. . . I was recently going through the District information that was shared with teachers to support them through COVID-style learning and I found an introductory letter to educators that really resonated with me. It was what we aim to do at Home Quest every year with families. It’s really what I love most about my own journey from a classroom teacher to Home Quest coordinator. I wanted to share it with you as a gentle reminder to our families, and a description to potential families, of who we are and what we hope to accomplish in our Home + School partnership.

“What can the things that families already do everyday look like for your student as learning? What if that learning could “count” towards their school year? What if your energy was spent connecting with students and families rather than tracking down assignments. One way to connect with families and your students is to invite them to choose their own learning in a way that values their families as rich sources of information and knowledge. 

We are teaching and learning in new ways. Parents and families aren’t educators in the same way that classroom teachers are, but they are important teachers for their children. What if you invited them to share what they are doing anyway and then linked it to learning outcomes for your grade and/or subject? Evidence of learning is evidence. We need to look for it in different ways than are typical. 

Celebrate the successes of your students, their families and their combined learning journey.”