I have now attended my last school orientation for the year. Although I was impressed by the numbers of parents in attendance at the middle school orientation, there were easily twice as many parents at the elementary open house. Some hallways I dared not enter for fear of being squeezed into a corner.
All in all, my son was very happy with his new school and new classroom. He was excited to get to know the new students, hoping for the first time in his life that there would be other children around him every day with similar interests and similar eccentricities. He enjoyed talking with the teacher about his recent travels to Europe and about the microscope he had acquired from one of my favorite middle school teachers, Mr. Penello (who happens to live a few doors down from my parents).
As parents entered classrooms, we were handed packets of paper with information and forms to complete. I don’t think I have ever been as conscious of the importance of adult literacy as I am now. As the director of CISL, one of my charges is to help parents navigate the school system. How does a parent respond to a packet if s/he is not a reader? I was a reading teacher, and I am overwhelmed by the 20-page stack I received for each of my students. Do parents who don’t speak English feel comfortable coming to an orientation knowing they may not understand anything that is being said? Orientation must be an overwhelming experience for both groups. Do these families just not attend? What about parents who do not have an office desk or dining room table on which to fill out paperwork? Do these packets not get turned in? Some of you may think these silly questions, but let me remind you that thousands of students served here in Washington are in a state of transition or living without water and electricity or furniture. Some students are living with their families in a shelter…or in a vehicle. There is so much we take for granted about the children we see around us.
Getting back to my son’s classroom… After perusing the books on the shelves and looking at the posters displayed around the room, I asked the teacher if there was anything I could do to support her in the classroom. She asked if I would be interested in supervising a science team for a contest or organizing the Scholastic orders for the month. To be honest, although Mr. Penello was one of my favorite science teachers ever (Mr. Britt, you’re a close second), I would not say science is my strong suit at this point in my life. I was an English and French teacher for the last fifteen years. When it comes to organizing anything that requires the sending out of money… Well, there’s a reason my husband takes care of our bills. I am the QUEEN of procrastination.
Is there nothing else I can do? I was a teacher for 15 years! I taught my son’s current grade-level for most of that time. Is there nothing else I can offer? I speak languages. I have traveled the world. I have written music and directed plays. I was a little offended. Was I so useless? ... And then last night I ran into a PTA regional director who brought me back to reality and reminded me that not all teachers have had wonderful experiences with parents. To my son’s teacher, I am as yet an unknown quantity. Just the fact that I was a teacher does not mean I would necessarily interact well with her students.
I am glad that PTA director put me back in my place. She helped me to realize that I need to be more patient with my son’s teacher. However, this experience also brought to my recollection a thought I have had in my head since the day I arrived in my new office and saw Karen Mapp’s book Beyond the Bake Sale on my desk. I have not yet had time to read the whole book, but from what I read that day, it became apparent to me that school systems – administrators, teachers, even PTAs – have not done a very good job of involving parents in the education of their children during the school day. The most interested and available parents are often asked to organize fund raisers or make copies or maybe, if they’re lucky, to supervise in the lunchroom, attend field trips or chaperone a school dance. Aren’t there other ways we could be helpful as parents?
The wheels in my head have been turning… Maybe not all parents have interesting jobs. Some may work at home as mothers (yes, being a stay-at-home mom or dad is a job). Some parents may not work at all, but I believe each parent has something to offer – a skill, a talent, an experience. Is there a way to invite parents to engage in the classroom in a way that benefits everyone? Is there a coffee shop owner who can talk about the process of buying a franchise or the process of making different kinds of non-caffeinated drinks? Is there a bus driver who can talk about his/her experience driving a bus and how s/he chose this career? Is there a lawyer who can talk about the difference between reality T.V. and real life? Are there people who have skills or hobbies that could be turned into free after-school classes?
I say these things not to point a finger at my son’s teacher, because if any finger-pointing were to be done, one of the fingers would be pointing back at me as a teacher. I say these things because it is time for all of us – parents, educators, community organizations – to think about the ways we can build bridges that connect us and not walls that divide us. We all have something to offer one another. We each hold a key to the success of the children in America’s classrooms.
