Return-Path: <nifl-family@literacy.nifl.gov> Received: from literacy (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by literacy.nifl.gov (8.10.2/8.10.2) with SMTP id g89FG7X28280; Mon, 9 Sep 2002 11:16:08 -0400 (EDT) Date: Mon, 9 Sep 2002 11:16:08 -0400 (EDT) Message-Id: <47.22cf2655.2aae13a9@aol.com> Errors-To: listowner@literacy.nifl.gov Reply-To: nifl-family@literacy.nifl.gov Originator: nifl-family@literacy.nifl.gov Sender: nifl-family@literacy.nifl.gov Precedence: bulk From: MWPotts2001@aol.com To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-family@literacy.nifl.gov> Subject: [NIFL-FAMILY:1274] Re: Clips and Cross Posts X-Listprocessor-Version: 6.0c -- ListProcessor by Anastasios Kotsikonas Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit X-Mailer: AOL 5.0 for Mac sub 39 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8" Status: O Content-Length: 1991 Lines: 39 Jon, Thanks, as always, for posting the clips and cross posts. I found the clip on the -- new way of viewing parents as contractual partners--very interesting. Parents as contractual partners in education is not a new idea. When my own children were in concert choir, we were asked to sign a contract in which we agreed to get them to performance sites on time and ready for the concerts, and we agreed to participate as partners in fundraising events so that the choirs could travel to contests in other states. Parents who did not live up to the contract failed their children and lessened their chances for success. I often wondered why other teachers did not send home contractual opportunities. Now that I have grandchildren in school, I see that teachers are sending home booklets in which guidelines and expectations are listed, and the parents are asked to sign the agreement that they will support the teachers by providing study space and by dedicating time to work with their children. I see that as a contract. In light of the recent articles about the large percentage of children who do not show up on the first day or even first weeks of school (27 percent in St. Louis; 11 percent in Chicago), perhaps we need to commit parents to a contract that they will get their children to school when the school is ready for them. We have all seen the reports about how attendance and tardiness, as well as attitude of the parents, contribute to student failure and to their dropout rates. Will it take a contract to make a difference? I don’t know, but maybe it’s worth a try. I know that many family literacy programs offer contracts to the families, asking them to commit to intensity and duration, proven factors in impact studies. Others ask parents to sign a contract that they will participate in all the components of the comprehensive programs. Interesting isn’t it, what some people consider new ideas? All the Best, Meta Potts
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