Hosting Guide A step-by-step resource for engaging parents in strength-based, community building conversations in support of their child s learning.
This publication is available from: Community Assets for Education (Café) Institute 3815 Manchester Rd SE Calgary, Alberta T2G 3Z8 www.cafeinstitute.org Phone: 403-287-0611 This material may be used for educational, non-commercial purposes with the written permission from the Café Institute. The Café Institute supports the use of the Parent Café resources by individuals/organizations who have participated in the Parent Café Facilitators orientation. Parent Café Accompanying Resources The accompanying resources have been consolidated by Café with input from participants, educators, parent leaders and community partners engaged in the 2010-2012 pilot program. Given an overwhelming amount of information now available to parents, the intention of recommending the accompanying resources is to provide a starting point and help parents build capacity for accessing relevant information, supports and expertise rather than provide a comprehensive listing. Given different contexts or ways of presenting material, Café recognizes that resources that may work for one leader, parent, or teacher may not work for another. Café invites Parent Café hosts to provide ongoing feedback and to make recommendations related to quality resources and connections that may be helpful for parents. Please contribute your recommendations and comments regarding resources to the Café community at: (http://www.cafeinstitute.org)
FACILITATOR S GUIDE TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. Acknowledgements... 4 2. Introducing Parent Café... 5 a. Rationale: Why Parent Café?... 5 b. Why a Conversation Café Approach?... 7 3. Parent Café Pilot Program 2010-2012... 8 4. Join the Conversation Making it Happen!... 9 a. Parent Café Themes... 9 b. Possible Formats... 11 c. Providing Childcare... 13 5. Facilitating Meaningful Conversation... 14 a. The Facilitator Role... 14 b. Tips for a Great Conversation:... 15 c. Parents Taking Action: It all begins with a conversation... 16 d. Maintaining a Strength-Based Orientation... 17 e. Highlighting strengths and assets... 18 f. Helpful facilitation techniques... 18 g. Adult Education: Integrating the nine workplace essential skills... 19 6. Getting Started... 20 a. Getting Parents on Board... 20 7. Using the Parent Café guide... 21 a. Sample Parent Café Format: Questions with accompanying discussion points: 22 b. Sample Conversation Starters from Literacy Café... 23 8. Gathering Information, Recognizing Impacts and Sharing Success... 24 a. Monitoring... 24 b. Evaluation... 24 c. Celebrating Success... 24 d. Monitoring impact and sharing results... 25 Café Institute 3
1. Acknowledgements The Parent Café initiative has been developed with the benefit of lessons learned through Café s pilot program implemented in Calgary from 2010-12. The Parent Café conversation café approach for building learning support was applied in a number of formats within six different settings that included Calgary Board of Education schools and community-based organizations. Café would like to thank these parent leaders, teachers, educators and administrators who opened their doors to parents and the community, provided valuable feedback, and in doing so modeled the underlying vision of Café. Bowcroft Family Place Parent Link Centre Buchanan School Capitol Hill School Dr. E.W. Coffin School Douglas Harkness School Families Matter Keeler Family Resource Centre Pineridge School Café would also like to thank our collaborative partners at Calgary Reads who have provided resources, expertise and inspiration in the area of literacy development. Café acknowledges and continues to share with parents the important work of Calgary Reads in supporting struggling readers and providing comprehensive resources for literacy development. Café has been pleased to partner with Calgary Reads in developing the Literacy Action Team module as part of their Literacy-in-a-Box initiative. This resource offers tools and strategies for helping school communities to organize effectively in developing a school-community wide focus on literacy. For more information on Literacy Action Teams please see: http://www.calgaryreads.com Café is very appreciative of the financial support received from the following sources to make possible the development of Parent Café resources for wider use and distribution: Committed individual donors. Government of Alberta Community Spirit Grant Program. City of Calgary, Family and Community Support Services (FCSS) Strong Neighborhoods initiative. The Coady Institute, St. FX University, through the efforts of Dr. Alison Mathie, has contributed to the Café program development their extensive knowledge and international experience in facilitating asset-based community development (ABCD) to stimulate local development. These learnings have been foundational in the development of the Parent Café community-building approach for supporting education. The seminal work of J. McKnight and J.Kretzmann et al at the Asset-based Community Development Institute at Northwestern University has also inspired and stimulated the Café Institute to link the community building elements of ABCD within educational goals. (For more on the Coady Institute s work and the ABCD Institute see appendix 3d: More on Asset-based Community Development). Café Institute 4
