Fw: [Winona] What do you think about Bianchi's ideas?

[Kathy Seifert]

Well, the list seems quiet on this issue.  I will jump in with some thoughts/reactions even though I was unable to attend the event and don't get cable to watch the broadcast!   A couple of things stood out for me from the panel responses.   First was the idea about involving parents in the schools and parent education.  This seems so crucial and yet there are tons of roadblocks--lack of funding, time, and energy; politics and turf issues.  One model I'm familiar with is Joyce Epstein's: "The model of school, family, and community partnerships locates the student at the center. The inarguable fact is that students are the main actors in their education, development, and success in school. School, family, and community partnerships cannot simply produce successful students. Rather, partnership activities may be designed to engage, guide, energize, and motivate students to produce their own successes. The assumption is that, if children feel cared for and encouraged to work hard in the role of student, they are more likely to do their best to learn to read, write, calculate, and learn other skills and talents and to remain in school." I've tried to find a way to link to an article, but can't manage it!  She researches school, family, and community partnerships and sites six types of involvement and caring for our (school)children:   "Parenting, Communicating, Volunteering, Learning at home, Decision Making, and Collaborating with Community."   Anyway, she discusses implementing this by developing an "Action Team for School, Family, and Community Partnerships" in each school and says,   "The action team guides the development of a comprehensive program of partnership, including all six types of involvement, and the integration of all family and community connections within a single, unified plan and program. The trials and errors, efforts and insights of many schools in our projects have helped to identify five important steps that any school can take to develop more positive school/family/community connections."   She goes on to discuss the steps.  I wonder if this is happening in WAPS?  If not, might it?  What would we need to do as individuals to implement something like this and might it help build the trust that Bianchi spoke of?   Kathy Seifert   This is the reference info for the article: Epstein, Joyce L., School/family/community partnerships: caring for the children we share. Phi Delta Kappan, May 1995 v76 n9 p701(12)           ----- Original Message ----- From: Sharon Ropes To: Online Democracy Sent: Thursday, June 19, 2003 8:28 PM Subject: [Winona] What do you think about Bianchi's ideas? Hi,     We have received all the posts from the Bianchi panelists.  They re-capped some of the lecture's main points, told us what resonated with them, and shared personal insights.      For the general membership of WOD.....             *  What do you think about Bianchi's ideas?              *  Did you have any reactions while reading the panelists' comments?              *  Can we use anything Bianchi is doing in Atlanta to strengthen Winona schools? Sharon Erickson Ropes   PS: For those of you who missed this lecture at WSU, Paul Bianchi's wisdom on humane and effective schools will be re-broadcast on HBC Channel 20 at 3 p.m. and 8 p.m. on Saturday, June 28th and Sunday, June 29th.  To read more about Paul's School, go to www.paideiaschool.org