PTO Today

What does everyone do to get teachers to get involved and come to your meetings? I understand that they don't like leaving once they get home but then neither do I. We would like to get them to come to mtgs and to help volunteer at some of our night time functions.

Thanks everyone.

We spoke with our principal about the performance review of each teacher. As a PTO, we were interested in hearing about how teacher-parent rapport was rated for the teachers. This was not only from the perspective of teacher to parent within his/her classroom, but the ability to establish a rapport both inside and outside the classroom. This included extra curricular programming that benefitted children.

As a result, we had 4-5 teachers come forward this year to participate in our PTO programs, especially a nature program/living classroom project that is very well entrenched at the school.

It remains to be seen if the interest carries through the entire year, but we're keeping our fingers crossed.

Also, we have one teacher who is the lead liason between the staff on the whole and the PTO. She was on the team last year and she was frustrated when the PTO didn't bring her in to collaborate as much as they could have. We are hoping to change that approach and have given her about 5-8 items for her to bring up at the first staff meeting in August when school resumes.

What else are others doing?

Michele

I have read over and over throughout this website forum this same question ... How do we get the teachers to be more involved? But what it really sounds like is how do we make THEM do what We want, come to OUR meetings, and work at OUR fund raisers or run OUR events...

I am sorry but I was a teacher for many years before I had my girls and decided to stay home to raise them. I know how much work exceptional teachers do every day for OUR children. They put in very long hours for little pay and become 100% invested in doing their best for OUR children and then we ask for more. As a PTO executive board member and the volunteer coordinator for our school I expect the parents involved in the PTO to think of ways to make it easier for the teachers to do their job not ways to pressure them into more commitments. How many parents are required to give up their free time for work related extra activites on an ongoing basis?

Sorry to be so hard but give me a break... the teachers at our school participate in PTO projects/meetings because they feel a part of the team not because they are threatened by staff reviews or evaluations. We have a teacher representative on the executive board and 100% staff participation at all events - we value our staff and feel so fortunate to have such a dedicated and professional group of teachers and paraprofessionals helping us to educate our children. Don't be demanding... encourage them to join you in doing what you do and thank them for their time - remember, that's time away from their own children or spouses that you are expecting.
If you need further ideas on how to make teachers participate... spend a little time cruising this site, this "problem" is posted on a variety of discussion boards.

[This message has been edited by ColoradoPTOmom (edited 06-23-2000).]

We're not asking for 100% teacher participation, but 10% would be appreciated. I know we can count on the teachers to do things during the day with us (with some hesitation from about half). We have even asked if maybe 1 teacher from each grade could come to a meeting and then they could alternate meetings.

In the beginning of the year we send a letter to all teachers asking them what they would like to see us do or not do in the upcoming school year. Last year we only heard from 4 teachers.

I understand that teachers have very demanding jobs, but I don't think that what we're asking from them is too much. I think the students would get a kick out of seeing their teachers partcipate in some after school activities with the PTA.

Thanks for the input.

I guess if I were you I'd try to figure out why the teachers aren't responding to your surveys and why so few show up to meetings after you've asked for a representative from each grade level? If teachers show their hesitation to participate in events during the schoolday why would you want them around to spoil a fun evening activity? It sounds as if there is a lot of history between previous PTOs and teachers/staff for you to research.

We had a very similar situation a year ago... now we have ONE enthusiastic teacher on our board that consistently reports back to the staff during meetings - it works great because he wants to attend every meeting and is actively involved in all decisions we make. We have one big evening fund raiser a year (dinner / auction) and a community building event (school carnival) that local highschool and college students help us run to earn community service hours. We do not ask teachers to work these events but we invite them as guests (novel concept, I know!). We have 100% attendance by all staff (teachers, paraprofessionals, office, kitchen, maintenance and administration) and many even bring their families. Guess what? They also pitch in and help without being told to - and yes, their sudents do get a kick out of seeing the teachers at events but imagine how much more it means when the teacher is really having a great time and shows it! How did this complete turn around happen? We did a lot of out reach and dug into past PTO teacher relations - wow, what fences did we have to mend and trust we had to rebuild! Becareful what you do or someone else down the road (and there will be many more PTO's down the road once you move on...)will have to face these same issues!

I don't mean to be so intense about this but I've read so many postings on this forum focused on this topic as well as the topic of getting parents to particiapte. Do what YOU can to make a difference and spend time with your kids.... leave the PTO a little better than it was when you began. Find out why your teachers are so cold to the PTO then do all you can to welcome their involvement.

Good luck! I wish you well!

Thank you ColoradoPTOmom for opening minds on both sides of the subject. I have read many of your posts on various subjects and you have helped me learn to see both sides. You are right, the teachers are fully committed already to our children...I thought more teachers could get involved too, until I started helping weekly in all 3 of my childrens classrooms, I started helping by taking things home to do too, or stayed after school, then I thought "How could they possibly find the time for all this?" It's a tough situation, but you are right, do what YOU can to make a small difference, and hopefully someone else will be motivated by that too. Thanks for your wisdom.

I would also like to see more teachers at our meetings. I know they work hard and I am very thankful for that. My reasons for wanting them there is not just for volunteering more of their time, but to hear and be able to vote on things that we try to do for them. In some cases it is up to one person of the staff to relay there take on the meetings. I would much prefer the teachers hear it first hand and understad why we able to vote yes on some things and no on others..

How many parents are regularly attending weekly staff meetings? They are open to the parents with children attending the school aren't they? Decisions are made at staff meetings concerning our children and what happens in the school - these decisions are much more important to our children's futures than fund raising decisions and carnival discussions. Yes, in a perfect owrld we'd poll everyone for their opinion and share reasons for our decisions - but in reality teachers chose to prioritize how they spend their time. Many are home when we are sitting in PTO meetings working on plans for our children - or - spending time with their children.

How about if we concern ourselves with what more we can do for our children than how to get parents and teachers to attend meetings? Teachers aren't interested in fundraising and PTO decisions - they are concerned with test scores and mandatory state standards and the kids in their classrooms that aren't retaining instruction no matter how they try to reach them. I'll tell you, if my child's teacher had to choose between attending a PTO meeting and planning a lesson to reach those kids that aren't getting it - my choice would be planning for instruction.

If you have one or two teachers showing up, who are sharing information with their co-workers - welcome them with open arms and thank them for giving up even more of their personal time.

OK, I'll get off my soapbox - and not get on again... it's a losing battle and I'd rather spend my time with my girls and Harry Potter! Keep trying to make those teachers attend your meetings...GOOD LUCK!

OK, I said I was off this but I thought of a solution to your "problem" that works for our PTO.

We communicate to all teachers / staff thru email. When we (the PTO) have important news, questions, surveys, "reasons for decisions we make"... we send out a message and cc it to the principal. We get back 100% response through this method - it only takes a moment's time to get a feeling of the climate of the staff on PTO issues. The teachers appreciate being included in this mannor and also appreciate our consideration of their time. Everyone knows what's going on and the principal appreciates being kept up on issues. Teachers can access their email account from their classrooms as well as from home and they all check in regularly so messages aren't missed. They also communicate back to us with questions and requests. If you have the technology to save time - this really works!

I like that response MUCH better!!!

Thank you