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Utah PTA Teacher Representative
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Utah PTA Teacher Representative
Liz Halloran
E-mail: lizh@utahpta.org
Phone:
Welcome to the Utah PTA Teacher Representative page. Here you will find information and resources to aid in your position.
The Teacher Vice President of a Local PTA/PTSA
Your PTA Board includes as an officer a Teacher Vice President elected by your general membership according to the local bylaws Article VI.
Teacher Vice Presidents should become familiar with the Purposes, Mission, bylaws, policies and programs of PTA.
They should act as a liaison and communication link between your PTA Board and the faculty.
PTA Presidents and Teacher Vice Presidents should meet soon after their election to decide what the plan of work for the Teacher Vice President will be during the year.
Remember that teachers’ time in school is valuable. While involving your Teacher Vice President on your Board, be considerate of their school responsibilities. Also remember that communication is important.
Teacher Vice Presidents should communicate what they have time to do, and the PTA President should communicate what he/she would like them to do. As
PTA Boards and teachers communicate and support one another, the Mission of PTA can be more fully accomplished in your school.
The following are a few suggestions about Teacher Vice Presidents:
- Teacher Vice Presidents should attend monthly PTA Board meetings. Meetings should be scheduled when they can attend. If your teacher is available to attend only a portion of a meeting, schedule him/her to be on the agenda during that time.
- During PTA Board meetings, Teacher Vice Presidents inform the PTA Board of concerns teachers in their school have. Teacher input is vital to decision-making concerning the school and your PTA.
- Teacher Vice Presidents may want to ask the principal to be on faculty meeting agendas in order to report what the PTA is working on and what concerns your PTA Board has.
- Teachers can give valuable advice about programs or ideas PTA Board might want to work on within the school.
- Teacher Vice Presidents should lend support to yearly membership drives. They should encourage faculty members to join PTA in the school in which they teach, as well as, the school their children attend.
- Teacher Vice Presidents keep the faculty informed during the legislative season about the bills the PTA supports or is concerned about. Teachers could be activated to make phone calls and write letters to legislators.
- Teacher Vice Presidents should take the lead in fostering the parentteacher partnership within the school. The following pages deal with this partnership and can assist Teacher Vice Presidents.
Partners in Education: Teachers and the PTA
T - for teacher - is the PTA’s middle name. Teachers are the crucial link in the partnership
between school and parents. Every major study of education has shown the importance of
parent involvement. Parent involvement is enhanced by a positive parent-teacher relationship,
and the PTA is an effective means of bringing parents and teachers together.
Through PTAs and PTSAs (Parent-Teacher-Student Associations), parents and teachers work
together to achieve the PTA Purposes:
- To promote the welfare of children and youth in home, school, community, and place of worship
- To raise the standards of home life
- To secure adequate laws for the care and protection of children and youth
- To bring into closer relation the home and the school, that parents and teachers may cooperate intelligently in the education of children and youth
- To develop between educators and the general public such united efforts as will secure for all children and youth the highest advantages in physical, mental, social, and spiritual education
A teachers’ knowledge and leadership can help the PTA serve children better. In turn, teachers
look to the PTA for help and support in their important work of educating children and
youth.
Building a Partnership: The Teacher’s Role
Parent involvement increases when there is strong support from the principal and when the
teachers build effective partnerships with parents to strengthen their participation in the school
community. Some proven ways teachers encourage parent involvement include:
- Setting a friendly tone with parents in notes, phone calls, and newsletters. This encourages
parents to see themselves as equal partners in the job of educating their children.
- Establishing a regular means of communicating with parents throughout the school year -
weekly classroom newsletters, teacher-parent journals, good news phone calls, or Friday
folders.
- Setting a clear policy on homework - its purpose, how much time it should take, how
parents can help.
- Making sure parents understand classroom programs and policies and the importance of
parent support.
- Supporting parent and community volunteers in the school.
- Attending PTA meetings, serving on committees and in leadership positions, and joining in
PTA programs and projects.
- Discussing PTA programs at teachers’ meetings and gathering tips about successful programs
at other schools to share with the PTA.
- Alerting the PTA to parents’ needs. Working with the PTA to provide parent involvement opportunities in school and at home.
- Sharing with the PTA issues of concern to teachers, current topics in education, and the need for changes to meet future goals.
Building a Partnership: The PTA’s Role
Educating children is a shared responsibility. Teachers need the understanding and support
of their partners in education: parents and community members. The PTA helps to strengthen
this partnership in two main ways:
- The PTA Encourages Parents to be Involved in Their Children’s Education:
- Making parents aware of school policies and programs.
- Helping parents understand the importance of their support of school rules and procedures.
- Educating parents in parenting skills and ways to support children’s learning at home.
- Strengthening parent-teacher communication and understanding through newsletters, workshops, events, and activities.
- Providing informal occasions for teachers and parents to get to know one another as individuals and as partners in education.
- Conducting volunteer programs in schools.
- Assisting parents through outreach programs and referrals to community resources.
- Encouraging parents and community members to unite to improve the lives of children and youth through programs that address problems.
- The PTA Fosters Community Support of Education:
- Working to maintain a strong public school system with quality education for all children and youth.
- Supporting training for teachers, principals, parents, administrators, and community members in their roles as shared decision makers at local schools.
