties in public outside of schoolhttps://t.co/2nR3aDt119 #spedchat pic.twitter.com/73CvwMDmxd— Politics K-12 (@PoliticsK12) December 4, 2019
On the left, NYC average PTA income per student: $167.57.
On the right, the school where I taught: $0. https://t.co/8pvKqJbfxg
h/t @EdPolicyWC pic.twitter.com/4MY5LgkutD
— Cara Jackson (@cara__jackson) December 3, 2019
Lots of caveats with @NYCSchools PTA fundraising data, but even with errors this # shouldn't change too much: median white kid went to a school that raised $65 per student last year, while median black kid went to a school that raised $4 per kid: https://t.co/NMXt1iSSwu
— Michael Elsen-Rooney (@MichaelElsenRoo) December 2, 2019

November’s (2019) Useful Parent Engagement Resources – Part Three
Connecting With English-Learner Families: 5 Ideas to Help Schools is from Ed Week.
What We’ve Learned: Administrators share advice for engaging families is from Education Dive.
Check out all the great ways you can use tech to communicate with parents! Thx @irina_mcgrath & @michelleshory #ellchat https://t.co/twvjCaYauA
— Carol Salva (@MsSalvac) November 26, 2019
These are a handful of many questions we can ask to identify Ss and Families strengths to Break Down the Wall by #TeachingtoStrengths. #ellchat #ellchat_bkclub @ASCD @CorwinPress @Larryferlazzo pic.twitter.com/mtJXAH0KTT
— Debbie Zacarian (@DebbieZacarian) November 22, 2019
Schools less important than parents in determining higher education aspirations https://t.co/0MYgOmPsq0
— Larry Ferlazzo (@Larryferlazzo) November 19, 2019
Helicopter parents and 'hothouse children' — exploring the high stakes of family dynamics https://t.co/5ZlGxJPTDB via @EurekAlert
— Larry Ferlazzo (@Larryferlazzo) November 19, 2019
Attending (parents’) preferred schools in Barbados did not improve short-run test scores, but improved post-secondary school completion and adult well-being. Interesting paper by Diether Beuermann and @KiraboJackson presented today in #SeminarioEducacion @BIDeducacion . pic.twitter.com/Mq1KSfjs3V
— Diana Hincapie (@DianaHincapieO) November 18, 2019

November’s (2019) Useful Parent Engagement Resources – Part Two
Responding Calmly to Upset Parents is from Edutopia.
A Guide for Educators: Helping Families Engage in Their Children’s Learning
HOW TO SHARE NEGATIVE FEEDBACK WITH PARENTS is from English Teaching 101.
On the Rise: Cincinnati’s Community Learning Centers is from Future of Learning.
How parents can begin to structure conversations around ethical college admissions is from Harvard.
Please view and share our new Educator Guide on #familyengagement & companion Family Guide! Both here: https://t.co/M5PJ40lBVt @DrPriceMitchell @Larryferlazzo @FSCPSIG @isherriatwork
— Lori G. Thomas (@LoriT027) November 13, 2019
What can Chicago's School Quality Rating Policy tell us about designing school quality reports with families in mind? @brandonspeak @bellwethered todayhttps://t.co/029izwGzZT
— Cara Jackson (@cara__jackson) November 12, 2019
Tips And Tricks Parents Can Use To Nurture a Love of Reading in Kids https://t.co/E9Hp3Ba4FE
— Larry Ferlazzo (@Larryferlazzo) November 12, 2019
Calming the Waters: Dealing with the Angry Parent https://t.co/xjK8CrRyCg #edchat pic.twitter.com/IffsevS6gx
— Dr. Anael Alston (@DrAAlston) November 11, 2019

