National PTA: Three for Me
I was fortunate enough to interview the National PTA Senior Manager for Family Engagement this week. I have posted her podcast on the Parent Professional site. I have also interviewed other PTA leaders both in Kentucky and Illinois. In my interview with Jennifer DeFranco from Illinois, which will be live on October 17, 2011, Jennnifer mentions a program that the PTA offers called Three for Me.
Three for Me is a program designed by the PTA to involve parents and families in the education of the children. The concept by this program is one that I think is crucial for education leaders to drive home. Spending time with your child at home in a learning environment is supporting that child’s learning. Parents need not feel that they must spend time at the school.
Indeed it is beneficial that many parents can and do spend time volunteering at the school on a regular basis. But, simply put, some people don’t have enough hours in their day like it is; adding extra work to their load is simply nonsense. Three for Me can be found on the PTA website along with the resources available to parents. Three for Me includes ways to connect families with their child’s school and thus their education, ideas to build partnerships between home and the community and resources to motivate parents.
As all my educational guests have pointed out, parents don’t intentionally plan to be disconnected from their child’s learning process. But, many feel pushed out and or alienated for no reason. Helping parents learn that their time spent with the kids at home is equally as important as any other type of volunteer work.
So, what does Three for Me actually suggest parents do in the name of education?
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