- Working for school budgets that include items such as adequate funding for teachers’ salaries.
- Urging communities to support teachers’ continuing professional education and helping explain the importance of such programs.
- Providing opportunities for parents to focus on school and student successes in exhibits, open houses, awards ceremonies, performances, and other events.
- Encouraging parents and community members to inform themselves about education issues and to understand and support necessary changes in the schools.
- Helping schools connect with the home, providing family and community information, and networking with other local organizations.
How the National PTA Supports Teachers Programs:
The National PTA continually monitors children’s well-being so that it can respond to their
needs through programs for parents and teachers.
Teacher Appreciation and Awards:
Each year, the National PTA recognizes excellence in teaching through programs such as
Teacher Appreciation Week and the Phoebe Apperson Hearst Outstanding Educator Award.
Utah PTA offers the Utah PTA/KUED “Golden Apple Award” for Outstanding Educators, which
recognizes professional educators currently working with students in grades preschool through
12th. Six winners are selected based on their relationship with students, parents, PTA and
the community. They participate in the annual television program and receive a generous
award.
Creating Parent and Family Involvement
As the co-author of a new book, Creating Parent and Family Involvement: 101 Ideas for Teachers Who Care, (by Hobart Harmon, Ph.D. and Ben Dickens, Ed.D.), I wanted to personally let you know the book is now available--as are customized workshops for group meetings of teachers and others.
Please go to http://www.pcrs.biz to review book contents, or learn more about the workshops.
In addition to over 100 practical parent involvement ideas for teachers, a special chapter includes over 50 tips a teacher can give parents on how to help their children improve academically in school. The purpose of this chapter is to help all teachers effectively answer the parent who asks, "How do I help my child succeed academically in school?
A 40-item school self-assessment survey is also included in the book. This self-assessment is divided into the same 8 categories that contain the 101 ideas for teachers. The categories include:
- Getting Acquainted with Parents
- Solving Student Behavior Problems
- Providing a Welcoming Impression
- Preparing Parent Volunteers
- Using Technology Effectively
- Promoting Positive Public Relations
- Improving Homework Communications
- Making Committee Activities Enjoyable
The more than 50 teacher tips for parents are grouped under the following headings:
- Encouraging a Child to Read
- Communicating with the Child
- Monitoring a Child's Homework
- Monitoring TV Viewing and Video Game Playing
- Encouraging a Child to Use the Library
- Working with Teachers and Schools
- Helping a Child with Test-Taking
- Reviewing Test Results
National School Counseling Week
The week of February 7-11, 2011 is National School Counseling Week.
Utah Counselors help parents focus on ways to further the educational, personal, and social
growth of their children. Comprehensive Guidance Curriculum is an integral part of the
educational process that enables all students to achieve success in school. We have the
opportunity to show our appreciation to the school counselors for their dedication and
hard work. A celebration need not be time consuming or costly.
Here are some ideas:
- A personal note of appreciation
- A word to their district supervisor or building principal
- Counselor names that week on the marquee
- A thank you in the PTA newsletter
- A student writing assignment
- A high Five!
Resources
The following websites provide additional teacher resources:
Utah Education Network - http://www.uen.org
Information on the Utah Student's Education Core
Utah Education Association - http://www.utea.org
Information for Utah's Teachers
Teacher Awards Information
Teacher of the Year Award - http://www.schools.utah.gov/pr/UTOY.htm
The Teacher of the Year Award is coordinated through:
Tina Morandy
Phone: (801) 538-7526
Fax: (801) 538-7768
E-mail: tina.morandy@schools.utah.gov
*PTAs need to go through their individual schools and then their districts to get the process going for the Teacher of the Year Award.
Huntsman Awards for Excellence in Education - http://www.huntsman.com/index.cfm?PageID=1876
Tips and Ideas on How PTAs can Support Teachers!
The Association for Childhood Education International (ACEI) is gearing up for its annual celebration of Week of the Classroom Teacher (WOCT) and UNESCO's World Teacher Day (WTD). These are important celebrations that acknowledge the contributions teachers make to education. It is also an opportunity for ACEI to communicate to the public the message that teachers are valuable professionals whose hard work and dedication directly affects the future of our world.
The ACEI invites you to join them in expanding the scope and influence of these important events. A detailed planning guide is avaliable at: http://www.acei.org/wcthp.htm, which is filled with tips, sample materials such as press releases, letters to your school principal/superintendent, and a parent flyer to assist with the planning and implementation of WOCT/WTD event(s)/activities.
ACEI supports recognition, respect, and empowerment for the professional childhood educator. ACEI hopes that you will include information in newsletters, e-mails, and other avenues of communication to your parents and community. Let ACEI know how you pay tribute to those outstandind educators in your schools that inspire, educate, and encourage their students to reach for excellence in the classroom. Share your Week of the Classroom Teacher & World Teachers' Day event(s)/activities.
If you are interested in receiving additional materials contact:
Jana Pauldin
ACEI Public Relations Manager
jpauldin@acei.org
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Utah PTA in the News
Dads' participation at Magna school soaring - 8/21/2010
Magna Elementary seeking a few ‘superheroes’ - 8/18/2010
VIDEO: Need for Summer Break - 8/8/2010
>> View All 24 News Articles
What's New?
Perspectives Magazine
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