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PARTNERS IN LEARNING: Cornerstones of Successful Family Centers How can you ensure success for your center? The first hurdle can be cleared by acknowledging that challenges are inevitable. Many have found that human qualities, like patience, flexibility and perseverance, are more valuable in surmounting barriers than money, materials and equipment. Below are some considerations you may want to take into account as you think about planning and implementing your center. Commitment from the top Although successful centers look very different, they share at least one common characteristic-strong commitment from an administrator who believes in the center's possibilities and supports the underlying rationale. Whether the center is parent- or educator-driven, this support is critical to long-term success. Without it, many centers operate on the margins of school life and find their resources reduced or eliminated when problems arise, space is limited, or something new comes along. Outreach Designing a center that is inviting to a diverse group of families takes some extra effort. Parents who rarely come to school and who communicate infrequently with educators are not easily included in the planning stages, yet their suggestions can be critical to the center's ultimate success. Often the parents who are already involved with the school can help. Through their social networks they may have connections with disengaged parents and can personally encourage their participation. In this way, you can be assured that your center will develop from what parents want, rather than what you or others want for parents. Participation In the beginning, participation in center activities may be low. While this can be discouraging, it is not unusual and the cause might be as simple as insufficient publicity or poor timing. Remember, too, that participation is not just about counting the number of parents who walk through the center's door. It's also about parents' involvement in their children's learning at home. Relationships Establishing trust and building relationships are essential components of any family center. Positive personal contact can build bridges to uninvolved parents, draw in reluctant teachers, and open doors to new community partnerships. The investments made to develop -- and to maintain -- good relationships with parents, school staff, and community partners will be returned to the center in countless beneficial ways, including increased attendance, closer working relationships, stronger support, and exciting collaborations. Family center relationships have no room for "us-them" thinking, "deficit" models, or hierarchal structures. The power of creating respectful, caring partnerships is reflected in the observation of a parent at Cedar Hall's Family Learning Center: "You know, everyone's always telling me what to do, but no one has ever taken the time before this to do it with me." Patience Creating an active, multifaceted center takes time-to build relationships, assess families' interests, and design effective programs. While there is much to be done, it doesn't have to be done all at once. The center will grow and evolve; think big, but start small, and be patient. Give your center time for strategies to take hold. Shobha Sharma, Co-Director of the Illinois Family Education Center, suggests that it make take two to five years before a center really begins to make an impact. This matches the experience of Cedar Hall's Family Learning Center, which has seen tremendous test score gains in their fifth year of implementation, according to principal Cathlin Gray. Keep in mind that modest beginnings can bring early successes that stimulate further effort. Make sure accomplishments are publicized and celebrated! Written by The Family Connection of St. Joseph County, Inc. for Partners in Learning [Vol 2:3, 1999] a newsletter of the Indiana Center for Family, School & Community Partnerships. Back to Partners in Learning Contents | Return to top | Next Article: What can parents do?

Home | What's New | Information about Children & Families | State & Local Statistics | Family Involvement | Welfare Reform | Community Systems | Recommended Reading | Links to Related Sites | Who We Are | Site Map