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Middle School Orientation
Well, my middle school children have just experienced orientation at their new school. The event was organized so that all new students (both 7th and 8th graders) could do activities together in groups of 10 – 12, facilitated by 8th grade students. The groups played name games and listened to speakers. They took tours of the building and saw their new schedules.
Parents could come later and meet with teachers and counselors. We were invited to sign up for the PTA and for the Parks and Recreation middle school events. Athletic packets were passed out and parents were encouraged to pay for their child’s hot lunch.
As a former middle school teacher, I was pretty impressed with the enthusiasm of the student leaders and faculty present at the event. My only concern, after talking with someone else who had taken off work to attend the event, was that as well-run as the afternoon was, the timing was not well-suited for those families in which both parents worked day jobs. Although there were many parents present, I now wonder how many other parents could have attended had the event been held in the evening.
These are things as schools that we need to think about… 20 or 30 years ago, most moms were at home during the day and could pick up and leave to run errands or assist in a classroom or attend an orientation in the middle of the day. The times are different now. Most women work a full-time job and take care of their children. Many women and even some men are single parents. How can we think about doing things differently to accommodate the different needs of our society so that all parents and guardians can participate in the education of our nation’s children?
Yesterday I paid my PTA dues and signed up to participate in this “mechanism” for the first time in my children’s educational journey. Why had I not signed up before? We were busy at nights. After teaching a full day, I did not have the energy to be out for hours at night as well, in addition to athletic events and church. Furthermore, the PTA groups always seemed to be comprised predominantly by the stay-at-home mothers with whom I had little in common. I do not know how my experience will be here, but I have joined. I am committed to challenging traditional thinking and trying to help create a parent-community-school partnership that is inclusive, not exclusive.
Stay tuned for the next installment – the elementary open house…
Parents could come later and meet with teachers and counselors. We were invited to sign up for the PTA and for the Parks and Recreation middle school events. Athletic packets were passed out and parents were encouraged to pay for their child’s hot lunch.
As a former middle school teacher, I was pretty impressed with the enthusiasm of the student leaders and faculty present at the event. My only concern, after talking with someone else who had taken off work to attend the event, was that as well-run as the afternoon was, the timing was not well-suited for those families in which both parents worked day jobs. Although there were many parents present, I now wonder how many other parents could have attended had the event been held in the evening.
These are things as schools that we need to think about… 20 or 30 years ago, most moms were at home during the day and could pick up and leave to run errands or assist in a classroom or attend an orientation in the middle of the day. The times are different now. Most women work a full-time job and take care of their children. Many women and even some men are single parents. How can we think about doing things differently to accommodate the different needs of our society so that all parents and guardians can participate in the education of our nation’s children?
Yesterday I paid my PTA dues and signed up to participate in this “mechanism” for the first time in my children’s educational journey. Why had I not signed up before? We were busy at nights. After teaching a full day, I did not have the energy to be out for hours at night as well, in addition to athletic events and church. Furthermore, the PTA groups always seemed to be comprised predominantly by the stay-at-home mothers with whom I had little in common. I do not know how my experience will be here, but I have joined. I am committed to challenging traditional thinking and trying to help create a parent-community-school partnership that is inclusive, not exclusive.
Stay tuned for the next installment – the elementary open house…
Friday, August 29, 2008
Jones Family 2008-2009
Have you ever wondered if you are the only parent who has a difficult time making connections to your child’s school? As the new director of the Center for the Improvement of Student Learning (CISL) at OSPI and as someone who has just moved into a new community, I decided it may be helpful to use this blog to chronicle my experiences as the mother of three children (an 11 year-old, a 12 year-old and a 13 year-old) and an educator. I hope you can learn from my experiences.
I know there are some of you out there saying, “School must be easy for her. She’s an educator. She works for OSPI. If anyone ‘gets’ school, it must be her.” I am passionate about doing this blog because as experienced as I am, I do not have all the answers. Furthermore, I have not always been here. I have not always had positive or easy experiences. I think each one of you will be able to relate to some portion of my past story and/or some portion of my current one.
