Debbie Pushor PhD

Ted is one of the first people I met upon moving to Saskatoon. Working as a Community Education Consultant for Saskatchewan Learning, Ted introduced me to staff and parents at Princess Alexandra School. That experience led to the Dr. Stirling McDowell Research I was engaged in at Princess and to many other collaborations between Ted and me. We have co-presented a number of times on parent and community engagement and we liaise through Ted’s work as Director of the First Nations and Métis Education Branch of the Saskatchewan Ministry of Education and through my research and teaching. Further, I had the privilege to co-supervise Ted’s master’s research.

Ted is a dedicated educator who is passionate about community engagement. I have learned so much from him!

About Ted Amedt
Ted Amendt is Director of First Nations and Métis Education with Saskatchewan’s Ministry of Education.  His position has responsibilities for policy development, capacity-building, research, partnerships, and, programs.  His work in the Ministry has also included policy development in the areas of community engagement and community education.  Prior to this, Ted worked in a Saskatoon Community School, devoting much time to community engagement.  Ted has recently completed his thesis at the University of Saskatchewan for his Master of Continuing Education degree, on the topic of community engagement in schools.  Ted has over ten years of experience in the provincial education system as both a practitioner and policy-maker.  Ted is Métis and a proud single parent of his nine year-old son Joel.

Ted Amendt’s Abstract
A growing body of research demonstrates the links between parental involvement and students’ outcomes. Some benefits of this involvement include improved academic achievement, higher grades, increased attendance, and better social skills (Henderson & Mapp, 2002; Sui-Chu & Willms, 1996; Dryfoos & Knauer, 2004; Coalition for Community Schools, 2003). Despite these benefits, many educators report challenges in engaging parents and community members within the school. The purpose of the research was to explore the processes two school staffs used to facilitate community engagement by utilizing community education practices and, within each individual site, compare to any increase in community engagement at the school.

Over the 2006-2007 school year, the researcher spent time connecting with staff members and parents at two schools – a suburban elementary school, and an inner-city community school.  Through observation, interviews with administrators, focus groups with parents, and focus groups with staff members, the researcher obtained information regarding staff members’ growth in community engagement, development of community education practices, and the impact of those practices on community engagement in the school. Through analysis of the data, the researcher identified themes, conditions for community engagement, and promising community education practices.

Data from observation, focus groups, and interviews demonstrated the importance of leadership, developing relationships with parents, creating a welcoming school environment, focusing staff development on community education, and creating opportunities for staff members and community members to come together, for community engagement to be successful. The research captured the importance of making beliefs and assumptions explicit, and identified how these beliefs can be helpful or harmful in engaging youth, families, and community members. The research study demonstrated that as staff members at Eagle Point School and Sunrise Community School increased their level of understanding of community education and created community education practices, they experienced greater community engagement in their respective schools.

Continue with Ted Amendt’s Thesis

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