2. Introducing Parent Café A conversation café' brings people together for discussion, sharing, and support with the goal of creating a space that may stimulate further action or engagement. Parent Café provides resources, training and mentoring for conversations designed to support parents in their role as their child s first and most important teacher. Parent Café events offer a forum for parents to share their own experiences and locally available resources in support of literacy, along with a number of additional strength-based themes that are known to positively impact learning. The Parent Café materials can be integrated as conversation starters within existing programs or events where parents are coming together. a. Rationale: Why Parent Café? Current educational research and applied practice shows that: Parents play a critical role as their child s first and most important teacher ; children of involved parents do better in school. When families, schools and communities work together to provide support, learning outcomes are positively impacted. Untapped strengths and assets in families, school and community can be engaged to enhance learning. Meaningful conversation around shared issues can be an opportunity for building supportive communities, a key contributing factor of resiliency in children. The vast amount of information and quality resources available for parents today can be overwhelming for parents. The conversation café approach offers an environment conducive to relationship building. It is an opportunity to create social capital: both the formal and informal networks and connections that are known to positively impact a child s overall development. (Putman, Robert, D. (2000) Bowling Alone: The collapse and revival of American community). The Parent Café approach to supporting literacy and learning is grounded in emerging education and community development research, along with shifts in educational policy and applied practice. The framework incorporates the capacity building elements of asset-based community development (Kretzmann and McKnight, 2003) which points to the need to engage parents as active citizens in their children s education and development rather than supported only by professionals from a client orientation. The consolidated research of Dr. J. Epstein and associates at The Centre for Family, School, Community Partnerships, Johns Hopkins University strongly supports the need for collaboration among family, school, and community as partners in education. The Parent Café approach aligns with articulated goals and principles of Alberta Education and many individual school boards related to further engaging families in education. Following the participatory principals of effective adult education, Parent Café has been designed also to incorporate elements of the Government of Alberta s Workplace Essential Skills and Literacy Framework. Café Institute 5
In summary, the Parent Café approach is designed to: Incorporate the strength-based, capacity building elements of asset-based community development (ABCD) (Kretzmann and McKnight, 2003). Acknowledge the consolidated research supporting the positive impact of family, school and community partnerships on learning outcomes (J. Epstein and associates, 2005). Integrate lessons learned from influential educational research and practice. For example: systems ecological theory, social constructivism, and social motivational theories. Recognize the municipal and provincial context and collective vision for education and community development. Increase parental efficacy and capacity to support learning by sharing tools and strategies both within the home and as an advocate for their child within the school community. Help parents recognize and build their own strengths and assets to support learning. Promote opportunities for parents to build the relationships and networks inherent in social capital, an important indicator of student success. Provide an opportunity for parents to model engaged citizenship and a positive orientation to learning. Encourage parents to explore their role within a school system, which may be new to them. Support parents in developing positive working relationships with teachers and schools. Provide a forum for adult learners when needed, to practice and develop the underlying skills outlined in the Workplace Essential Skills Framework. For further information see Accompanying Resources appendix 3: 3b: Parent Café Rationale and Framework 3d: More on Asset-Based Community Development 3e: Why Focus on Building a Learning Community? Café Institute 6
