× EXIT Opening the School Gate | Meeting management Seeking feedback from parents At the end of the meeting, seek feedback from parents/carers on how they thought the session went You could try brainstorming with the aid of interpreters, so that the whole group can contribute. If you are after more formal feedback, ask parents to work in small groups with interpreters, who will run through a set of evaluation questions. The interpreter or a bicultural worker can note down comments from parents or work through the responses on a feedback form. Evaluating your strategy The process of encouraging migrant or refugee families to be more involved with the school is sometimes a gradual one and not necessarily about attracting high numbers in the first instance. If only a few migrant or refugee parents have shown up at your first meeting and you are disappointed with the low turnout, perhaps you need to re-assess success in terms of what you can provide for those who do attend, and what you can learn from them. Have you got feedback from them about their level of satisfaction? Can they offer suggestions about what other parents want? Some schools find that although the numbers are low at meetings specifically set up for migrant or refugee parents, they are attracting parents who have never been inside the school before. This is a really significant step for those families. Checklist ‘We’ve tried to engage parents before, but they just don’t come.’ Consider: Have you made phone contact with families? Have you used interpreters and translated materials? Is the time chosen for meetings convenient for the parents you are targeting? Are there other practical barriers that haven’t been addressed? e.g. childcare or transport difficulties Have you sought input from parents/students to check what some of these barriers are? Are you selecting topics parents want to discuss or that are in line with their concerns? Have you reassessed the strategies you tried and issues you faced with the support of a community agency or bicultural worker? Resources 0 Course menu Introduction 1 Welcome tour 2 Getting started 3 Overview 4 Benefits of engaging families 5 Issues for migrant and refugee families 6 Issues for schools Planning for engagement 1 Overview 2 Involving key staff 3 Identifying the target groups 4 Targeting communities 5 Working with community partners 6 Setting objectives 7 Allocating resources Planning meetings & events 1 Overview 2 Deciding on a format 3 Setting the agenda 4 Seeking parent and student input 5 Choosing an appropriate time 6 Finding a suitable location 7 Arranging childcare 8 Arranging catering 9 Arranging transport 10 Inviting families 11 Translating information 12 Arranging interpreters Meeting management 1Overview 2Arranging seating 3Preparing and managing interpreters 4Greeting parents 5Keeping the discussions on track 6Building trust 7Exploring expectations about school involvement 8Explaining practical systems and roles 9Seeking feedback from parents 10Sustaining parent involvement Ongoing support 1 Overview 2 Creating a welcoming environment 3 Seeking consent 4 Addressing parent concerns about camps 5 Catering for cultural dietary needs 6 Discussing welfare concerns with parents 7 Addressing discipline issues 8 Reporting on student progress 9 Holding parent-teacher meetings 10 Creating opportunities for meaningful involvement Acknowledgements 1 Acknowledgements Resources 0
× EXIT Opening the School Gate | Meeting management Seeking feedback from parents At the end of the meeting, seek feedback from parents/carers on how they thought the session went You could try brainstorming with the aid of interpreters, so that the whole group can contribute. If you are after more formal feedback, ask parents to work in small groups with interpreters, who will run through a set of evaluation questions. The interpreter or a bicultural worker can note down comments from parents or work through the responses on a feedback form. Evaluating your strategy The process of encouraging migrant or refugee families to be more involved with the school is sometimes a gradual one and not necessarily about attracting high numbers in the first instance. If only a few migrant or refugee parents have shown up at your first meeting and you are disappointed with the low turnout, perhaps you need to re-assess success in terms of what you can provide for those who do attend, and what you can learn from them. Have you got feedback from them about their level of satisfaction? Can they offer suggestions about what other parents want? Some schools find that although the numbers are low at meetings specifically set up for migrant or refugee parents, they are attracting parents who have never been inside the school before. This is a really significant step for those families. Checklist ‘We’ve tried to engage parents before, but they just don’t come.’ Consider: Have you made phone contact with families? Have you used interpreters and translated materials? Is the time chosen for meetings convenient for the parents you are targeting? Are there other practical barriers that haven’t been addressed? e.g. childcare or transport difficulties Have you sought input from parents/students to check what some of these barriers are? Are you selecting topics parents want to discuss or that are in line with their concerns? Have you reassessed the strategies you tried and issues you faced with the support of a community agency or bicultural worker? Resources 0 Course menu Introduction 1 Welcome tour 2 Getting started 3 Overview 4 Benefits of engaging families 5 Issues for migrant and refugee families 6 Issues for schools Planning for engagement 1 Overview 2 Involving key staff 3 Identifying the target groups 4 Targeting communities 5 Working with community partners 6 Setting objectives 7 Allocating resources Planning meetings & events 1 Overview 2 Deciding on a format 3 Setting the agenda 4 Seeking parent and student input 5 Choosing an appropriate time 6 Finding a suitable location 7 Arranging childcare 8 Arranging catering 9 Arranging transport 10 Inviting families 11 Translating information 12 Arranging interpreters Meeting management 1Overview 2Arranging seating 3Preparing and managing interpreters 4Greeting parents 5Keeping the discussions on track 6Building trust 7Exploring expectations about school involvement 8Explaining practical systems and roles 9Seeking feedback from parents 10Sustaining parent involvement Ongoing support 1 Overview 2 Creating a welcoming environment 3 Seeking consent 4 Addressing parent concerns about camps 5 Catering for cultural dietary needs 6 Discussing welfare concerns with parents 7 Addressing discipline issues 8 Reporting on student progress 9 Holding parent-teacher meetings 10 Creating opportunities for meaningful involvement Acknowledgements 1 Acknowledgements Resources 0
