Toward Transformational Engagement
January 01, 2025
Appears in January 2025: School Administrator.
Moving beyond the transactional levels of parent involvement into authentic levels of parental participation
The context in which a student lives matters. The opportunity for parents to grow and develop in support of their children matters. Imagine a world in which race and class were not predictors of academic performance. This is possible if we engage families and change the conditions in which they live.
School districts don’t grow parent capacity by sending a few letters home or inviting parents to volunteer on campus. Growth in parent capacity requires intentional effort and a reframing of the school’s or the district’s place in the community. Rather than being part of the community, we must think of our schools as the center of the community. Only then can we put the tools and resources in place to significantly improve student outcomes.
The key to this transformation is to seek out what community needs are not being met — factors that affect a parent’s ability to support their child — and to do so without judgment. You cannot serve needs you do not know about.
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My Sneaker Philosophy
In spring 2001, I was principal at Clark School, a historic, poorly maintained inner-city school in St. Louis, Mo. On March 6, one of our students did not show up to school. I learned subsequently that he had died after being attacked by a pack of stray dogs the night before.
At first, I was quick to judge the parents in the community for not going to the child’s aid. But the more I listened and talked with them, the more I realized how much I didn’t know about them and their circumstances. They held a different perspective that I needed to fully understand to help my school, my students and my families be successful.
The aftermath of that incident taught me three things: (1) I cannot serve needs I don’t know about, (2) parents have to see themselves as connected to the schools, and (3) schools have to see themselves as the center of the community.
Thus, my sneaker philosophy was born. Come dressed for the work at hand, ready to meet people where they are. As such, I wear sneakers every day as a feet-to-the-ground action plan in motion. I can’t do the work I need to do in heels.
It’s vital to be in classrooms and in the community every day in order to be most effective. Even though I serve as superintendent, my role is to teach and learn in support of adults and students. Sometimes, that means helping them see a path they didn’t know they needed to be on or even knew existed for them.
What philosophy guides your leadership for engagement?
— Tiffany Anderson
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