b. Why Simply Conversations? Education in the 21st century is increasingly complex. Accessing the vast amount of quality information, resources and supports available for parents can be overwhelming. Families face a multitude of personal and social challenges in supporting their child s learning. Many parents have much to share as they are extremely successful and resourceful at finding ways to make positive contributions to their child s learning. Community conversations are being used around the world to address complex challenges, to problem solve, to pull people together, to stimulate change and action, share resources and to find innovative solutions. Dialogue comes from the Geek words dia and logos (through, meaning) ; the flow of meaning between people, meaning comes from experience and learning and shapes our thinking and beliefs. (Born, P., 2008, Community Conversations). Current learning theories reflect the importance of providing an opportunity for exploration, dialogue and interaction in order for meaningful learning to take place. The Parent Café format is designed to create an environment for this to happen, or to stimulate conversation within existing programs or places where parents come together. We know that dialogue is a critical element in creating community change. When people come together in trusting conversation it often leads to engagement and action. Building supportive relationships among parents is a key element of empowering change. The goal of Parent Café is to validate the good work parents are already doing in supporting their child s learning. Parent Café also can provide a forum to help parents to become more informed, energized and purposeful in finding ways to take further action in supporting their child s learning. Café Institute 7
3. Parent Café Pilot Program 2010-2012 Parent Café was piloted from 2010-2012 in a pilot program within 6 schools and communitybased organizations that included kindergarten parents (2 schools), K-6 parents (2 schools) and pre-kinder preparation programs (through 2 community-based organizations). The formats consisted of both small and larger group with a continuum of levels of involvement from parent leaders, café facilitators and community educators. This initiative was made possible through the generous efforts and support of Café volunteers and associates, individual donors, Alberta Community Spirit Grant, FCSS Calgary along with partner CBE schools, Calgary Reads, and Families Matters. The experiences of the pilot program have led to the development of Parent Café in its current format. Through the contributions and insights of resourceful parents, parent leaders, teachers, partner organizations, school administrators and community educators, a consolidation of thought provoking conversations and accompanying resources have been compiled by Café. We hope you find these resources helpful and encourage all users to provide ongoing feedback, and input in a process of continual learning and development. The overall feedback received from teachers, administrators and most importantly parents for the Parent Café format was positive and demonstrated impact for parents and students in small but important ways. Some of the things parents reported they were doing differently after their Parent Café sessions include: Café s key learning, challenges and program direction are outlined in appendix 3c: Parent Café s Pilot Program Key Learnings. Café Institute 8
4. Join the Conversation Making it Happen! A Parent Café host is a parent leader, teacher, extended community member or a community-based educator with an interest in bringing parents together to support learning and build communities. Café provides everything needed to make this job easy: orientation to materials, guides and suggested resources that will be helpful in hosting learning conversations that can be adapted for any school/community setting. Topics can be chosen from a number of modules currently developed by Café: a. Parent Café Themes Café Institute 9
More Parent Café modules to come Café is currently developing additional modules and will develop a guided conversation café format around requested topics of interest related to building educational capacity and community engagement in education. The modules will also be adapted for specific use with our early years learners. Topics under development include: Café is open to partnering with other organizations or associations to establish a conversation café around other common issues or topics of interest. For further information please contact the Café Institute at info@cafeinstitute.org. Café Institute 10
b. Potential Hosting Formats Parent Café events can be offered within a smaller single group format where a group of parents come together at a regular set time for a series of topics and conversations. Larger group formats can be used to address multiple topics in one session where parents can move among tables and have the chance to explore several themes of interest in one session. Parent Café for Smaller Conversation Groups Setting the Stage for smaller groups: In this smaller group format, parents are invited to come together for coffee and conversation. Some groups may choose to combine the event with a meal beforehand, which can be made simple with the pot luck dinner idea. Food is always a wonderful way of bringing people together and creating community a key goal of Parent Café. Consider approaching a local business for support; one Parent Café series was supported with a donation of coffee and donuts by the local Tim Horton s. Topics can be predetermined or decided upon by the group at the first session. It is recommended, however, that at least the first topic be decided upon upfront to draw the group to the first session. Literacy Café is a great place to start literacy is the foundation for all learning! The number of sessions and frequency is flexible and depends on the group and the availability of the host. Timing of meetings should be determined by the host, school or program administrators, etc, however, input from parents may be helpful in scheduling. Feedback from parents can be gained through one:one conversations, phone calls, surveys, or sign up sheets. Having parents greeted at a parent teacher conference by the facilitator with a personal invitation is a great way to make contact and check for availability. (see appendix 2a: Sample Invite) Café Institute 11