I am an African-American woman who was raised as an ex-patriot in the Netherlands. I grew up as one of the only brown people in a sea of very wealthy Caucasians. When I decided to come to America for college, I came very aware that I was a foreigner in this country. I knew I would be culturally different from the other African-Americans, so I was ready to “not belong” to their community right away. What shocked me was how I was perceived by Caucasians in my college community. My first three years in America were years of self-discovery and much pain as I realized I was not like anyone else around me. Not only was I called a “foreigner” by those in the African-American community, most of whom had never heard of the Netherlands; I was also called the “n” – word as I walked down the street to the store. I was followed by security in stores as I walked down aisles looking for a new toothbrush or a bar of soap. It was not until my junior year that I finally decided either people would like me or not like me. I couldn’t change where I had grown up or the color of my skin.
Shortly after graduation from college, I married an African-American man who had grown up in a single-parent home in an urban community. We married and spent the first four years of our marriage living in very poor communities where gang violence was a daily affair and meals consisted of whatever we could gather from our WIC checks and the food bank. He was working on his graduate degree, and I was substitute teaching when I could get work. Finally, I was hired as the only teacher of color in a private school. In the midst of that first job, I became pregnant with my oldest child. As my children grew from infancy to school age, I became concerned about the state of affairs in our public schools. I looked at the resources my students had in the private school where I worked as compared to the lack of resources and apparent lack of concern for education I was seeing in the public schools. Suddenly, my perceptions of school were personal and not just professional.
I now have three school-aged children. I have one child who has struggled with academic endeavors from the time he was four and I asked him to practice writing. Based on his difficulty remaining focused to complete tasks, we suspected he was ADD, which was later confirmed. He is very intelligent, but struggles with organization and completing assignments. He is gifted athletically and musically. My second child struggles with the content of some subjects but is organized and persistent so has demonstrated above-average grades throughout elementary school. This child is very social and thrives on daily interactions with peers, as well as participation in team sports and band. If there is “drama” to report in school, she is somehow involved. The third child has participated in highly-capable programming for most of his academic career. Although he demonstrates high achievement academically and participates in band, he struggles socially amongst his peers.
Anyone with more than one child knows that no two children are ever alike. This makes parenting at home and at school very complicated. Each child has different needs. Some can be left alone to complete assignments and to manage their behavior. They are self-motivated and self-sufficient. Others require many reminders and a regular call to a teacher.
I am a teacher by trade, so maybe you think I should have this all together. Let me tell you, I am still learning. I still haven’t figured out the way to guarantee that the homework my son has done at home in front of my eyes will make it to his teacher’s desk. I still haven’t figured out how to stop my daughter from allowing other people’s “issues” to distract her from her job at school – to be a student. I haven’t figured out how to stop worrying about whether or not my youngest will have made enough friends by his birthday to warrant having a party. I haven’t figured out how to get as involved as I would like in my children’s school while holding down a full-time job.
As we begin a new year, I want you to know that I send my children off to school the first day just as nervous as you. Will my children get the best teachers? Will my youngest son be laughed at because he’s not good at playing football or basketball like the rest of the boys? Will my children remember to bring home all the necessary beginning-of-the-year paperwork? Will their classrooms be overcrowded? Will they like their new schools?
Don’t think because I have an important position in education that schools will treat me any differently from you. I have been yelled at (when a teacher thought I was a student skipping class, not a parent visiting a classroom). I have been ignored (I mean, not even looked at or spoken to by office staff). I have been told by a teacher that she thought my child was stupid, until she realized he was ADD and just needed to be refocused. I have had important paperwork lost by a teacher. I have struggled just like you to get my kids the kind of education I believe they (and all children) deserve.
As we begin a new school year, I have already made appointments with my children’s principals. I want them to know me and to know that I care. Did I not care before? That was not the case. This will be the first year I can get away from work to make these appointments. I was always in school working with other people’s children and unable to get away to take care of my own the way I would have liked to.
