Family Forums: What Are They?

Family Forums are something I implemented when I was teaching, and I decided they would become a regular part of building successful relationships with the families in my classroom. I challenge you to take the elements of my Family Forums and incorporate them into your teaching practices because they work!

Family Forums should be just what the name suggests: a time when families come together to learn from the teacher, share, and engage. My time with families was more like a party than a meeting—a place for fellowship and learning about what their child was doing at school. What are these gatherings all about?

Fun!

I invited anyone in the family who felt they contributed to the child’s school success to be part of each forum or party. Children were not allowed at my Family Forums, but we provided supervised play activities so all families could participate. This could be in a neighboring classroom, on the playground, or in the gymnasium.

Family Forums may include:

1. Food
2. Music
3. Games
4. Learning
5. Getting to know other families

A Family Forum can be anything you want it to be. Here are some of the Family Forums I hosted:

1. Getting to Know Each Other: This forum was held during the first month of school. I provided food and music, gave handouts on how my classroom ran (procedures, snack calendar, schedule, etc.), and offered tours of the school building and my classroom. I showed how the centers operated and gave an overview of the daily routine. Each family had time to get acquainted. We played an "Ice Breaker Game," and I distributed prizes. At the end, I provided handouts on community resources, local events for children, and opportunities for family involvement or support.

2. Social Media and Families: I acclimated families with my professional and educational Twitter, Pinterest, blog, Youtube, and classroom website. I also helped families set these tools up for themselves. 

3. Understanding Curriculum Concepts: Teach families how to help their children with any concept they are learning at school. Many families are not familiar with terms and vocabulary, such as "one-to-one correspondence," and other terms they may not have grown up with. Add this information to your classroom website or YouTube channel so they can re-watch what you have shared.

4.  Understanding How Children Grow and Develop: Provide handouts, share professional knowledge, or even invite a child development specialist who can provide families with ideas to support their child's development. Educate families about developmentally appropriate practices and ideas.

5.  Healthy Ideas for Families: Offer ideas and games for keeping families active. Encourage families to take pictures and send them to school. Create a family bulletin board in your classroom showcasing families incorporating these activities into their family time.

6.  Recipes and Cooking Ideas for Families: Collect recipes and prepare them at your events, sending them home with families. Encourage families to take pictures and share them with the school. Create a bulletin board displaying how families are incorporating these ideas into their home routines.

7.  Large Motor and Fine Motor Development: Teach games and activities to help children develop these skills.

8. Understanding Literacy: Educate families about literacy concepts taught in the classroom. Teach them games they can play with their children at home to support literacy development.

9.  Invite Community Members: Invite important community figures to speak, such as eye doctors, specialists, or resources that could assist families in need.

These are just a few ideas that a Family Forum can incorporate. You can customize your Family Forum to include any concepts or knowledge you find important. Consider recording the forum in case a family member is unable to attend; upload it to your YouTube channel so they can catch up on any missed sessions. Keep the forum to one hour to respect everyone's time. Be well-prepared and organized so attendees will look forward to the next one.

Seek food donations from the community for finger foods, drinks, and snacks to make families feel valued and welcome. Use this opportunity to express gratitude to families for entrusting you with their child’s education. Remember, not all families have had positive school experiences, and some may find the classroom environment intimidating.

I believe that Family Forums are crucial for building a reciprocal relationship between teachers and families. They foster trust that is beneficial both inside and outside the classroom. Give Family Forums a try—they may provide you with a fresh perspective on teaching!