Parent Café for Larger Conversation groups Parent Café can be offered with a larger group format such as an evening in the school gym or community hall with multiple tables set up, each with a facilitator and a separate topic to discuss. Sessions may address different aspects of one single issue, ie. supporting literacy, or multiple themes, ie. Supporting literacy and Technology as a Learning Asset. Parent Café may be set up to have parents move among table topics after a set amount of time to have the chance to address 2 or 3 topics of interest. As these will be shorter sessions, they are designed primarily to spark an interest in learning and further conversations, and offer up with resources on that topic. If more in-depth conversation is desired, having parents choose only one topic allows them to delve into the topic in more detail The Parent Café format provides an opportunity to generate and share a great deal of ideas and information in a short period of time. If there is a school wide or community issue where there is a need to mobilize and take action, the conversation café format can work well to get parents engaged and efficiently generate input and ideas. i.e. addressing bullying or any other school wide goal. Café can assist in adapting the format to be relevant to any school or organization goals Café Institute 12
Setting the Stage for Larger Group Conversations: Give the room a nice feel, offer refreshments. One school decorated with tablecloths and flowers on all tables and had grade 6 leadership students serving coffee and refreshments. Create a menu Key conversation topics and questions Format Begin with introductions Clarify - Why are we here? What can we expect to take away? Explain format for session Sample Two-question Format Welcome 5 minutes Question 1 Round A 25 minutes (change tables) Round b - 25 minutes (change tables) Question 2 Round A 25 minutes (change tables) Round b - 25 minutes Debrief 20 minutes * Sharing of highlights from table conversations All participants return to the first table Identify 3-5 ideas to share with large group and write on Sticky notes Ideas can be brought forward for clumping into themes Follow up with group What can they take away? What s next? (see appendix 3h: Further Readings. Born, P. Community Conversations for more detailed resources) c. Providing Childcare Providing childcare for both students and/or younger siblings can often make the difference in whether parents can attend. This may not be an issue when using Parent Café materials within a registered program as childcare may already be considered. There is no one answer for this challenge. Some schools have opted not to provide childcare and/or invited younger siblings to play quietly by, although this can be distracting for parents. Other schools have provided volunteers to watch the children within the same room as the café, or at other schools student volunteers and teachers were able to provide childcare in another room while the Parent Café was held. Regardless of your solution, attention to this issue can make a great difference for some families. Café Institute 13
5. Hosting Meaningful Conversation a. The Hosting Role The conversation starters offer an opportunity to bring parents together around a shared interest their child s learning. These conversations can be incorporated within existing programs or learning opportunities. In this approach, community leaders and educators aim to: Create a space for parents to share their own experiences, local knowledge and resources. Highlight and build on the successes of parents in supporting learning. Help parents create networks and relationships among themselves to increase the social capital that is known to positively impact learning outcomes. Validate parent s role as their child s first teacher and in doing so build knowledge and confidence for them to be proactive in their role of supporting their child s education. As a society, all citizens have a shared interest and investment in education. Maximizing the potential contributions of all stakeholders; schools, government, business, community and family is a challenge, but one with a great deal of potential upside. People and organizations bring their own unique combination of expertise, resources, valuable perspectives, relationships, and human and financial resources that should not be left untapped. Parent Café offers a forum to build those important relationship connections that allow us to access ALL available assets and resources. Parent Café s underlying principles: Each family and community has a unique combination of strengths and assets that can be mobilized to achieve educational goals. Each individual has strengths and experiences to be shared with others. Thinking together can lead to working together Café Institute 14
