This is an online resource for the adult caregivers of children who are currently participating in, or are interested in participating in the NASA SEMAA project.
Understanding Family Involvement Overwhelming evidence from research suggests that when families get personally involved in education, their children do better in school and grow up to be successful in life. Yet, family involvement is one of the most overlooked aspects of American education. Today, many programs are designed without recognition of the role of families, and consequently many families remain unaware of the significance that their role can have on their child's education.
Family involvement is an important component of the SEMAA project. The purpose of the family involvement component is to engage families as partners in the educational process. The family involvement program herein was developed to give families, regardless of their own educational experience, the tools needed to become more actively involved in their child's day-to-day education.
Philosophy "We believe that children, parents/families, and teachers are partners in the educational process, and must be respected and appreciated for their individual needs and roles."
Goals - Provide parents/families with strategies, materials and resources to support their children's educational needs.
- Include parents/families as a partner with NASA and the NASA SEMAA Sites in the planning, design and implementation of the NASA SEMAA Program.
- Gain feedback in developing programs that most effectively support their Children's education.
Overview The Family Café is an interactive forum that provides educational and parenting information to adult caregivers and any other supportive, adult role models while their NASA SEMAA student is in class. The Family Café also puts these adults in touch with various local resources and programs that are available for the student. Typically, the Family Café meets for 3-hour sessions over seven consecutive Saturdays for a total of 21 hours of participation. Each 3-hour session features hands-on learning activities, lively group discussions, and dynamic guest speakers. A trained Family Café Coordinator plans and facilities each session.
In addition to the Saturday Model, the Family Café also exists as both an After-School and In-School Model. These models may include multiple sessions of a 1-3 hour duration or single "Family Nights," taking the form of a Star Party, Science Night, Interactive Tour, etc. As with the Saturday Model, each session is facilitated by a trained Family Café Coordinator and features hands-on learning activities, lively group discussions, and dynamic guest speakers.
Outcomes - Provides parents/families with strategies to motivate and mentor their children.
- Empowers parents/families to assert their role as a partner in the day-to-day education of their children.
- Introduces parents/families to NASA resources and technology that are available to support their children's education and career choices.
- Connects parents/family members with other local resources and programs that are available for their children.