This is a new season for me. As I walk through a new year as a parent of children in a new school, as an employee in a new position, I want to be very aware of ways other parents who are busy during school hours can be involved. I want to think more intentionally about how to support those of you who may have to work two or three jobs or who work a 9:00 – 5:00 and can’t get away to visit a classroom during the day.
Join me for the next nine months and learn with me about how we can do a better job of partnering with our schools to create more successful experiences for our children. Hear about my successes and feel free e-mail me with yours.
If you have questions or suggestions to add to this blog, please write to me at erin.jones@k12.wa.us. I may not have answers for you, but I can help connect you to the resources you need.
I know there are some of you out there saying, “School must be easy for her. She’s an educator. She works for OSPI. If anyone ‘gets’ school, it must be her.” I am passionate about doing this blog because as experienced as I am, I do not have all the answers. Furthermore, I have not always been here. I have not always had positive or easy experiences. I think each one of you will be able to relate to some portion of my past story and/or some portion of my current one.
I am an African-American woman who was raised as an ex-patriot in the Netherlands. I grew up as one of the only brown people in a sea of very wealthy Caucasians. When I decided to come to America for college, I came very aware that I was a foreigner in this country. I knew I would be culturally different from the other African-Americans, so I was ready to “not belong” to their community right away. What shocked me was how I was perceived by Caucasians in my college community. My first three years in America were years of self-discovery and much pain as I realized I was not like anyone else around me. Not only was I called a “foreigner” by those in the African-American community, most of whom had never heard of the Netherlands; I was also called the “n” – word as I walked down the street to the store. I was followed by security in stores as I walked down aisles looking for a new toothbrush or a bar of soap. It was not until my junior year that I finally decided either people would like me or not like me. I couldn’t change where I had grown up or the color of my skin.
Shortly after graduation from college, I married an African-American man who had grown up in a single-parent home in an urban community. We married and spent the first four years of our marriage living in very poor communities where gang violence was a daily affair and meals consisted of whatever we could gather from our WIC checks and the food bank. He was working on his graduate degree, and I was substitute teaching when I could get work. Finally, I was hired as the only teacher of color in a private school. In the midst of that first job, I became pregnant with my oldest child. As my children grew from infancy to school age, I became concerned about the state of affairs in our public schools. I looked at the resources my students had in the private school where I worked as compared to the lack of resources and apparent lack of concern for education I was seeing in the public schools. Suddenly, my perceptions of school were personal and not just professional.
I now have three school-aged children. I have one child who has struggled with academic endeavors from the time he was four and I asked him to practice writing. Based on his difficulty remaining focused to complete tasks, we suspected he was ADD, which was later confirmed. He is very intelligent, but struggles with organization and completing assignments. He is gifted athletically and musically. My second child struggles with the content of some subjects but is organized and persistent so has demonstrated above-average grades throughout elementary school. This child is very social and thrives on daily interactions with peers, as well as participation in team sports and band. If there is “drama” to report in school, she is somehow involved. The third child has participated in highly-capable programming for most of his academic career. Although he demonstrates high achievement academically and participates in band, he struggles socially amongst his peers.
Anyone with more than one child knows that no two children are ever alike. This makes parenting at home and at school very complicated. Each child has different needs. Some can be left alone to complete assignments and to manage their behavior. They are self-motivated and self-sufficient. Others require many reminders and a regular call to a teacher.
I am a teacher by trade, so maybe you think I should have this all together. Let me tell you, I am still learning. I still haven’t figured out the way to guarantee that the homework my son has done at home in front of my eyes will make it to his teacher’s desk. I still haven’t figured out how to stop my daughter from allowing other people’s “issues” to distract her from her job at school – to be a student. I haven’t figured out how to stop worrying about whether or not my youngest will have made enough friends by his birthday to warrant having a party. I haven’t figured out how to get as involved as I would like in my children’s school while holding down a full-time job.
As we begin a new year, I want you to know that I send my children off to school the first day just as nervous as you. Will my children get the best teachers? Will my youngest son be laughed at because he’s not good at playing football or basketball like the rest of the boys? Will my children remember to bring home all the necessary beginning-of-the-year paperwork? Will their classrooms be overcrowded? Will they like their new schools?
