This week BOSTES endorsed our second professional development course, ‘Parents as Classroom Collaborators’.
This one-day course explores the potential of parents in the classroom. While parent volunteers are a common sight in many schools, they are often an under-utilised resource. From K through to 6 and beyond, parents – and grandparents – can be a valuable asset for teachers willing to invest in a collaborative relationship.
On completion of the course, teachers will be better prepared to invite parents into their classroom; to build collaborative relationships and mentor parent skills; and to take advantage of working with capable parent volunteers to transform their ways of teaching. Participants will also gain a thorough understanding of the relevant legal and regulatory considerations relevant to having parents in the classroom, and have strategies for connecting with communities of practice to support their personal exploration of the potential of parents.
The course will focus on three foundations to effective collaboration with parent volunteers: collaborative relationships; skill building and mentoring; and richer classroom pedagogy.
We are particularly excited to be presenting a shortened form of the material at FutureSchools conference next March.