b. Tips for a Great Conversation: Give the room a nice feel, offer refreshments Create an open and safe environment where all participants feel comfortable to speak with heart and mind. Begin every conversation topic with a question around caring Why is this important? Why does it matter? Encourage all participants to be heard and understood. Encourage sharing of stories, knowledge, experience and skills. Slow down and allow time for reflection; listen for deeper insights and questions Draw out and provide encouragement for the things that are working and the knowledge and experience the group brings. How can we build on this? What can we do to go from good to better? How might we strengthen our ability to make a difference? Use opportunities for hands learning on whenever possible. Examples: Demonstrate on computer a number of searches inform Alberta website (have participants come up with ideas of things they would like to provide more support for their child) When discussing choosing different books, take parents through library and ensure they know how access and set up works. Bring in examples and stories whenever possible. Flexibility honoring the flow of the conversation and adapt to what is important to the group Follow up by making connections or providing resources whenever possible. What kinds of questions are good conversation starters?? Open-ended o Eg. Why is literacy important in today s world?? Relating to a parents own experience and that of their child? o Eg. How do you help your child in choosing books?? Positive orientation focus on possibilities o Eg. How have you been successful in supporting your child in learning to read? Café Institute 15
c. Parents Taking Action: It all begins with a conversation. Conversation hosts can provide a place for parents to learn and share together in an informal, caring environment. We know that caring about something is the first step leading to action. Always provide an opportunity for parents to leave with a goal or action step in mind. Is there something they will try to do differently? Many parents that attend will have younger or older children as well. Have parents relate their learning of the day to the stage of learning and situation of their other children. How does what we spoke about today apply to younger siblings? To older siblings? Through conversation, parents may decide to join forces and collaborate on some type of shared goal or idea for action. Supporting this collective action by encouraging group to identify their current resources and next steps can be helpful for them to move forward. Parent Café hosts help guide parents to: build on their experiences in supporting their child s learning. to use everyday opportunities for learning. to try new things and explore new ways of doing. Café Institute 16
d. Maintaining a Strength-Based Orientation It can be a challenge to maintain a positive orientation within groups when parents come together. Parents can often feel overwhelmed or experience high degrees of frustration related to their child s learning and schooling. The host can be influential in establishing a forum where voices can be heard while promoting a positive and productive learning environment. This culture of a strength-based orientation is supported through a hosting approach that begins with the underlying perspective that: Glass half full/parents have capacities and gifts vs. Glass half empty/parents have deficiencies and needs Educational research can tend to focus on the deficits and problems of learners who are experiencing educational challenges. Research shows the positive effects of parental efficacy (the belief that their child will be successful) on student achievement. Parents attitudes can play a critical role in creating a positive orientation toward education, school, teachers and learning, which is critical for success. Research shows that success builds on success. A conversation café can be a unique opportunity to frame educational challenges in a positive light and shift the focus from problems to possibilities. Café Institute 17
e. Highlighting strengths and assets ALL parents bring pieces to the puzzle: Stories Individuals capacities, talents, gifts (gifts of the hands, head and heart) Links with groups, associations and social networks Links or experience with local institutions (support, resources, and expertise) Physical assets and resources Financial assets Cultural knowledge and assets For activities illustrating these important elements of an asset-based approach see appendices 1 a-e: Activities for Facilitators/Parents, which are helpful for facilitators and parents to highlight individual and community assets and resources. f. Helpful facilitation techniques There are many formats and helpful tips for working with small groups and creating meaningful conversation. Depending on the size and dynamics within the group, it may be helpful to break into smaller groups, or work in pairs that then share their conversation with the larger group (ie. think/pair/share). Having parents write their ideas on stickies and bringing them together is a quick way to generate a great deal of collective wisdom or ideas. For further ideas on group facilitation refer to appendix 3f: Helpful Group Facilitation Techniques. Café Institute 18