November’s (2019) Useful Parent Engagement Resources – Part One
A2: In 21 years of teaching I have *never* met a parent who didn't care about their kids' education. Being silent in the midst of deficit thinking dishonors those students and families targeted, but also all of us. I have spoken up in meetings, and in private. #elemmathchat https://t.co/e5eqMt7K1D
— Marian Dingle (@DingleTeach) November 8, 2019
How do we move from thinking about what parents/families NEED to how parents/families LEAD their children's #education? Check out our article in #LiteracyToday, @ILAToday online magazine: https://t.co/kwVL8ydKi1 @see_tel #LeadLearnELPA @MizzouEducation pic.twitter.com/rDMcjf37ZN
— Lisa Dorner (@lisamdorner) November 7, 2019
For D.C. Parents, School Chaperoning Is Pay to Play – Talk Poverty https://t.co/uojUSPm00X via @nuzzel thanks @jessicasutterW6
— Alexander (@alexanderrusso) November 7, 2019
Very interesting article on how PTAs contribute to inequities across schoolshttps://t.co/cb3gp4s1j7
— Gwen Fishel (@gwenfishel) November 6, 2019
Parent-Teacher Conference Season https://t.co/mBJzskl0OA
— Larry Ferlazzo (@Larryferlazzo) October 31, 2019
The Parent’s Guide to Filling Out the FAFSA® Form https://t.co/HnU9xWnMy4
— Larry Ferlazzo (@Larryferlazzo) October 19, 2019
Parental involvement, reading, extracurriculars, homework help. All are great but parents who model honesty, integrity & hard work are laying a firm educational foundation. You don’t need riches, education or English proficiency to provide that. #ellchat #edchat
— Anabel Gonzalez 🍎 (@amgonza) October 18, 2019
🔘My mother never read a book out loud to me.
🔘She missed several parent-tcher conferences.
🔘Field trip slips were rarely signed.However, I CAN describe her backbreaking jobs here in the US & her efforts to put bread on the table.
THIS is #FamilyEngagement #Ellchat_bkclub
— Emily Fɾαɳƈιʂ 💫 (@emilyfranESL) October 18, 2019

October’s (2019) Useful Parent Engagement Resources – Part One
Every Parent-Teacher Conference Should Look Like This is from The Education Post.
Today I tried the @Microsoft Language translation app with Spanish speaking .@ColsCitySchools parent…and the translator app speaks the translation! Making parents feel like #YouBelong #SpiritofCCS pic.twitter.com/953gpwZTqo
— Dr. Randall Sampson (@RandallSampson) October 25, 2019
Parents try to control the urge to check their kids’ grades all the time, but some can’t help themselves https://t.co/zHfGS2bd1M
— The Wall Street Journal (@WSJ) October 15, 2019
The Things Parents Don't Talk About With Their Kids … But Should https://t.co/a087JyHHab
— Larry Ferlazzo (@Larryferlazzo) October 8, 2019
Parent,”I would like to come read to the class, but I can’t read English.” Me, “well, please come read in your language.” Parent, “really? “ Me, “of course!” And,she did and it was amazing!!Thank you to this mom for reading to us!📚 You made your daughter proud! 😊 #cridgepride pic.twitter.com/ukyeah59lb
— Mrs. Ryan (@MrsRyan310) September 30, 2019

September’s (2019) Useful Parent Engagement Resources – Part Two
OPINION: Parents, here’s why your most important partner may be your child’s teacher (and vice versa) is from The Hechinger Report.
Check out the new Family Engagement Playbook.
Parental involvement plays key role in children’s academic attainment, research shows is from Science Daily.
A successful experience in school isn't just about report cards. Ideally, your child will learn how to learn, retain information, think independently, ask questions and develop an increasing sense of competence.https://t.co/qW71ulKnSF
— The New York Times (@nytimes) September 28, 2019
As cities gentrify and schools diversify, PTOs grapple to ensure all parent voices are heard – The Washington Post https://t.co/XhUwhcYFpZ
— Larry Ferlazzo (@Larryferlazzo) September 21, 2019
this take is EXTREMELY CORRECT https://t.co/HBENt7vv5s
— Dana Goldstein (@DanaGoldstein) September 20, 2019
This is an important article about single parents and school events, w/ implications also for families whose work schedules make evening/wknd events difficult to attend. Thx, @Larryferlazzo! https://t.co/eJz5WdDP0T
— Colorín Colorado (@ColorinColorado) September 18, 2019
Educators: looking for a resource to help you better connect with parents/guardians? Check out the new 'Connect with Guardians' unit, located in the #GoogleEdu Teacher Center, for tools that will help make communication effortless: https://t.co/OS7JQ2lVo9 pic.twitter.com/MucXpT700a
— Google for Education (@GoogleForEdu) September 17, 2019
Our work on the front page of the print edition of today’s USA Today. @HarrisBIPLab @HarrisPolicy https://t.co/Q9v3JZNJdb
— Ariel Kalil (@ariel_kalil) September 17, 2019
Is homework a nightly struggle? Ask your child these 7 questions https://t.co/4Df1vpwDZf
— Larry Ferlazzo (@Larryferlazzo) September 6, 2019

