George Lucas Educational Foundation
Edutopia

Parent Partnership

For parents who are interested in engaging more deeply with their kids' teachers and school communities.

  • When Students Lead Parent Conferences

    Revising the traditional parent-teacher conference allows middle school students to develop leadership and organizational skills.
    Brooke Markle

  • Building Relationships With Teachers

    A parent and former middle school teacher uses thank you notes at the start of the year to foster ties with her child’s teachers.
    Johanna Rauhala

  • Supporting Parents of Students With Special Needs

    There’s often a rift in communication between educators and parents who suspect their kids have special needs. A parent describes the support that would have helped her initiate an assessment.
    Sharon Eicher

  • 15 Questions to Replace ‘How Was School Today?’

    These questions will help you draw out important information from your kids.
    Elena Aguilar

  • Parents: 19 Meaningful Questions You Should Ask Your Child's Teacher

    Back-to-school content is usually focused on teachers and students, and as these two groups will have the largest workload ahead of them, that makes sense. But for students, the ultimate support system is not an expert teacher, but an informed and supportive family.
    Terry Heick

  • Teach Your Kids to Code: 6 Beginner's Resources for Parents

    Introducing computer programming to your kids can be a challenge, especially for those who aren’t familiar with the nuances of code. Fortunately, in the last few years, a number of apps, software, and guides have been produced that make the often-complex subject of computer coding easy to grasp for young learners. So where to begin? These are a few resources that parents can share with their kids to help them start learning about programming.
    Matt Davis

  • An Appeal to My Child’s Kindergarten Teacher

    Educators face challenges, funding issues, and problems beyond their control. But for each student and family, it’s all about the relationship they will have with their child's teacher.
    Heather Wolpert-Gawron

  • Building Trust With Parents

    Suggestions for how to make back-to-school night a hit for you and your students’ parents.
    Heather Wolpert-Gawron

  • 7 Questions to Ask Parents at the Beginning of the Year

    A set of questions that will help teachers form partnerships with parents in support of their children’s learning.
    Elena Aguilar

  • 5 Resources for Parent-Teacher Conferences

    Browse a curated list of resources for improving parent-teacher conferences, including ideas for highlighting student progress, ways to encourage students to take the lead, and questions every parent should ask.
    Matt Davis

  • Two Kinds of Parent-Teacher Conferences

    Ben Johnson

  • Teaching Good Study Habits, Minute by Minute

    With clear goals, timed exercises, and games, parents can help design home-study habits by tailoring them to their students' visual, kinesthetic, musical, or social strengths.
    Heather Lambert

  • Tips for Parent-Teacher Conferencing

    Check out these useful suggestions for teachers when sitting down with parents.
    Elena Aguilar

  • What Neuroscience Reveals About Bullying by Educators

    Neuroscientific evidence suggests lasting damage to the brains of teenagers subject to the so-called benefits of "tough love" practiced by educators.
    Dr. Jennifer Fraser

  • Back-to-School Resources for Parents

    Find information on easing transition jitters, managing kids’ tech use, getting involved in the school, and more.
    Matt Davis