UGA Professor Leads Training on Parent and Family Engagement in Education

On October 23, UGA professor and parent engagement expert Dr. JoBeth Allen led educators from Whitfield County Schools and Dalton Public Schools in a training session focused on creating positive partnerships between families and schools.  Dr. Allen’s interactive presentation, entitled “Creating Welcoming Schools in Literacy Collaborative Classrooms,” challenged local educators to think about how they can bolster student achievement by engaging parents and families in student learning outside of the classroom. 



Teachers participating in Dr. Allen's training.

 

Ideas discussed during the session included: coaching parents on interactive read alouds; engaging parents and children in telling and recording family stories; assigning students to talk with parents about how they use reading in their jobs; helping students design “lessons” for family members; drawing on “family funds of knowledge”; planning family visits to learn about students; engaging families in two-way journals; and hosting book clubs. 

Dr. Allen shares advice with Whitfield County teachers.

 

Dr. Allen’s presentation and work reflects a commitment on behalf of the community and Archway Partnership to support the local investment in public education and the Literacy Collaborative.