September’s (2019) Useful Parent Engagement Resources – Part One
Neighborhood tours featured in teacher orientation https://t.co/6YgTMHSnHU
— Jana Echevarria, PhD (@Jechev) September 14, 2019
Parents/Guardians! Take our family engagement surveyhttps://t.co/NHHbx7QaCO
— Sac City Unified (@officialSCUSD) September 14, 2019
Dear Educators,
Do not write off parents, particularly those of color, who do not attend Open House. Many are managing multiple jobs, young children, and other obligations. Be graceful and endeavor to build bridges, not walls. Lack of physical presence does not mean indifference.— drwatson (@terrinwatson) September 12, 2019
This tells you a lot about how certain schools get the kind of parents and culture they want. And this absolutely happens in district schools too – even the lack of transportation. https://t.co/L18B163vWI
— Cara Fitzpatrick (@Fitz_ly) September 11, 2019
Something to think about when calling parents from school…check out this thread! https://t.co/1encEEuTJ1
— Sheri Robbins, Ph.D. (@docrobbins17) September 11, 2019
Tough dilemma relating to #DemocratizingEvidence: Parents Say They Want More School Data. Teachers Say They Need More Time to Use it https://t.co/Frlzmlq6JP https://t.co/n9KymVigur
— Jim Kohlmoos (@jimkohlmoos) September 10, 2019
‘The Secret of a Charter School’s Success? Parents’. Eye opening article. Show the extent of the selection bias that the charter school lottery system in the US creates, as well as acknowledging the results they get on top of that. https://t.co/NHDkF9f8gO via @rpondiscio
— Oliver Lovell (@ollie_lovell) September 9, 2019
A key limitation of relying on parental pressure as a force for continuous improvement: “admins often acquiesced to the demands of the most vocal parents rather than prioritizing the requests that could contribute to the learning of all students.” https://t.co/KRBdEsDmKg 1/8 https://t.co/an3JOXjqRb
— Cara Jackson (@cara__jackson) September 8, 2019
Need ideas for families engagement of your #ELs? @SupportEduc always has great resources. Check them out! https://t.co/nWLrpcrW3o
— Jessica Williams (@JWilliamsESL) September 5, 2019
List: How to Log In to the Student Portal – McSweeney’s Internet Tendency https://t.co/KplkTSmHdj
— Larry Ferlazzo (@Larryferlazzo) September 5, 2019
Last night at open house I shared w/parents that there will be no reading log this year. I then provided them this handout to explain some other ways to foster an authentic love of reading without relying on a reading log. Wonderful conversations followed: https://t.co/pUAmCzGpRy
— Jess Lifshitz (@Jess5th) September 4, 2019
NEW: Partner with the Families of Your English Learners. @ValentinaESL#mschat #ellchat #esl #elachat @ncte @ILAToday #educoach #sschat #mathchat #scichat EL specialist Valentina Gonzalez walks us step by to step thru partnership building. @Larryferlazzohttps://t.co/OVFHZkB6LB pic.twitter.com/jUGtBaXLDG
— MiddleWeb (@middleweb) September 2, 2019
Parents may be a better judge of school impacts on long-run outcomes than those implied by standardized tests.
https://t.co/DnNK640HXz— C. Kirabo Jackson (@KiraboJackson) September 2, 2019
White Teacher, Here’s How You Can Successfully Partner With Black Families is by Sharif El-Mekki.