BFCCPS - Parents As Primary Educators

Parents are welcome at our school.
Parents actively participate in their child’s educational experiences.
Parents are consulted on important academic decisions regarding their children.
Parents are responsible for supporting their child’s educational activities beyond the school day, such as homework, establishing organizational systems and project work.
Parents are responsible for being vigilant and proactive in addressing any educational issues they observe in their child, both in school and at home.
Communication between teachers and parents is maintained, meaningful, and based on mutual respect.
Parents receive detailed information about what their child is learning in the classroom and have access to classroom texts online.
Numerous volunteer opportunities are provided by the school and parents are expected to participate as their schedule allows.
Parents allow teachers and administrators to do their job and exercise their professional expertise, consistent with the mission of the school.
Parents are given opportunities to learn about the school’s pillars, as well as resource support for non-academic subjects, such as health and safety issues, social skills, study skills, mental health issues, discipline and motivational strategies that will help them fulfill their primary educator role.
Parents desire the classical, sequential, content-rich curriculum provided by BFCCPS and are expected to provide support for their child through enrichment and remediation activities.
Parents partner with the school to cultivate the virtues in their children's character.
Parents support community service as a method for building authentic self-esteem and engaging youthful energy in a positive way.

Background

The Benjamin Franklin Classical Charter Public School exists “to assist parents in their role as primary educators…” A child is first taught by his or her parents and continues to be profoundly influenced by them throughout life. As an expression of the deep love they have for their children, parents assume the ultimate responsibility of ensuring their children receive the education they will need to succeed in tomorrow’s world. Parents choose their children’s schools carefully and follow their studies closely, acting as true partners with teachers in all that they do. They welcome the responsibility to share in the education of their children in many phases, including remediation and challenge, where appropriate, and to provide guidance and support during the school experience. The school and home work together in the task of passing on the riches of a classical education.

Overview

Parents as Primary Educators at BFCCPS

What does it mean to be a child’s primary educator?

The Benjamin Franklin Classical Charter Public School exists “to assist parents in their role as primary educators…” A child is first taught by his or her parents and continues to be profoundly influenced by them throughout life. As an expression of the deep love they have for their children, parents assume the ultimate responsibility of ensuring their children receive the education they will need to succeed in tomorrow’s world. Parents choose their children’s schools carefully and follow their studies closely, acting as true partners with teachers in all that they do. They welcome the responsibility to share in the education of their children in many phases, including remediation and challenge, where appropriate, and to provide guidance and support during the school experience. The school and home work together in the task of passing on the riches of a classical education.

What are some of the reasons parents choose BFCCPS to assist them in educating their children?

· They recognize their responsibilities as parents and are committed to leading their child's education and then make the dining room-classroom connections.

· They believe in cultivating virtues in forming their children's character properly, and they seek assistance from a school that will extend their reinforcement of virtuous behavior.

· They desire a classical, sequential, content-rich curriculum and want to participate in it through enrichment and remediation activities.

· They believe that community service is a method for building authentic self-esteem and engaging youthful energy.

What are the defining principles that guide BFCCPS in its efforts to assist parents?

· Parents are welcomed at our school.

· Communication between teachers and parents is maintained, meaningful, and based on mutual respect.

· Parents receive information about what their child is learning in the classroom.

· Opportunities are created and maintained to allow parents to participate in the school as volunteers on a regular basis or for special projects.

· Parents are consulted on important academic decisions regarding their children.

· Parents are given opportunities to learn about the school’s pillars, as well as resource support for non-academic subjects, such as health and safety issues, social skills, study skills, mental health issues, discipline and motivational strategies, etc., that will help them fulfill their primary educator role.

What are the expectations for parents at BFCCPS?

These expectations are outlined in the BFCCPS Family Pledge which is distributed each year to all families. By signing the Pledge, families acknowledge their commitment to fulfilling the role of primary educators. In addition to the responsibilities presented by the Pledge, parents must be vigilant and proactive in addressing any educational issues they observe in their child, both in school and at home. This high level of involvement requires that there be mutual respect and trust between parents and the school so that both parties can work with, not against, each other. Parents must be sure to allow teachers and administrators to do their job and exercise their professional expertise, consistent with the mission of the school.

How can parents be best involved in their child’s educational journey at BFCCPS?

Research has shown that the most effective forms of parent involvement are those which engage parents in working directly with their children on learning activities at home. ¹ Parents can support the classroom teaching of their children by making curriculum connections at home, modeling virtue and engaging in community service activities. The following are specific examples of what parents as primary educators might do at home:

· Discuss examples of virtuous behavior. Talk about specific examples from home and school. Ask your child if she showed any particular virtue during the day. What was she proud of during the day? Of what was she not proud?

· Encourage good work habits. Find a quiet homework space in the house where your child consistently completes his homework. Make sure this place is free of as many distractions as possible. Decide on a consistent time each night to complete homework. Is it right after school? After a snack? Does your child need time to relax and play first? Will he complete it after dinner or activities?

· Help with homework. Take a minute to check Edline (www.edline.net) with your child and ensure she has completed her assignments to the best of her ability. Help your student work to find an answer, not just get the assignment done.

· Plan for long term assignments or projects. Create a timeline on a family calendar to help students organize themselves for long term work. Post it somewhere visible in the house and check off steps as they are completed.

· Help students with organization. Regularly look at your child’s classroom materials, found in homework folders, binders, or backpacks. Together, clean out unnecessary papers and place loose papers in the appropriate folders. This is a great way for you to know what is going on in school and to ensure that your children are developing good organizational habits.

· Check the school and teacher websites frequently. The school’s website, www.bfccps.org, and teacher websites, found at www.edline.net, are a wealth of information regarding calendar events, homework assignments, policies, study guides, field trips, and much more.

· Become familiar with the Core Knowledge curriculum. Know the Core Knowledge topics being studied in the classroom and discuss them with your child. You can review The Core Knowledge Sequence: Content Guidelines for Grades K-8, read the appropriate Core Knowledge Grader Series, and use Books to Build On: A Grade-by-Grade Guide for Parents and Teachers to select books related to the Core Knowledge topics that you can read together with your child.

· Become familiar with the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks. They can be found at www.doe.mass.edu/frameworks.

· Plan family activities that reinforce the curriculum. Read the monthly Scope and Sequence and provide enrichment opportunities – trips to libraries, museums, music venues, children’s theaters, parks, etc.

· Read books together. You can use a parent resource guide, such as Books That Build Character by William Kilpatrick and G. and S. Wolfe, to select books to read and then discuss the book’s moral wisdom together.

· Communicate with the teacher. Provide your child’s teacher with feedback about circumstances that might affect the classroom experience.

· Keep a scrapbook of schoolwork and student achievements. Let your child know how important his or her school life is to you.

¹ Cotton, K., Wikelund, K., Northwest Regional Educational Library, School Improvement Research Series. In Parent Involvement in Education. Reference contained in “What Research Says About Parent Involvement in Children’s Education In Relation to Academic Achievement”. Michigan Department of Education. March, 2002.