ABSTRACT

The home–school connection is important to student literacy achievement. However, it can be time-consuming to develop and implement programming that keeps families engaged and involved. Empowering Families makes it easier to accomplish these goals! Chock-full of step-by-step plans for arranging a variety of parent/caregiver meetings and literacy booster events, the book enables educators to get families involved in their children’s learning in ways that are fun and non-intimidating.

By hosting these events at your school, you’ll be empowering families to…

  • read aloud to their children at home;
  • minimize the summer slide;
  • encourage male involvement in literacy;
  • help their children avoid homework hassles;
  • and much, much more!

Bonus: The book includes ready-to-use handouts for your events, such as announcement sheets, follow-up evaluations, and tipsheets that describe ways parents can reinforce literacy at home. These handouts are photocopiable and the tipsheets are also available for easy download from our website at www.routledge.com/9781138803114. Spanish versions of the tipsheets are available on our website as well.

part I|12 pages

Introduction

chapter 1|5 pages

Empowering Families

Getting Started

part II|22 pages

Staff Development Sessions

chapter 3|20 pages

The Power of the Home–School Connection

part III|49 pages

Parent/Caregiver Literacy Booster Meeting: Three-Part Series

chapter 4|19 pages

Why Should I Read to My Child (and How, When, and Where)?

Session 1Getting Started and Keeping On

chapter 5|12 pages

Why Should I Read to My Child (and How, When, and Where)?

Session 2Reading Aloud to Older Children and Websites of Interest to Parents, Caregivers, and Kids

chapter 6|17 pages

Why Should I Read to My Child (and How, When, and Where)?

Session 3

part IV|79 pages

Additional Parent/Caregiver Literacy Booster Meetings and Family Literacy Events

chapter 7|19 pages

Organize It!

And Avoid Homework Hassles

chapter 8|14 pages

Wrap It Up!

Gifts That Entertain and Support Learning

chapter 9|19 pages

A Night Out with the Guys … and the Kids!

Encouraging Male Involvement in Literacy

chapter 10|26 pages

Celebrating Us! Our Culture and Heritage

Sharing Stories, Food, Traditions, and Goodwill

part V|19 pages

Year-End Parent/Caregiver Literacy Booster Meeting

chapter 11|18 pages

School's Out! Now What?

Ideas for Minimizing the “Summer Slide”

part VI|23 pages

Additional Teacher Resources

chapter 12|22 pages

Take-Home TipSheets