g. Adult Education: Integrating the nine workplace essential skills A Parent Café session honors the standard principals of adult education - that is the elements of the experience that lead to a productive and meaningful experience for the adult learner. These include an emphasis on building understanding around why the topic is important, and ensuring that the experience be relevant, positive and participatory. Human Resources and Skills Development Canada have identified the Workplace Essential Skills that are needed to participate fully in work, learning and life: reading writing document use numeracy computer use thinking oral communication working with others continuous learning Parent Café has considered and incorporated this range of essential skills whenever possible within the Parent Café sessions. Café recognizes the critical importance of supporting parents as adult learners in developing the specific skills that are important for themselves, but will also be required of their children in order to be successful learners and/or employees in the future. As a Parent Café host, recognizing these essential skills is important when guiding parents to build capacity to support their child s learning. Having the opportunity to practice accessing information in different formats, problem solve and communicate effectively will help parents in maximizing their own capability as their child s first teacher. Literacy Alberta has created the Essential Skills Resource Guide, which may help you to explore and understand the essential skills within different learning contexts. Detailed information on how these Essential Skills are used is available through Human Resources and Skills Development Canada. See this video clip for a short introduction: http://www.hrsdc.gc.ca/eng/workplaceskills/les/videos/transcript_1.shtml Café Institute 19
6. Getting Started a. Getting Parents on Board Begin by introducing the Parent Café approach Clarify desired format Use all avenues available to spread the word Consider beginning with a short trial session to get parents involved Find champions to help publicize Invitations Personal invites are most effective; make connections whenever possible Have students make invitations Have parents bring a friend Determine best time for parents Provide childcare if possible Emphasize the Benefits for their Child! A good start to school and learning indicates success later in life Children of engaged parents: Are more successful in school Stay in school longer Greater access to post-secondary More positive orientation to learning Child may need important resources or networks of supports Understanding the school system will help benefit their child Café Institute Parent Café has provided sample forms that can be used as is or personalized for your group. See appendices 2a-i: Sample Forms 20
7. Using the Parent Café guide The Parent Café format is designed to make the host s job easy, by providing an easy-to follow guide, along with easy-to-access resources around each topic of interest. The conversation starters are presented in a suggested order that builds on previous questions. However, we know that true conversation does not follow a script. The most important outcome is that parents are engaged in real conversation rather than getting through the list of suggested conversation starters. It is suggested that the host let the conversation flow without interruption, but use the conversation starters and accompanying discussion points as needed in order to keep the conversation moving along and productive. The guide is formatted with one conversation starter question at the top of each page or on the front of the conversation cards. Hosting notes are provided to offer additional background and to round out what the parents come up with among themselves. Parents will often bring up many of these key discussion points among themselves within the conversation. The questions are designed to encourage parents to share their own ideas, activities and experiences with other parents. Along with many of the conversation starters are helpful resource suggestions for each topic question. There are background readings or information for the host marked NOTES, as well as possible handouts and activities for parents marked FOR PARENTS. All suggested links or handouts are provided on the accompanying memory stick. A facilitator may decide upfront or at the end of a discussion to provide handouts or resource lists to supplement the conversation. The Parent Café format is designed to stimulate action at both the individual and collective level. Dialogue leads to action and it is the hope that conversation inspires parents to try something new in supporting their child, i.e. to access information, engage a resource, to talk to other parents or teachers about their child. It is also possible that a group conversation leads to collective action. For example, parents may decide to come together to help orient new parents in a school, or host a literacy event, or do an asset mapping inventory in their school. If hosting a conversation series or an event, it is recommended that hosts begin the first session with the Parents Role or the Literacy discussion although this may vary according to the needs and interests of the group or existing program. Café Institute 21