Don’t think because I have an important position in education that schools will treat me any differently from you. I have been yelled at (when a teacher thought I was a student skipping class, not a parent visiting a classroom). I have been ignored (I mean, not even looked at or spoken to by office staff). I have been told by a teacher that she thought my child was stupid, until she realized he was ADD and just needed to be refocused. I have had important paperwork lost by a teacher. I have struggled just like you to get my kids the kind of education I believe they (and all children) deserve.
As we begin a new school year, I have already made appointments with my children’s principals. I want them to know me and to know that I care. Did I not care before? That was not the case. This will be the first year I can get away from work to make these appointments. I was always in school working with other people’s children and unable to get away to take care of my own the way I would have liked to.
This is a new season for me. As I walk through a new year as a parent of children in a new school, as an employee in a new position, I want to be very aware of ways other parents who are busy during school hours can be involved. I want to think more intentionally about how to support those of you who may have to work two or three jobs or who work a 9:00 – 5:00 and can’t get away to visit a classroom during the day.
Join me for the next nine months and learn with me about how we can do a better job of partnering with our schools to create more successful experiences for our children. Hear about my successes and feel free e-mail me with yours.
If you have questions or suggestions to add to this blog, please write to me at erin.jones@k12.wa.us. I may not have answers for you, but I can help connect you to the resources you need.
Thursday, May 8, 2008
COLLEGE ACCESS SUMMIT
Join The College Success Foundation to create a statewide college access network.
When: Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Breakfast and networking reception begin at 9 a.m.
Summit 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
What: KnowHow2GO College Access Summit
Where: University of Washington
HUB West Ballroom – Seattle campus
Who: You, along with college access providers, youth-serving
organizations, and community leaders from around the state
On May 20, 2008, the Northwest Education Loan Association (NELA) in partnership with College Success Foundation (CSF) will launch KnowHow2GO Washington at a statewide college access summit.
Reminder: Space is limited, so click here to register and reserve your spot.
The summit will feature:
• KnowHow2GO campaign launch and College Bound scholarship program
• What's happening in your region and best practices from national and statewide experts
• Breakout sessions and peer learning opportunities
• Networking with statewide and regional partners
• Information on the availability of mini-grants
Ultimately, our vision is to create a statewide network around college access — and we need your participation.
• In addition to launching the KnowHow2GO campaign, our vision is to help more students connect to resources — like you — in their local community.
• A statewide network of college access providers, advocates and youth-serving organizations will help more students realize their college aspirations.
• KnowHow2GO Washington presents a timely opportunity to realize this common vision and create a shared agenda around college readiness and access.
When: Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Breakfast and networking reception begin at 9 a.m.
Summit 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
What: KnowHow2GO College Access Summit
Where: University of Washington
HUB West Ballroom – Seattle campus
Who: You, along with college access providers, youth-serving
organizations, and community leaders from around the state
On May 20, 2008, the Northwest Education Loan Association (NELA) in partnership with College Success Foundation (CSF) will launch KnowHow2GO Washington at a statewide college access summit.
Reminder: Space is limited, so click here to register and reserve your spot.
The summit will feature:
• KnowHow2GO campaign launch and College Bound scholarship program
• What's happening in your region and best practices from national and statewide experts
• Breakout sessions and peer learning opportunities
• Networking with statewide and regional partners
• Information on the availability of mini-grants
Ultimately, our vision is to create a statewide network around college access — and we need your participation.
• In addition to launching the KnowHow2GO campaign, our vision is to help more students connect to resources — like you — in their local community.
• A statewide network of college access providers, advocates and youth-serving organizations will help more students realize their college aspirations.
• KnowHow2GO Washington presents a timely opportunity to realize this common vision and create a shared agenda around college readiness and access.
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
10 Ways to Celebrate Asian Pacific Islander Heritage Month at Home
1. Recognize the great diversity of Asian and Pacific Islander ethnicities and languages. How many can you name?
2. Read about Asian Pacific American History.
3. Talk with your child about the moments in our history that we should never forget.
• What happened to Japanese Americans during World War II?
