Keeping Parents in the Loop-what Fly Five has to offer to foster Cooperation

Extending a student’s learning from the classroom into the home is crucial in promoting academic, social, and emotional growth. Research suggests that students whose parents/caregivers are involved in their learning experience have higher scores, are more likely to attend school regularly, and demonstrate stronger social skills and behaviors (Henderson & Mapp, 2002). Understanding the importance that the family unit plays in a student’s success led Fly Five to create the School-to-Home Connection (SHC), a resource designed specifically to foster families’ social and emotional growth.

Fly Five builds a bridge between school and home, reinforcing the importance of SEL and providing a shared language for families, students, and educators. To foster the competency of cooperation (with a focus on friendship), consider sharing the following approaches, adapted from Fly Five’s SHC, with families:

• Dinner Discussion: Ask your child to think about their friendships and how they changed during the pandemic. Did any of their friendships get stronger? What steps can they take to maintain their friendships as we enter a post-pandemic world?
• Art Activity: Using whatever art supplies your child wants (pen, pencil, markers, scissors, construction paper, glitter, magazine clippings!), have them create a friendship collage. They can draw, write, color, cut pictures from magazines or newspapers—anything to capture what friendship means to them. Encourage them to think of what makes their friends special to them and, when the collage is finished, reflect on how they can make their friends feel valued and special as well.
• SEL Saturday: Have your child reach out to a friend (or two, or three!) they haven’t seen in a while and plan a pandemic-safe outdoor activity. They can organize a scavenger hunt in a park, pick up trash around the neighborhood, or host an afternoon lemonade stand! Before the outing, have your child reflect on what they can do to be a good friend and how to make the activity enjoyable for everyone involved.

As parents/caregivers nurture their child’s SEL skills in the home and community, students and families are able to learn together and strengthen their bonds.

References

• Henderson, A. T., & Mapp, K. L. (2002). A new wave of evidence: The impact of school, family, and community connections on student achievement. National Center for Family and Community Connections with Schools, Southwest Educational Development Laboratory.