Sample Parent Café Format: Questions with accompanying discussion points: Café Institute 22
b. Sample Conversation Starters from Literacy Café Let us use the Literacy café module as a starting point to illustrate the types of questions provided in each Parent Café Each module. Why might we begin with the first conversation focusing on literacy? We know that literacy is the foundation for learning. In the early years, children are busy learning to read. This is a critical step as they move toward reading to learn. Having the conversation with parents around their role supporting literacy is a great place to start. The types of questions proposed are effective in generating conversation: they address the motivation for the topic, are strength-based, appeal to personal experience and offer an opportunity to take away something that may be helpful. For question summaries for the additional Parent Café s themes see appendix 3a: Sample Conversation Starters Additional Themes. Café Institute 23
8. Gathering Information, Recognizing Impacts and Sharing Success It is recommended that Parent Café hosts check in with parents during sessions (monitoring and feedback) and at the end of the series (evaluation) to see what parents are getting out of the sessions. Neither of these tasks need to be overly time consuming or formalized. A few simple tools and questionnaires may be helpful in drawing out results. Sharing or reporting of progress to Café will be important to inform future planning and provides an opportunity to share successes and challenges. a. Monitoring Ongoing monitoring can be as simple as asking a few key questions. Finding out what impact the conversation has had for the parents can be found by simple asking what have you done differently since the last session? at the beginning of each session, and what have you learned from our conversation today? at the end of each session. A host may wish to list these points on a flip chart for sharing purposes, and then note them on the Monitoring Summary Sheet (appendix 2f.) b. Evaluation At the end of the series of conversations, it is helpful to ask the parents to complete an evaluation form to gain insight into what they have learned and things they have done differently. (appendix 2g: Sample Participant Evaluation Form). It is also a good opportunity to determine interest in further sessions and topics of interest. A separate evaluation form is provided for leaders to share their insights and learnings from their Parent Café series. (appendix 2i: Sample Leader Feedback Form). c. Celebrating Success In many contexts, it is helpful for parents to have the opportunity to share their accomplishments or progress. Having the group come up with a way to share their learning, their progress with their children or their actions as a result of coming together, can be a nice way to end the conversations. Some groups may choose to continue to come together. Café Institute 24
d. Monitoring impact and sharing results There are many ways to gather information and measure impact. Consider which of the indicators/tools listed below would be most appropriate for your evaluation. You can use the findings to inform any future program planning. Survey results Anecdotes, stories or quotes from participants; i.e. What I ve done differently Participant evaluations Number of hours devoted to working on a project or a goal Attendance at events Staff or administrator feedback Number of families served Number of people who volunteered Value of in kind contributions Participant evaluations Source: adapted from: Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction Winter Action Team, Winter 2002 http://dpi.wi.gov/fscp/pdf/fcswintr.pdf Depending on the context of the Parent Café, consider who should be receiving the feedback about the sessions. Whether it is a school principal, a program coordinator or a parent council, having a summary of the sessions and noted impacts or feedback will be very helpful for future planning. Café Institute School Council School Administration Parent Body Participating Organizations and Service providers Community Associations Board of Education General Public Volunteers Others? At Café we work to include community feedback and ideas into our programs. Please share your stories with us! http://www.cafeinstitute.org Café asks the Parent Café leaders to fill out a short summary form of the ongoing feedback and participant evaluations (appendix 2f) and submit to Café. The summary form is available in for printing in Appendix 2g. -Compiled Evaluation Summary, or as an online form at cafeinstitute.org. Your feedback (appendix 2h Leader feedback) is invaluable for the future planning and implementation of Parent Café and is greatly appreciated. As the Café groups come together, many ideas for quality resources will be generated. To share the quality resources you have found please go to www.cafeinstitute.org. Remember, success really does build on success! Café Institute 25