• How did Chinese immigrants contribute to the building of the Transcontinental Railroad?
• Who was the first Asian Pacific American governor in the continental United States?
4. Some Asian Americans came to the United States as refugees. Talk with your child about what it means to be a refugee.
5. Put on a play or do a readers’ theater of an Asian or Pacific Islander folk tale.
6. Visit the Seattle Asian Art Museum or the Wing Luke Asian Museum. Go on the Chinatown Discovery Tour.
7. Make a Hawaiian lei with your child or learn how to make a paper crane.
8. Write a haiku.
9. Many people know about Ellis Island and the important role it played in receiving immigrants from European countries. What do you know about Angel Island?
10. Make banana pancakes.
2. Read about Asian Pacific American History.
3. Talk with your child about the moments in our history that we should never forget.
• What happened to Japanese Americans during World War II?
• How did Chinese immigrants contribute to the building of the Transcontinental Railroad?
• Who was the first Asian Pacific American governor in the continental United States?
4. Some Asian Americans came to the United States as refugees. Talk with your child about what it means to be a refugee.
5. Put on a play or do a readers’ theater of an Asian or Pacific Islander folk tale.
6. Visit the Seattle Asian Art Museum or the Wing Luke Asian Museum. Go on the Chinatown Discovery Tour.
7. Make a Hawaiian lei with your child or learn how to make a paper crane.
8. Write a haiku.
9. Many people know about Ellis Island and the important role it played in receiving immigrants from European countries. What do you know about Angel Island?
10. Make banana pancakes.
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
Civil Rights Conference on the dropout crisis in the Northwest (May 30, 2008)
The Dropout Crisis in the Northwest: Confronting the Graduation Crisis in All Communities with Special Focus on American Indian and Alaska Native Students is scheduled for May 30, 2008 at the University of Washington.
Our feature speakers will include Susan C. Faircloth of Penn State University, Christopher B. Swanson of Education Week, Nettie E. Legters of Johns Hopkins University, Mandy Smoker Broaddus of the Office of Public Instruction in Helena, Montana, Sally Brownfield of Hood Canal School District, and Gary Orfield, among others.
Click here to register. Registration is free to the public.
Lunch will be provided. Due to our limited space, we will confirm your registration by email before May 26, 2008. Please join us. We look forward to seeing you at the conference.
Our feature speakers will include Susan C. Faircloth of Penn State University, Christopher B. Swanson of Education Week, Nettie E. Legters of Johns Hopkins University, Mandy Smoker Broaddus of the Office of Public Instruction in Helena, Montana, Sally Brownfield of Hood Canal School District, and Gary Orfield, among others.
Click here to register. Registration is free to the public.
Lunch will be provided. Due to our limited space, we will confirm your registration by email before May 26, 2008. Please join us. We look forward to seeing you at the conference.
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Washington State Coalition for Language Access Conference
The WASCLA Conference brings together participants throughout Washington State to share improvements and progress in working to ensure access to Limited English Proficient individuals.
Who Should Attend?
Those who are interested in language access including interpreters, translators and those providing services in the following areas: domestic violence, sexual assault, crimes such as trafficking, advocacy, law enforcement, housing, health- care, immigration, public benefits, family law, and government services.
Goals for the Summit:
Learn more about LEP policies, interpreter and translator best practices, training for staff on working with interpreters, telephonic interpreting, interpreter and translator certification, reimbursement systems, translation models, and cultural competence. Discuss a statewide database to share interpreter and translator resources. Network with professional interpreters and translators.
Click here for more information.
Who Should Attend?
Those who are interested in language access including interpreters, translators and those providing services in the following areas: domestic violence, sexual assault, crimes such as trafficking, advocacy, law enforcement, housing, health- care, immigration, public benefits, family law, and government services.
Goals for the Summit:
Learn more about LEP policies, interpreter and translator best practices, training for staff on working with interpreters, telephonic interpreting, interpreter and translator certification, reimbursement systems, translation models, and cultural competence. Discuss a statewide database to share interpreter and translator resources. Network with professional interpreters and translators.
Click here for more information.
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