The Mentor Practice Profile (MPP)

Engagement with Families: Connect, partner, and engage with parents/families

Connect, partner, and engage with parents/families

Core Components and Essential Elements	Contribution to Outcome	Proficient (P)	Developmental (D)	Needs Improvement (N)
ENGAGEMENT WITH FAMILIES: Connect, partner, and engage with parents/families: The mentor engages with parents and strives to foster the parents’ active participation in their child’s education. The mentor works to establish a relationship and a routine communication system with families.	Increase protective factors Decrease risk factors	The mentor seeks input from parents and establishes a routine two-way communication system that works for both the mentor and the family. The mentor communicates the student’s school progress with families at least monthly (i.e., sending a note/email/voicemail that is positive, honest, and focused on goals). The mentor gathers input from families and works in partnership with families in promoting student engagement and problem solving.	The mentor and family know each other, but do not have a reciprocal relationship. The mentor reaches out to families inconsistently and at the mentor’s convenience. The mentor’s communication with families is one-sided. The mentor does not consistently include families in shared decision-making and the problem-solving process with their child.	The mentor does not attempt to establish a relationship with parents. The mentor does not attempt to connect with parents on a monthly basis. The mentor attempts to “fix” the family. The mentor lacks cultural sensitivity and responsiveness. The mentor does not value the role of the family in their child’s education.

Core Components and Essential Elements

Contribution to Outcome

Proficient (P)

Developmental (D)

Needs Improvement (N)

ENGAGEMENT WITH FAMILIES: Connect, partner, and engage with parents/families:

The mentor engages with parents and strives to foster the parents’ active participation in their child’s education. The mentor works to establish a relationship and a routine communication system with families.

Increase protective factors

Decrease risk factors

The mentor seeks input from parents and establishes a routine two-way communication system that works for both the mentor and the family.

The mentor communicates the student’s school progress with families at least monthly (i.e., sending a note/email/voicemail that is positive, honest, and focused on goals).

The mentor gathers input from families and works in partnership with families in promoting student engagement and problem solving.

The mentor and family know each other, but do not have a reciprocal relationship.

The mentor reaches out to families inconsistently and at the mentor’s convenience.

The mentor’s communication with families is one-sided.

The mentor does not consistently include families in shared decision-making and the problem-solving process with their child.

The mentor does not attempt to establish a relationship with parents.

The mentor does not attempt to connect with parents on a monthly basis.

The mentor attempts to “fix” the family.

The mentor lacks cultural sensitivity and responsiveness.

The mentor does not value the role of the family in their child’s education.

Examples

For example:

You have consistent, two-way communication with each student’s family, which includes both informing them of school progress and gathering their input.
At least once a month, you communicate each student’s school progress with their family in a way that is positive, honest, and focused on goals.

For example:

You reach out to each student’s family regularly to tell them about the student’s progress.
You use methods and time your communications in ways that fit into your schedule regardless of the family’s schedule.
Decision-making and problem-solving with your students rarely involves their families.

For example:

You have not reached out to establish contact with your students’ families, or do not do so on a regular monthly basis.
You focus more on trying to fix the family than on welcoming their insights and ideas into the problem-solving process.

Reflective Questions

What are your strengths in engagement with families?

Where do you have room for growth?

What support do you need in order to improve in this area?